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    Home » Mom Life » Craft / DIY » Lava Rock Diffuser DIY for Essential Oils

    Published: Jan 24, 2022 · Updated: Jan 24, 2022 by Sharon Garofalow | This post may contain affiliate links. See the privacy policy linked in my footer.

    Lava Rock Diffuser DIY for Essential Oils

    Close up of a lava stone diy diffuser with a succulent.
    A small what planter with lava beads surrounded by a fake succulent for a DIY diffuser.

    With a faux plant and a cute ceramic vase, this easy Lava Rock Diffuser DIY uses essential oils to make your house smell amazing. No water or electricity is needed!

    A diy essential oil diffuser with lava beads and a fake succulent next to a candle.

    This essential oil diffuser DIY was originally posted Nov. 5, 2018. It has since been updated to include more information on materials and better instructions.

    This DIY oil diffuser is a great way to add aromatherapy to any room! My husband and I are on the same page for most of the important things in life, like parenting, but there is one big thing that we will never agree on.

    I love aromatherapy. He HATES it.

    This diffuser with lava stone couldn’t be easier to make and is great for places where you can’t plug in an electric diffuser. Plus it’s cute and my hubby won’t even know it’s there.

    Jump to:
    • Why This Diffuser is Great
    • Supplies
    • How to Make a DIY Oil Diffuser
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Essential Oil Diffusers
    • More about Essential Oils
     

    Why This Diffuser is Great

    I look for little ways to work wonderful smells around my house that my husband can tolerate too. He’s ok with the lavender I put on our lava stone aroma diffuser for the shower.

    And he doesn’t hate when I spritz my Good Vibes Room Spray around the house.

    I love to use my electric diffuser while I work but make sure to turn it off well before he gets home.

    And I totally get it. When I get my headaches, I am very sensitive to smells.

    But there are a few places in the house where I don’t have a convenient wall plug, or I don’t want water in case of spills.

    For instance, in the bathroom, I don’t have a plug nearby my counter and I certainly don’t want to put something electronic that close to my sink.

    A rock diffuser means you can introduce a scent to the space without taking up a ton of room or needing to plug anything in.

    I consider using essential oils to be a form of self-care. It’s a quick way to check-in with yourself during the day and see what smell would make you the happiest.

    Printable pages on top of an image of kitchen gadgets with text next to it.

    Supplies

    Lava rocks in a bowl next to a faux succulent planter and bottles of essential oils.

    To make a lava rock diffuser you just need a few things.

    • Lava stone beads
    • Faux plant and pot (or use my links below to make your own)*
    • Essential oils 

    I found the planter and plant shown at Target but it’s no longer available.

    *My original idea was to buy a small pot, floral foam and faux succulents but the ready-made one saved time.

    I love using NOW essential oils. I have a variety of brands, but I like the price point and the quality product they make as well as how easy they are to find at local natural markets and on Amazon.

    They also have vanilla which smells amazing for the holidays and men tend to like vanilla over floral smells.

    Close up of lava rocks in a small bowl on a table next to a small fake succulent in a white planter.

    Lava rocks, also sometimes called lava stones, are very porous and great for holding essential oils.

    They’re pretty inexpensive and can also be used to make jewelry.

    How to Make a DIY Oil Diffuser

    A spoon being used to add lava rocks to a faux succulent planter.

    This faux succulent was great because it had a platform, that was less than an inch from the top of the container, that the lava stones could sit on which meant you wouldn’t need to use a ton of stones to make this work.

    Whether you buy a ready-made plant or put one together yourself, you want to make sure that the area that you want to cover with beads isn’t too far down from the top of the planter.

    Use a spoon or your hands and fill the top of the planter base with lava rocks.

    Close up of lava stones under a succulent in a small planter to add essential oils to.

    See. So easy. Your lava stone oil diffuser is done. The hardest part now is figuring out which essential oil to use!! 

    Woman adding drops of essential oil to lava rocks under a fake succulent.

    Because I want to stay married, I use only lavender or orange in the bathroom. (I kid. About the divorce part – I truly only use these two).

    They’re both a nice clean smell. One that most men, including my husband, do not find offensive.

    I make sure that if I add new oil, I do it early in the day so it has some time to dissipate during the day.

    A homemade lava rock diffuser made from a succulent in a planter next to bottles of essential oils.

    This DIY aromatherapy diffuser is great because it fits into almost any decor. I can easily move it around the house where I want to add a scent.

    It also puts off a smell that is a little more subtle than traditional diffusers can be.

    A water free diffuser made with lava rocks and a faux succulent next to a candle.

    My kids love aromatherapy too and I’m going to pick up a few more of these succulents and lava rocks for their rooms also.

    I also think these would be a nice teacher gift or handmade gift idea for your girlfriends. Who doesn’t love good smells??? Well, besides my husband…

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How long does oil last on lava rocks?

    Depending on the oil used and how much you add, the oil might last on lava rocks for 2-4 hours or much longer. I tend to add more oil throughout the day as I get used to it.

    Can you wash lava rocks?

    I like to rinse my lava rocks in hot water with a tiny bit of dish soap that can cut through grease. Rinse well and dry completely. You can use an old toothbrush to scrub it.

    Close up of lava rocks used to make an essential oil diffuser in a succulent planter.

    Are you a fan of aromatherapy? You should definitely make this essential oil diffuser if you are!

    If you’re a boy mom like I am, your bathroom is screaming for an essential oil diffuser!

    An image of a blanket and candle with text over that talks about beauty secrets.

    More Essential Oil Diffusers

    • Make your own DIY Reed Diffuser. This is another good one to use in places without electricity around your home.
    • Do you have a Shower Diffuser? You should! This one is my favorite.
    • Skip those store-bought plug-ins and use this Wall Plug Diffuser instead.

    More about Essential Oils

    • Make your own Essential Oil Keychain! It’s a great way to take aromatherapy on the go with you.
    • Make Mojito DIY Bath Salts using essential oils. It’s a fun way to create a spa-like bath based on your favorite cocktail.
    • Plan a Wine and Essential Oils party for your girlfriends! It’s a fun way to get together and make some awesome blends.
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    About Sharon Garofalow

    Sharon lives in Southern California with her adorable family. She loves to share ideas to make mom life easier and encourage busy gals to make time for themselves too! Sharon's "me" time often includes watching Hallmark Channel movies, sipping sauvignon blanc, trying not to eat Salt and Pepper potato chips, and planning girlfriend getaways.

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    Comments

    1. Hillary Lefebvre says

      April 11, 2019 at 3:24 pm

      Hi!!! These are adorable!!! Curious if you’ve ever used real succulents and done this?? I’m planning a succulent class and hoping to make them into little diffusers. But I’d love to use real plants. :)

      Also wondering if you’ve ever used young living essential oils? I’d love to send you some to try if you haven’t! They’re the best!

      Reply
      • Sharon Garofalow says

        April 15, 2019 at 7:40 am

        No I haven’t tried real succulents. I’m sure it would be fine if the oil is put on lava beads but not sure how it would do on the plant. And no, I’ve never tried Young Living! I have a wholesale account with Doterra so I’m all set!

        Reply

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    Based in Southern California, I am the mom to two amazing boys and married to the raddest man in all the land. Cupcakes and Cutlery is your resource for simple solutions to help you be an awesome wife and mother and not lose yourself in the process. Email me at cupcakesandcutlery@gmail.com

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