I've seen unsealed polymer clay beads and pendants being used as diffusers for essential oils. But another alternative is the humble lava bead. These work because the volcanic rock is pitted with tiny cavities, making it porous.  So I checked out how well they work by first making this easy stretchy bracelet - the inspiration came from a student who came to one of my classes at Iguana Beads made a smaller scented version. You can make other designs too.


What I really wanted to do was to actually try out this idea myself.  When I added a single drop to one bead, I found that if you wait several minutes, the oil will eventually seep into the bead. For stronger scents, add one drop to more than one bead.


I could still smell the lavender oil on one bead after a week but it was much fainter by then. Essential oils are volatile oils so they evaporate quickly.  Different oils will probably last varying amounts of time.  And oils which have been around for a while would have oxidized somewhat so that would affect their fragrance.

What I liked about using clay or lava beads as diffusers is that the essential oils are not applied on the skin or on clothes. This allows the wearer to remove the jewelry especially when about people who are sensitive to scents - strong scents make them feel quite ill.  Easier to remove jewelry on the spot than having to take showers or change clothes!

Essential oils are very concentrated and complex extracts from plants so they should be used with caution and used as instructed!

Please obtain information from reputable evidence-based sources about the benefits of different kinds of essential oils. PubMed Health has a good article if you want to learn more.

Plant fragrances have been in use in healing practices for thousands of years. Some of the oils have been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. You might like to read my past post on Cinnamon Oil, Thieves' Oil and Jewelry!

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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM
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