As the owner of two semi-feral primary school kids, one teenager and two dogs, I couldn’t wait to try Aromatherapy Associates’ new Atomiser. Claiming to sharpen your focus during a zoom meeting, relax you during a lunchtime yoga session or lift your energy during that pesky 3pm slump, it sounded too good to be true. Bonus points if it could also make me feel ‘zen’ amongst the working from home chaos.
First impressions
The centrepiece of the collection is The Atomiser itself (£120) which comes in an elegant marine blue recyclable box with gold writing and a ribbon tie.
The ceramic diffuser is tall, sleek and aesthetically pleasing, with a subtle raised letter logo. In the box, there’s a plug power adaptor, USB cable, metal essential oil opener, two diffuser heads, empty bottle (which you use with rubbing alcohol for cleaning), and six replacement oil pipes, plus instructions. So far, so good.
How does it work?
A soft halo of light indicates that the diffuser is on – switch it off during the day or use it to create a soothing glow. The Atomiser disperses a micro-fine mist in gentle puffs, which you can smell straight away.
There are five pure essential oil blends to choose (100ml, £25): Breathe, De-stress, Revive, Forest Therapy and Deep Relaxation, each containing natural ingredients. I tried Revive - with grapefruit, bergamot and Neroli - and attached the little bottle to the diffuser head before plugging the device into the wall to charge. This can be done while the diffuser is in action.
After five hours, the Atomiser can be moved to a room of choice, working for 18 hours in standard mode (13-second bursts every minute) and 15 hours in boost (four-minute bursts every 10 minutes). If you have a particularly sensitive nose, opt for standard – pure essential oils can be quite potent, especially as the Atomiser doesn't heat; however, this is what cleverly protects the oils' purity,
The sleek, white ceramic design and soft halo light make it a stylish home-office companion. Being lightweight and portable, I tried it at my desk, in the lounge and even beside the bath, choosing the oil to fit my mood/needs at the time. The Atomiser now sits pride of place on the fireplace.
The oils weren’t overly-feminine either – even my outdoorsy partner appreciated the grounding Forest Therapy with cypress and pink pepper. My favourite was De-Stress: its earthy Frankincense fragrance, Wild Camomile and Petitgrain leave me feeling chilled out and calm as I go about my day.
The scent fills the room - and beyond - quickly, making the whole house smell beautiful, and there’s no mouldy built-up due the lack of water. It’s quiet, too, making it perfect for WFH-ers like me – I just hope it chills out the rest of my brood.
Scarlet Spy
25th June 2021
Spy Likes:
Nature-inspired spas, cold water plunges, sound baths, deep tissue massage, delicious food.
Spy Dislikes:
Thin walls in treatment rooms, lounger hoggers, soggy robes, bright lights.
