This Genius $20 Device Has Cut My Nightly Stress in Half

Welcome to This Honestly Changed My Life, a series in which we create dedicated, consumer-friendly odes and quick Q&As surrounding the best beauty products, treatments, and wellness rituals that have had an honest impact on the way we consume (and spread the word about) beauty. From eye creams to industry-changing facials to Spin classes, get ready for our honestly life-changing beauty and wellness picks.

The product is the SpaRoom PureMist Ultrasonic Essential Oil Diffuser.

I discovered it through some late-night stress shopping at Target. It was honestly an impulse purchase. I expected nothing to come of it.

I use it almost every single night now. Whenever I want a really strong relaxation game, I turn on my Himalayan salt lamp, light up some incense, turn on some mellow music (Phoebe Bridgers's vibey indie folk is really doing it for me right now), pop some essential oils in this thing, and let them diffuse. Instantly, my room looks, sounds, and smells like a hotel in Bali.

It smells like whatever you want to put in it! Since stress seems to be my cross to bear, I tend to go for soothing scents like lavender and ylang-ylang.

It changed my life because it was recently brought to my attention that I don't know how to relax. I know how to work and run errands and check things off my to-do list. I know how to enjoy myself in more active, frenetic, social ways. But whether it's because of my natural personality or anxiety brought on by negative life experiences or the fact that I was raised by pathologically productive parents, just sitting down and being still, in my body—"landing," as my therapist calls it—is terrifying/boring, and I don't know how to do it.

Because I've historically had no "landing" routine, I've ended up with no way to decompress or minimize stress, which, needless to say, does not feel good. It's amazing to me that the impulse purchase of this low-key, not-that-chic essential-oil diffuser was what it took to make me finally develop an end-of-day wind-down routine. There are tons of woo-woo wellness practices that I roll my eyes at, but I fully believe in the powers of aromatherapy for your mood—since ancient Egypt, folks have been using essential oils for their mental and physical wellness benefits. And though I have had brands send me fancier diffusers in the past, they've always been so complicated or finicky that I've never used them consistently.

By contrast, all that's required of this simple $20 gadget, which you can order on Amazon Prime, is to fill up the little bowl with water and the essential oils of your choice, hit the button, and freaking chill. I love how it glows different colors and the routine of choosing the essential oils and hues you want based on your mood (I usually go for lavender paired with a warm yellow). It's so simple, but I've become insanely attached to this thing and feel like it's genuinely made a huge difference in my stress levels.

I would give it to aromatherapy newbs.

You should buy it if you want a simple, affordable, all-natural addition to your "landing" routine.

Shop essential oils and more diffusers below: