Essential Oils and The Sense of Smell

We're often asked "How long does an essential oil scent last?" or "why does the smell of essential oils seem to dissipate after a few hours?"

We have always got clarification and information from our registered Australian oils manufacturer. Our oils are blended and bottled here in Australia and sourced from around the world In their natural environment to bring you the highest and purest quality.

In addition, there are some cleaning tips at the bottom of the page, to keep your ultrasonic diffuser working well.

Generally the diffuser has a life span of around 4000 hours. There is a spinning ceramic disc in the base along with a small motor, and over time the disc wears so thin that it can no longer produce the ultrasonic vibration required to move the water and create mist.

Your diffuser is covered by a 12 month warranty, and we find most customers enjoy diffusing oils everyday and get many happy and healthy years from their high quality diffuser.

Here are some reasons why the essential oil scent reduces in intensity over time.....

1. Pure Essential Oils VS Fragrant Synthetic Oils

Whilst pure essential oils have a beautiful scent, their main job is to be absorbed into our system by breathing and through skin absorption, to promote health and wellbeing.

Cheaper, synthetic 'fragrant' oils or melts are available in dollar stores, and while their scent is more powerful and will last longer, they are a chemical compound designed to replicate a real plant extract, and there is absolutely no health benefit in breathing or absorbing them into the body.

2. Diffusing Oils VS Burning Oils

By diffusing oils through a cool mist vaporiser, it keeps the oil molecule in its original form which is better for good health. When pure essential oils are placed in an oil burner, the scent is more intense and lasts longer, but the molecule is severely altered, and does not give optimum health benefit.

Our 'Cool Mist' Vaporisers break down the molecule so finely that it spreads through the room and can stay suspended in the air for hours, for optimum absorption into the body, and it only uses 200ml of water! You can't see it, but it's part of the environment.

3. Olfactory Fatigue

When the vaporiser begins working, our noses immediately notice an intense release of smell. After a little while, a chemical reaction called Olfactory Adaptation or Olfactory Fatigue occurs.

Put simply, it is the temporary, normal inability to distinguish a particular scent after a prolonged exposure to that airborne compound. The oils are still being dispersed in the air, but your nose is just not as sensitive to the essential oil smell.

There are many people who have poor or reduced sense of smell, yet are benefited by pure essential oils in the air, as they can breathe and absorb every molecule of cool mist, which is coated in the essential oil.

A good example of Olfactory Fatigue is when you've been wearing the same perfume for a while, the scent may eventually seem to fade away, even though it's as potent as it was before. Others may notice your perfume much more readily than you do.

Similarly, if you are cooking a delicious roast in the oven. Initially you will smell the wonderful aromas. But after an hour of being in the kitchen, the smell is not so noticeable. However, a person just entering the kitchen will immediately notice the smell more than you.

Another example is a long term smoker, who can no longer smell cigarettes on their clothes or breathe, but to a non-smoker the smell of the cigarette is intense and often unpleasant.

4. Room Size and Open Windows

Our ultrasonic diffusers can disperse oil and water particles around 25sqm. This easily covers a standard sized bedroom however you may like to add a few more drops of oil in a large open plan kitchen/living area or if there are many windows and doors open, to ensure the oil and water particles can reach a larger surface area without being too diluted.

Due to the advanced ultrasonic technology, the fine mist created by the Aroma Bloom can disperse to a greater distance than some cheaper 'cool mist' vaporisers on the market. Cheaper diffusers create heavier particles which drop to the floor only a metre away from the diffuser.

In conclusion, the most important thing to remember is that even though you may not notice an intense smell of an essential oil over time, you are still breathing and absorbing the ionised, humidified, purified air/water/oil molecules, which can contribute to health and well being.

You have made a great choice is purchasing high quality, pure 100% essential oils, as they will provide optimum health benefits 365 days a year.

Cleaning your Ultrasonic Diffuser

Congratulations on purchasing the best cool mist vaporisers on the Australian market. Thousands of Australians put their trust in our safe, no-condensation, energy-efficient diffusers, and we are glad you have too. 

1. We recommend daily use of the ultrasonic vaporiser to purify and hydrate the air in your home or office, in sickness and in health. A simple clean of your unit every 3-4 weeks is ideal.

2. Do not leave unused water or oil in the base of the unit for more than a day. If machine is unused for more than 24 hours, please ensure the machine is empty and dry.

3. Only diffuse 100% pure essential oils in your ultrasonic vaporiser every day, as "fragrant oil essence" or synthetic oil or Vicks/Euky Bear inhalant is full of carrier oil and chemicals and will quickly clog the finer working parts of the machine.

4. Please DO NOT use commercial cleaners. A 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar can be used to soak in the base for a few hours. 

5. Simply wipe the base and lid, inside and out with a baby wipe and leave to air with the lid off for 30-60 minutes. The circle in the centre of the base can be gently wiped with a cotton tip.

6. Alternatively, dry the unit out completely and use some essential oil (preferably with eucalyptus) on a DRY TISSUE. This is especially useful if there is a slight oil residue inside the base. A firm rub with oil on a tissue should remove any residue.

7. Remember, different oils produce different levels of residue.

8. The energy-efficient unit creates no heat, so can never produce excess condensation or mould.

8. We recommend using the vaporiser 365 days and nights a year, however in periods of non-use, ensure the unit is kept completely dry, with all residual water tipped out.

I hope this information has been helpful. Click here to browse our beautiful range of Essential Oils for only $22 per bottle - you will love them!

Laura and the Snotty Noses Team x