How to Make a Reed Diffuser

Find the basic steps for making a reed diffuser from start to finish. This article also explains how much fragrance to use.

DIY reed diffusers are super easy to make! All you need is a diffuser base, fragrance oil, diffuser bottle, and reeds. It takes just a few minutes to make a reed diffuser. Because they’re so fast and easy, reed diffusers are great items to add to your lineup if you sell your handmade creations. 

Diffusers are a popular item for customers who want a completely stress-free air freshener. Unlike candles or wax melts, reed diffusers don’t require electricity or a flame to deliver their scent. They slowly release a steady flow of fragrance that can fill an entire room. And if you use decorative reed diffuser bottles, they can also double as home décor! 

If you’ve ever wanted to try making reed diffusers, this post has all the info you need to get started! 

Supplies for Making a Reed Diffuser 

To make a DIY diffuser, you need a few simple supplies. Start by gathering these materials: 

• Reed Diffuser Base
• Fragrance oil of your choice*
• Fiber Reed Diffuser Sticks
• Reed diffuser bottles 
• Nitrile gloves
• Funnel pitcher 
• Stirring tool

* You can use most of our fragrance oils to make a reed diffuser. When selecting a fragrance, be sure to check its IFRA certificate. Reed diffuser limits can be found in category 10A. The best fragrances for reed diffusers are ones with an IFRA limit of 10% or more in the reed diffuser category. You can use fragrances with a lower limit. However, the scent might not be as strong with a lower fragrance load. 

Learn more about reed diffuser fragrance loads here. 

Optional Supplies

• Pipette
• Digital Scale

A pipette is useful for dispensing fragrance oil if you are making a small batch of diffuser oil. 

A digital scale is recommended if you are making a large batch of reed diffuser oil. Weighing your ingredients rather than measuring by volume will give you a more accurate measurement. 

Steps for Making a Diffuser 

After gathering your supplies, find a clean workspace. Keep in mind that the ingredients in this recipe can cause staining if they spill. You may wish to cover the area with paper. 

Before starting, determine how strong you want your reed diffuser oil to smell. We recommend a fragrance load of 10 to 20% (unless your fragrance has a lower IFRA limit). 

The amount of fragrance and base you need will vary depending on the size of your diffuser bottle. We recommend making enough oil to fill the diffuser bottle approximately 3/4 to 7/8 full. You don't want the bottle to be completely full, as you need to allow room for the diffuser sticks. Check out our Reed Diffuser FAQ for more info. 

For this tutorial, we will demonstrate how to make 4 oz of diffuser oil with a 15% fragrance load. This means we will use 0.50 oz of fragrance, and the remainder of the recipe will be 3.5 oz of base. We are using a container that holds about 5 oz of liquid, which allows enough room for the diffuser sticks. 

1. In your funnel pitcher, measure out your desired amount of fragrance oil. 
2. Add the reed diffuser base to your funnel pitcher. 
3. Gently stir the fragrance and base together for a few seconds, or until they are fully blended. 
4. Pour the mixture into your reed diffuser bottle. 
5. Place the reed diffuser sticks into the bottle. They will begin absorbing fragrance right away, and should be fully saturated within a few hours.