You may have an army of sumptuous eau de parfums for spritzing yourself depending on your mood, but is the same true for your home?
Through the power of fragrance, you can transform your space into a scented sanctuary – whether you’re looking to create a cosy space to unwind, a welcoming atmosphere to set the scene for guests, a den of relaxation to encourage sound slumber or a revitalising ambience to energize you for the work from home day. The right notes can make a huge difference – something especially worth considering for renters unable to change furnishings.
Curating your space’s signature scent is far easier than it may seem. While candles and room sprays provide quick-fix aroma, reed diffusers offer a constant flow with no flames necessary. The reeds, often made from bamboo or rattan wood, act as a carrier for the fragrance oil into which they are plunged and disperse the molecules into the air.
These handy home fragrance essentials deliver the mood-boosting, ambience-setting and comfort-elevating aromas but also in their striking vessels, act as a design detail in their own right. In fact, these sophisticated, sculptural bottles generally become a fixture in the space and, once the last drop of essential oil is infused, it feels a shame for it to go to waste. That’s where refills come in.
Saving your precious pennies and preventing statement diffusers from ending up in landfills, the best fragrance houses on the market make purse-friendly top-ups so you can redisperse the fragrance of your choosing or mix it up.
The length of time that your diffuser will last is dependent on two crucial factors. One, the size of the refill and two, the number of reed diffuser sticks: the more included, the shorter its duration (but the more powerful the fragrance will be).
As a general rule, a refill of 50ml with around four to six sticks should last one to two months. A 100ml refill should last between two to four with six to eight sticks. These durations factor in the angel’s share-like evaporation, which can be minimised by keeping it away from radiators or sunny spots.
To get the most out of your scent, consider the size of the room and rotate the reeds every few days to renew the scent.
Shop the best refills for diffusers below
Jo Loves Fig Trees Diffuser Refill
The bulbous Jo Loves diffuser is unlike any other on the market. The brand, founded by Jo Malone, has taken a circular, pearl-like approach to its aroma-spreading vessel. Not only will this stand out on your shelf but makes it the easiest to refill – and trust us, you will want to.
Malone has demonstrated her expertise in the fragrance market with her stellar scented collection with fan favourites like the Pomelo bringing a touch of freshness to your space.
Our favourite? The Fig Tree, which fuses the aroma of Italy and its heady fresh fig trees. This note is set alongside blackcurrant bud absolute and sweet amber.
Buy now £58.00, Jo Loves
Diptyque Baies Reed Diffuser + Refill 200ml
Luxury Parisian fragrance house Diptyque is best known for its room-filling candles with the most sumptuous of scents and the brand has channelled this expertise into elixirs to top up your diffuser.
In this bumper pack, you get the dainty vase-like diffuser with its faceted glass design, the reeds and the Baies aroma, one of the most popular in the offering.
When you have soaked up every last drop of the universally adored, addictive notes of blackcurrant and rose, you either purchase the refill to make this your home’s official signature scent or sample the rest of the range that includes the soft Rose, floral Mimosa or woody Figuier. It was created to last two months.
Buy now £152.00, Liberty
NEOM Organics London Happiness Reed Diffuser Refill 100ml
This aptly named scent from Neom is the uplifting aroma that you want to fill your space. The touches of neroli, mimosa and lemon are zesty, mood-boosting and bring the summer feel all year round.
The brand has created the fragrance using entirely natural essential oils and provides a £10 saving when you top up the original luxury diffuser. As well as Happiness, you can find refills of the Complete Bliss, Perfect Night’s Sleep, and Original scents to either match to your mood or create a sense of calm in your sanctuary of slumber. The refills last for around three months.
Buy now £31.49, Amazon
Skandinavisk SKOG 'Forest' Scent Diffuser Refill 200ml
Notes of pine, fir, birch sap and lily of the valley set the scent of Skandinavisk’s SKOG elixir and therefore it will come as no surprise that it means forest in Swedish. Bringing the great outdoors into your home, the aroma takes inspiration from the expansive Boreal Forest that is spread across half of Scandinavia.
You can pop this refill into your existing diffuser from the label, saving on waste and your precious pennies (£15 versus buying the diffuser). The top-up is housed in a recycled plastic bottle that is also recyclable. It should last for around three months.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon
The White Company Lime & Bay Diffuser Refill
Diffuse the zesty freshness of lime, blossom and orange with the beloved Lime & Bay Diffuser from the cosy home experts at The White Company. The bedsheet specialists know a thing or two about curating a welcoming, comforting space and this is as much about the sumptuous bedding as it is about the calm-inducing fragrances.
This combination was designed to capture the vibrancy of the Mediterranean with uplifting touches of pink grapefruit thrown in for good measure. The refill pops into the diffuser, which has a very classic aesthetic with minimal design details and a sterling silver top and should last around three months. It’s only a £3 saving but that will add up with each top up.
Buy now £27.00, The White Company
Dr Vranjes Firenze Petali di Rose Fragrance Diffuser Refill 500ml
Rose can be a divisive scent, but if you relish the floral aroma, the soft notes connote a fresh, blossoming garden and liven up a space with their sophisticated and uplifting associations.
A testament to the versatility and multifaceted nature of the ingredient, Turkish rose is paired in this diffuser refill by Florence-born fragrance Dr Vranjes Firenze with ylang-ylang, violet, jasmine, cedar wood, amber, vanilla and white musk for a dynamic, deep and sensual scent. As is signature to the perfume specialists, the aroma is created with natural ingredients, spotlighting only the finest florals.
You get twice the top-ups with this 500ml refillable so the saving is an impressive £52.
Buy now £64.00, Liberty
Molton Brown Orange & Bergamot Aroma Reeds Refill 150ml
Come rain or shine, your home will be associated with good vibes and positivity thanks to the citrusy notes of Molton Brown’s Orange & Bergamot Aroma Reeds Refill. It combines elements of Sevillian orange, neroli and a base of warm musk that will keep you adding it to basket once you’ve eked out the very last drop. The bottle is made from recyclable glass and the packaging is crafted from half recycled materials.
It should last around four months and saves £13.
Buy now £35.00, Molton Brown
Ortigia Zagara diffuser refill 500ml
One whiff of Ortigia’s Sicilian-inspired collection and you’ll be hooked. That’s why we are pleased to inform you that you can purchase refills of the brand’s bestselling diffuser collection to ensure your humble aboard is infused with its rich aromas.
Ortigia uses natural ingredients for its fragrances and that includes the Zagara scent that includes notes of orange blossom, neroli and petitgrain that are anchored with a woody base. You get two top-ups in this 500ml refillable so the saving is £48.
Buy now £62.00, Selfridges
L'Objet Bois Sauvage diffuser oil refill 235ml
The porcelain orb diffuser that is the signature of L'Objet’s home fragrance collection will be a prominent focal point on your carefully curated mantle and so, when reed diffusers have emanated the last drop of the elixir into your space, you’ll want to keep it firmly in place. The brand, which celebrates artisans worldwide, is very aware of this fact, so you can shop its earthy or spicy scents as refills.
The Bois Sauvage is one such fragrance and was created to represent the scent palate of walking through a humid forest. It has touches of bergamot and spice set alongside a heart of cypress and jasmine and a heady base of vanilla and tobacco.
Buy now £106.00, Selfridges
