Dry air caused by a low humidity level can cause dry eyes, dry skin, sore throat, bloody nose and general discomfort. To combat this, many may pick up a humidifier. However, essential oil users are likely to wonder – can a diffuser work just as well?

We’ve previously discussed whether you can use a humidifier as an aroma diffuser, but today we’re answering the question, do essential oil diffusers put moisture in the air? We're also discussing a few added benefits of owning an aromatherapy diffuser. Read on for more info. 

What Is An Essential Oil Diffuser?

An essential oil diffuser effectively disperses the therapeutic benefits and aromas of essential oils into the air so that you can inhale, enjoy and obtain their benefits.

Convenient and cost-saving, our diffusers combine highly innovative technology with pure aromatic integrity. Simply add a few drops of pure essential oil, such as Lavender essential oil, or an oil blend to a diffuser and soak in the natural fragrance circulating in the air. The continuous mist of the oil diffuser will have your favorite essential oil scent wafting throughout your home all throughout the day.

An oil diffuser is a simple way to add aromatherapy to your everyday life. Our collection of sleek designs make it easy to add an essential oil diffuser to any room. Match the color or style of your aromatherapy diffuser to any space with our variety of styles or even take it on the go with our essential oil diffusers specifically made for the car.

Along with style, there are two types of diffusers to consider: passive diffusers and active diffusers.

PASSIVE DIFFUSERS

A passive aroma diffuser naturally emits essential oil without any help from a stimulus. These diffusers generally offer a less intense aroma output.

Passive diffusers can be used day and night, so long as the aroma is not too intense. These diffusers can be placed throughout your home or space and used continuously. Passive diffusers are recommended for those with aroma-sensitivities or if you prefer continuous diffusion at a lower intensity.

We offer a variety of passive diffusers, including:

• Ceramic Bloom Diffusers
• Jewelry Diffusers
• Reed Diffuser

Because passive diffusers are less intense than active diffusers, they are preferred for sensitive individuals such as young children, the elderly, those with health concerns and pets.

ACTIVE DIFFUSERS

Active diffusers use a stimulus such as electricity, ultrasonic vibrations, airflow, etc. to emit essential oils. These diffusers offer an intense aroma output.

Our selection of active diffusers includes:

• Mio Mist Diffuser
• Aromaride Car Oil Diffuser
• Terrazzo Diffuser
• Diamond Diffuser
• Essential Oil Inhaler

Each active diffuser has its own individual safety tips. For example, ultrasonics such as the Terrazzo and Diamond should be used for 30-60 minutes before turning them off for 30-60 minutes.

With the Aromaride Car Oil Diffuser, ventilation (i.e. cracking open a window) is recommended if the aroma is too intense with or without air blowing through your car's vents.

And lastly, though it doesn't require a stimulus to diffuse, the Essential Oil Inhaler delivers the same amount of aroma intensity as an ultrasonic diffuser in a few, short bursts, and, therefore we recommend the same safety guidelines be followed as active diffusers.

What Is A Humidifier?

Simply put, the best humidifier is one that adds moisture to the air via a fine mist of water vapor while increasing indoor air quality.

There are different types of humidifiers which each have slightly different mechanisms.

EVAPORATIVE HUMIDIFIER

Also known as a cool mist humidifier, most humidifiers are evaporative. Cool mist humidifiers have water basins that are filled with cold water. A filter absorbs the water from the basin, then air blows through the filter, thus blowing out fine water droplets into your air.

STEAM HUMIDIFIER

Steam humidifiers, also known as warm mist humidifiers, work by heating water to a boil, creating a warm mist. Note that a warm mist humidifier can be hazardous around pets and children because they use high heat and they also are often the least energy-efficient.

ULTRASONIC HUMIDIFIER

Like our ultrasonic diffusers, ultrasonic humidifiers contain a small plate at the base of the humidifier that vibrates rapidly (also known as ultrasonic vibration), creating a quiet, fine mist. In an ultrasonic humidifier, the water should be changed often so as to prevent bacterial growth.

IMPELLER HUMIDIFIER

An impeller humidifier uses a propelling disc that shoots water through a comb-like structure creating a cool mist. Like the ultrasonic diffuser, the water should be changed often so as to prevent bacterial growth. Distilled water is also recommended.

Can You Use A Diffuser As A Humidifier?

One essential oil user sought to answer this question once and for all, so they used an indoor weather station to compare the humidity in a room after using a diffuser and a humidifier. Here’s how it went.[1]

• Day 1: The user measured the baseline humidity in a room at 22%. After using a humidifier for 30 minutes, they measured again and found the humidity had increased to 26%.
• Day 2: The following day, the user again measured the baseline humidity of the same room at 23%. After using an ultrasonic diffuser for 30 minutes, they measured again and found humidity increased to 24%. 

These results are expected – the humidifier was able to increase humidity four times better than the essential oil diffuser. And while it’s not accurate to say that your humidifier will always increase humidity four times better than your diffuser (given there are different types of humidifiers, diffusers, weather changes, etc.), you can expect that your water diffuser can offer an added dose of moisture to your space. 

SOURCES:

1. Can You Use a Diffuser as a Humidifier? https://diffuseressentials.com/diffuser_humidifier/