How To Make A Diffuser Necklace For Essential Oils (The Mommypotamus)

So, imagine you’re having lunch with a wild Bactrian camel

. . . and the subject turns to which one of you has the more impressive olfactory capabilities. The camel tells you that he can smell water from 50 miles away, and you’re like “Eh, that’s cool, but I can wave this little bottle under my nose and stop a bad mood in its tracks, improve my memory, trigger a burst of creativity, and support my immune system.”

In my book, you totally win. Unlike other senses which are processed through the thalamus, our sense of smell has a direct line of access to the cerebral cortex. With this knowledge we can incorporate essential oils into our lives in a way that enhances cognitive performance, memory, focus and creativity. One study found that rosemary oil can increase memory by up to 75%, while this study found that it can improve both speed and accuracy during cognitive tasks.

But really, that’s not the most impressive part. Smells are also deeply interconnected with our limbic system – the part of ourselves that connects, feels, experiences intuition, inspires and motivates. Essential oils can help to soothe and calm us, or invigorate us and lift our mood.

As you may know, I’m currently working toward my aromatherapy certification. One of the things I have learned along the way is that people often discount the inhalation method of using essential oils, but it is often the best (and most effective!) method.

In this post I’m going to show you how to make a diffuser necklace so that you can carry the benefits of essential oils wherever you go.

But before we get to that, here’ s a preview of a tutorial for aromatherapy bracelets that I’ll be posting soon. I’m so excited to share it with you!

So how do I use a diffuser necklace?

Great question. Just apply 1-3 drops to the top of your diffuser necklace – the part that doesn’t touch your clothes when you put it on – and you’re ready to go. Refresh as needed. Some oils have quite a bit of staying power and can last for several days, while others will fade more quickly.

How To Make An Essential Oil Diffuser Necklace

Supplies

Air dry clay in the color of your choice – Find terra cotta here and white clay here
Lid, cap or cookie cutter in the size and shape you want your pendant to be (I used a vodka bottle cap that I’d purchased to make homemade vanilla extract)
Straw or pen cap
Cording (I used 10 lb cording for the necklaces with decorative beads, and thicker 48 lb cording for those without. You can find 10 lb here, or you can buy them as a set with a few other types here)
Wax paper
Decorative beads (Optional – I used these Amazonite stone beads in the 14mm size. They come in 15 inch strands, so I used the leftovers to make a few aromatherapy bracelets)
Stamp (Optional, adds a bit of design. I used this stamp of old French writing to create mine.)
Toothpicks or skewers (Optional, only needed if you are making beads)
Fine grit sandpaper (Optional – Finished pieces have smoother edges with light sanding)
Superglue (Optional)

Directions

On a surface covered with wax paper, roll out your clay until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

If you notice air bubbles as you begin to roll, use a toothpick or wooden skewer to pop them and then continue on. Air bubbles are not a problem for air dry clay like they are with kiln-fired clay, but popping the air bubbles will result in a smoother surface to work with.

Press lid, cap or cookie cutter into the clay to create your pendant shape.

Now add the hole that you will string your pendant with. For the larger holes pictured above we used a Sharpie pen cap with the clip bent so that it was out of the way . . .

And for the smaller holes we used a straw . . .

If you’re using a stamp to add design, now is the time to press it into the clay.

We did some with and some without.

Peel away the clay from your pendant and allow it to dry for 1-2 days.

When the pendant is dry, lightly sand away any rough edges.

Now it’s time to string your pendant. Decide what length you want it to be – since it doesn’t have a clasp you’ll want to make sure it will fit over your head. After you trim the amount of cord you’ll need, fold it in have and slip the middle of the cord through the back of the hole in the pendant to the front. You now have a loop.

Then take the tail of the cord and slide it through the loop. Tighten as needed.

If desired, add a bead for decoration. Because the holes in my beads were so small it was very difficult to thread two pieces of cord through. I threaded the first cord, then added a thin layer of superglue to the tip of the second cord and allowed it to harden. Once it was stiff I was able to thread it through.

Care Instructions

Do not allow necklace to come into contact with water.

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