You’ve just bought your first essential oil on impulse and you refuse to spend an additional 200$ on a diffuser for your oils and decided to google cheap essential oil diffuser and after scouring the internet for 10 mins you find yourself looking at stone diffusers and wondering how they work. Well, lucky you. You came to the right place, we are going to cover the most popular types of diffusing stone and explain the science behind it.
Basic stuff
Let’s get some stuff out of the way first, anything can be a diffusing stone, and when I say anything I literally mean anything(well..almost anything). You can pick up a random rock on the ground and use it as a diffusing stone, yes but will it look nice? Most probably not unless you’re really into stones…
The only requirement for a diffusing stone is that it has to be porous, and the reason for this is that porous materials absorb and diffuse essential oils and fragrances. Think of it as soaking a cloth into a bucket of perfume. That cloth would most probably make any room smell good, Same concept. Which is why it is best that a stone diffuser has to be porous simply because the stone will hold its scent for longer. But that doesn't mean that you only have to use porous materials, let me explain. So essentially the tiny holes within the stone acts like a sponge for the essential oils soaking it all in, once the stone is saturated with the oil it will slowly disperse it’s oils into the air due to its volatile compounds essential oils are made of which results in a gradual and slower dispersion rate.
To use a diffusing stone, you simply need to apply a few drops of your favorite essential oil or fragrance onto the stone(15-20 drops). You can place the diffusing stone in any room of your house, or carry it with you on the go for a relaxing and calming aroma wherever you are. You can place them in a car, wardrobe, drawer, or even your shower/bedroom. But to understand the pros and cons of different types diffusers you can check out our post types of diffusers .
Porous vs non porous
As mentioned above, one of the strengths of porous stones is because they act like a sponge. But its greatest strength is also it’s greatest weakness, think of it this way, you have a cloth soaked in a bucket of perfume and if you want to get rid of that smell you’d simply wash the cloth right? But you can't exactly do that for a stone can you? Using porous stone does help in prolonging its aromatic effects but when you decide to change scents it may take longer as the previous scent is already embedded in the porous stone.
Non-porous stones like rose quartz are the complete opposite. They do not last as long but when it comes to versatility they beat porous stone any day of the week. Now thats the main difference between porous and non-porous stones. Any other differences are usually for aesthetic purposes.
Some of the main stones available in the market are listed below.
Lava Stones
Lava stones are one of the most popular types of diffusing stones. They are made from natural volcanic rock that is porous and can absorb essential oils. Lava stones have a rough, textured surface that gives them a rustic and earthy appearance. They are available in different shapes and sizes, including beads, pendants, and bracelets. Lava stone diffusers are also great for grounding and promoting a sense of calmness. Personally, I'm not a big fan of them as they give me trypophobia.
Ceramic Stones
Ceramic stones are another popular option for diffusing essential oils. They are man made from natural clay and are available in different shapes and sizes. Ceramic stones are non-porous and can hold the fragrance for a longer period of time compared to other types of diffusing stones.
Quartz Stones
Quartz stones are a popular choice for those who prefer crystal healing. They are made from natural quartz crystal, which is known for its healing properties. They also come in different colours and shapes, making them a great addition to your crystal collection. One of the more popular one’s in the market are rose quartz, these stones glimmer and shine brightly when the sun hits them making it quite the sight.
Wooden diffuser
Wooden stones are another popular option for diffusing essential oils. They are made from natural wood and are available in different shapes and sizes. Not much to say about them but when choosing a wooden diffuser make sure that they are not tempered with raw wood surface as you need the wood to absorb the oils. They are usually the cheapest alternative (Depending on the wood of course)
Marble stones/Limestone
Marble Stone Diffusers are well made out of naturally formed porous material. These stones are harder to find on the market as they are hand made by expert craftsmen and extremely labour intensive making them quite pricey. The trick is to find marble with a raw surface that allows its naturally porous attribute to do its work. You can find our marble stone diffusers here (Shameless advertising)
In Conclusion
There is no right or wrong types of stone diffusers to use and honestly if its your first time getting into aromatherapy or just want to make your room smell nice, simply looking for the best stone that suit the aesthetics of your room will make you a lot happier than cracking your head over the pros and cons, life is too short to worry about these stuff anyway. Once you’ve had your taste and dabbled more in the world of essential oils & aromatherapy, then and only then can i recommend you look deeper into understanding Basics of essential oils. Otherwise, just feel good and have fun.
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