What is an aromatherapy inhaler? And what can I use it for?

2 min to read
Andrea Butje
06/07/2021

An aromatherapy inhaler is a way for you to take essential oils with you on the go.

You can't carry a diffuser everywhere, but an aromatherapy inhaler fits in your pocket, a bag, a desk drawer, or the car. (They're great for the office, where co-workers might not appreciate essential oils diffused in a shared space.)

There are four parts to an aromatherapy inhaler:

  • An inner piece of cotton, which holds your essential oils.

  • A plastic sleeve, which holds the cotton.

  • A plastic lid, which slides over the case.

  • A small bottom closure.

The inhaler is about the size of a lip balm or lipstick tube. You drop your essential oils onto the cotton part. To use your inhaler, just remove the lid, hold the sleeve up to one nostril, pinch the other nostril closed, and inhale.

You can see all the parts of an inhaler in a YouTube video I made, showing you how it works. It's easy and doesn't take much time at all!

I like to get my aromatherapy inhaler cases from Aromatics International. They have a variety of colors. (And I admit that I like to pick the colors based on the reason I'm blending! I use blue or purple for calm blends, yellow for energy blends, etc. It's fun!)

You can use aromatherapy inhalers for anything you might use a diffuser for. You can make inhalers for energy, sleep, relaxation, focus, immune support, respiratory relief, muscle tension, and more. They're great for when you're traveling on a plane!

I use about 15 drops of essential oil in an inhaler. Here are three of my favorite recipes!

Travel Well Immunity Inhaler (This is the one I make in the video!)

  • 5 drops Opopanax (Commiphora guidotti)

  • 5 drops Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

  • 5 drops Eucalyptus dives (Eucalyptus dives)

Nighttime Calm Inhaler

  • 8 drops Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

  • 6 drops Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)

  • 1 drop Ylang Ylang (Cananga odorata)

Focus at Work Inhaler

  • 7 drops Orange (Citrus sinensis)

  • 6 drops Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

  • 2 drops Ravintsara (Cinnamomum camphora ct. 1,8 cineole)

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