Fragrance Diffusers - Tips from an expert

Thinking about purchasing a reed diffuser to scent your home? We love diffusers and know them to be super effective.If you haven't used a perfume diffuser before, here is everything you need to know to make your purchase worthwhile.

1. CHOOSE A SCENT YOU LOVE. Don't worry too much about the look of your diffuser, we think how it scents your room, is the critical factor. Diffusers can always be decanted and transferred into another vessel if you like, but you can't change the scent! Often people choose diffusers in similar fragrances to what they wear as perfumes. I think this is always a good strategy.

2. FRAGRANCE SUITABILITY. Choose the scent considering where it is to be used. We recommend you don't use citrus diffusers in bedroom for instance as they tend to be too stimulating and can affect sleep. A fresh crisp scent may be more suitable in a bathroom area. Consider a more neutral scent in a shared space. Florals are lovely in dressing rooms. Natural green or marine scents at the beach etc.

3. MIXING SCENTS. Choose a fragrance style and stick to it throughout your home. It helps to have multiple diffusers all singing from the same songsheet. Build the fragrance up throughout the house by having several diffusers with either the same or similar scents to combine harmoniously.

4. PLACEMENT. Do not place diffusers in direct sunlight or underneath heat pumps. This just accelerates the evaporation time and reduces the life of the diffuser. We recommend hall tables, beside or on basins, bedside tables, book shelves are all ideal places for diffusers.

5. A WARNING .Your diffuser contains oil, alcohol and fragrances amongst other things... be careful if you turn your sticks, or refill your diffuser not to drip or spill liquid onto precious furnishings, timber table etc.

6. Sometimes a fragrance which is around us constantly ceases to be recognised by us. This is part of the way our sense of smell and brain work. If you feel your diffuser is not working, put it in an unused room and close the door. Come back in 24 hours and see if you can notice the smell when you walk in. 99% of the time you will smell the scent anew.

7. WHEN IS MY DIFFUSER DONE? Many of our fragrance diffusers have oil as their base. Long after all the perfume is gone, the oil will remain at the bottom of your diffuser. This makes the diffuser look like its still operational, when in truth it is done! A clue, if your diffuser is more than 14 months old it probably needs replacing.

8. FRAGRANCE DIFFUSER REFILLS. A great idea and well worth investing in but PLEASE if you refill your diffuser with a new or different scent, put in new sticks and make sure the vessel has been thoroughly washed.