Air fresheners are a pet peeve of mine. Not only do they smell nauseatingly fake, but they also emit toxic chemical compounds. So please don’t plug-in, spray or burn one of these sickly, synthetic scents. Also be mindful that some of the more “natural” and innocent- looking room fragrance devices, may also contain the chemical nasties that you really want to avoid. Diffusing sticks and perfumed candles with names like “Ocean Spray,” or “Purity” sound natural and pure – but beware! Some candles, actually some of the best smelling candles, are also annoyingly loaded with fragrance, which contain a chemicals that could be harmful to your health.
There’s also a growing number of people with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities,) who cannot tolerate any kind of perfume whatsoever. Symptoms when exposed to certain chemicals can include nausea, headaches, respiratory problems, and dizzyness. The other day I was buying something for Lola in a large chain store, which sprays it’s signature perfume everywhere. After 15 minutes in the store I felt so nauseous, I had to leave. I don’ t think I have MCS, but I weaned myself off toxic perfumes years ago and am now super sensitive to their ill-effects.
Remember that fragrances and air fresheners are often used to mask an unpleasant smell. It’s much better to deal with the cause of the 
odor than mask it! If you have musty cupboards – deal with them, rather than try to mask the smell. For bathrooms, diaper pails and unavoidable “smelly” areas, I recommend Fresh Wave products.
Suffice to say that I never use synthetic fragrance in my home, however, I love beautiful scents. Being an aromatherapist, I’ve been using essential oils for years and am quite obsessed with creating blend that have all kind of mo0d-enhancing benefits. That’s the joy of essential oils – not only do they smell amazing, but each oil has specific physical and emotion effects.
The best way to scent your home is to start with some very simple essential oil blends, which you can easily make yourself. There are a number of different ways to diffuse these oils into the air. There are nebulizers, fan diffusers, burners and more… Having tried virtually every model on the planet, I’m in a good position to recommend which might be best for you. If you are a newbie, I’d go with an Aroma Stone as it’s very simple to use, if you are into your oils and want something stronger – go with a nebulizer (I like the Aroma Breeze or the Aroma Whisper.) I don’t recommend the ceramic burners with a tea light candle – I got very badly burned from one a few years ago: oil dripped onto the candle when I blew it out and it exploded into a fire ball in my face. I got 2nd and 3rd degree burns all over my face – very scary.
Once you have your diffuser, you have to decide which room to put it in. I have one in my living room and one in my bedroom. You may decide to get a stronger one for your living room (a nebulizer,) and a more simple one like the Aroma Stone or a diffusing fan for your bedroom.
My go-to oils are lavender, geranium, lemongrass and neroli. I recommend visiting a health food store, which carries a good selection and start sniffing. You need to make sure that you are getting pure essential oils. Many oils that are touted as pure may be heavily cut with cheap carrier oils or even synthetics. How to tell? When you sniff an oil, it should be very strong – if weak, it’s probably been cut too much. You may want to go and sniff to see which oils you like and then order online from a reputable company like Mountain Rose Herbs.
It’s lovely to buy a blend to scent your home. I know Mountain Rose Herbs carry a few or you can make your own: Simply take a small bottle – preferably a 1oz dropper bottle. Place 2 tsp of a carrier oil in a small jug (sweet almond, grapeseed etc), then add 3 different essential oils. Here are some ideas:
Stress relief: Lavender (4 drops,) geranium (3 drops) vetiver (2 drops)
Uplifting: Lavender (3 drops,) Geranium (3 drops.)
Hormonal Balance: Lavender (3 drops,) clary sage (3 drops.)
