Fragrance oils are a lovely means of enhancing the setting of your home. They’re available in options that include basic scents like lavender and complex, sumptuous blends. Many people find home fragrance to be energizing, relaxing, or festive.
Have you thought about trying a home fragrance oil, but you didn’t know exactly what to do with it? We have several ideas that we’re sure you’ll enjoy.
Candle Dressing
There are many scented candles on the market, but a better idea is to buy unscented candles and create a home aroma with fragrance oils. Unscented candles are less expensive, and they let you use the same candle with different scents.
Adding your own fragrance to an unscented candle is often called candle dressing. There are a couple of different ways to dress a candle.
- Dress before lighting. Put a few drops of scented oil on top of the unlit candle. Spread it over the top with your finger or a cotton swab and light the candle. As it burns, it releases the scent.
- Dress after lighting. Once the candle has been burning long enough to create a well of melted wax around the wick, drop a few drops of scented oil into the well. Don’t use too much, or it could cause the wick to sputter.
When one scent has burned away, you can dress the same candle with a different fragrance.
Scented Lightbulbs
Even the new styles of lightbulbs give off warmth, and this makes them excellent vehicles for diffusing home scent. All you have to do is turn on the light, let it warm up, then place a couple of drops of scented oil on the top of the bulb.
Just like with unscented candles, you can use different scents on the same lightbulbs to change the mood in the room whenever you like.
Room Spray
Scented sprays are popular ways to bring fragrance into your home, but do you know how easy it is to make your own?
This is the recipe: Start with one cup of distilled water. Add one tablespoon of vodka as a binder. Stir in about 15 drops of your favorite scented oil. Put this in a small spray bottle, shake, and spray!
Lavender oil is particularly popular in a bedroom spray. It has a relaxing effect on the senses that makes it easier to drift off to sleep. Florals are nice in the spring, and woodsy scents like cedar give your living area a cozy home aroma when winter is coming on.
Gel Shapes
Fragrance oils aren’t just for grown-ups! Scented bathtub gel is a fun home fragrance project for the little ones.
Here’s how to do it:
- Dissolve a package of unflavored gelatin in 1.5 cups of boiling water.
- Cool to room temperature.
- Add about 30 total drops of a scent or scent blend.
- Add three drops of food coloring.
- Pour into cute, individual molds and refrigerate until set.
- Drop one shape into the tub at bath time. Children love to squish these, but no eating!
