Every Cool Fashion Girl I Know Has One of These Products on Their Shelves
Reed diffusers have never really been my thing. I like my home fragrances to fill the room, smell luxe and look chic while they're at it. Reed diffusers have never seems to tick a single one of those boxes. Traditionally, they were ugly things that possessed sweet, artificial scents. Not that the fragrance was too much of a worry, mind you—they tended to lose their smell after a day or two.
But those were the reed diffusers of yesteryear. Now it's 2022, and we're witnessing a truly surprising comeback. Yes, the reed diffuser is back on the scene. And not only is it back, but it's also cool. In fact, I can barely scroll through Instagram for two minutes without seeing a reed diffuser displayed chicly on the shelves of fashions coolest. The reason? It would appear that fragrance's most luxurious and desirable names saw potential in the humble reed diffuser—their intrigue resulting in some of the most exquisite home fragrance products I've ever stumbled across in all of my years as a beauty editor.
First of all, they look inexplicably good on the shelf. Secondly, the fragrances themselves compliment some of fashion and beauty's most iconic existing scents. And then we come onto just how powerful modern-day reed diffusers are—positioning one on a shelf will keep the whole room smelling exquisite for months (literally).
So, if you're fed up of spending £50+ on candles that last a matter of weeks, a reed diffuser could be just the ticket. Or, if you're anything like me and can't get enough of home fragrances, they could just make the perfect scent-boosting companion to your favourite candle. Keep scrolling to shop the 11 best reed diffusers around (and their perfect product pairings).
1. Trudon Le Diffuseur Maduraï
There's high chance you're already familiar with Trudon's uber-luxe candles. They're on the coffee tables of just about every cool girl around, including Alexa Chung and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. This new reed diffuser is already starting to crop up on my Insta feed, and I can totally see what all of the fuss is about. At its heart, it's a floral jasmine scent through and through, but it has a deep, spicy edge to it that I think makes it worth every penny of its whopping £175 price tag. Yes, it's expensive, but considering Trudon's candles ring in at £85 with a maximum burn time of 60 hours, this diffuser's promise to last 3-4 months seems rather impressive, don't you think?
Pairs With:
If you really want to level up your home fragrance game, this deep, rich, and spicy candle makes for the perfect pairing when burned alongside the aforementioned diffuser.
2. Carrière Frères Diffuser La Rose Aime l'Ambre
If florals are more your thing, look no further than Carrière Frères delicate fragrances. I'll admit, I've never been one to gravitate towards rose scents in the home, but this diffuser totally blew me away. It's fresh, light and is without the kind of powdery headiness that can make home fragrance feel inescapable.
Pairs With:
To elevate the scent of the rose diffuser, this candle possesses a floral delicacy but has a distinctly green aroma, making it wonderfully fresh and sense-clearing.
3. Bella Freud Ciao Diffuser
Have you ever laid eyes on a cooler reed diffuser? Didn't think so. Part diffuser, part art, this one from Bella Freud smells just as good as it looks (yes, it is possible). With fig leaf, orange blossom, and vetiver, picture yourself lapping up the Italian sunshine with a fresh breeze gliding over your skin. Now bottle that feeling and call it Ciao.
Pairs With:
The most beautiful thing about the Ciao diffuser is its subtlety. It doesn't leave you feeling overcome with headiness, rather it wafts around the room delicately. If you have guests coming over and want to intensify the scent, this matching candle will do the job.
4. Susanne Kaufmann Balancing Room Diffuser
When I first came across this diffuser, I'll admit the thing that drew me to it most was the way it looks. Not garish or attention-seeking, the minimalist bottle oozes a calm aesthetic. Even more calming though is the oil blend it houses. With ylang-ylang, orange, lavender, patchouli, and cedarwood, this stuff is basically a spa in a jar.
Pairs With:
The top piece of diffuser advice I have is to pop the Balancing Room Diffuser in your bathroom, run yourself a calming bath with this powder and spend ten minutes just breathing.
5. Diptyque The Home Fragrance Diffuser Baies
If there's one brand that knows how to nail home fragrance, it's Diptyque. This reed diffuser is possibly one of the most impressively powerful around. The truth is, if you own this, you can basically disregard any and every candle in your collection. Position this on a shelf in your living room and be enveloped by the iconic fruity and earthy aroma of Baies for months to come.
Pairs With:
If you're not ready to commit £138 to a diffuser, this candle will give you an idea of the beauty of Baies. The truth is, all Diptyque home fragrances smell exceptional, but this fresh fruity bouquet it by far my favourite.
6. Miller Harris Tabac Diffuser
This reed diffuser possesses what is quite possibly the most exquisitely warming and comforting scent I have ever stumbled across. With tobacco leaves, spices, and fresh pine, it has all of the depth of an unlit cigar with the cooling palatability of a woodland walk.
Pairs With:
If you're hosting a soirée, light this accompanying candle to amplify scent, mood, and comfort.
7. Jo Loves A Fragrance Diffuser Fig Trees
If you're after a subtle home fragrance that keeps your rooms smelling fresh, luxurious, and expensive, look no further than Fig Trees by Jo Loves. It's crisp, green, and clean-smelling in a way that works all year round—which is handy considering mine has quite literally been going for a year.
Pairs With:
While diffusers are a great way to keep your home smelling fresh at all times, sometimes a scented candle is the perfect way to supercharge your home fragrance. I keep this Fig Trees candle on my bedside table right next to the diffuser for when I want a special treat.
8. NEST New York x Gray Malin Sicilian Tangerine Diffuser
This stuff is like summer, packaged. Obviously the bright orange stripes on the bottle look seriously cute when accompanied with bright tableware, but the scent is also sublime. Like juicy oranges, mango and passionfruit, think of this diffuser as a tropical fruit juice that smells seriously luxe.
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The truth is, the above diffuser is likely to last far longer than the summer months in the UK, so if you're not ready to commit to the season and beyond, this matching candle could be a better option.
9. La Montaña Reed Diffuser First Light
La Montaña is hands down my favourite candle brand ever, and First Light in my number one, go-to scent in the brand's offering. Like fresh mountain air, shrouded in pine, it's the sort of scent I want to be surrounded by all day long. Luckily, this diffuser allows for exactly that.
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If you haven't tried a La Montaña candle before, I urge you to give it a go. Yes, diffusers last a long time, but after burning First Light, the scent lingers in the room for days afterwards, meaning you don't need to burn it anywhere near as often as you would any other candle.
10. Jo Malone London Lavender & Moonflower Diffuser
Some people don't like having candles in their bedroom. I am not one of those people, but I can fully understand how the idea of having an open flame in the room that you sleep can be a little daunting. This diffuser poses the perfect solution. With mind-calming lavender and moonflower, positioning this on your bedside table will help aid a blissful slumber.
Pairs With:
Spritz your pillow with this accompanying mist to create one of the most calming sleep environments going.
11. Molton Brown Delicious Rhubarb & Rose Aroma Reeds
If sweet, floral scents are your thing, this diffuser from Molton Brown is sure to please you. It's zingy for sure, but not in a way that makes your nose crinkle. Instead, it's really quite soothing. A little bit sweet and a whole lot fresh, this diffuser makes for the ultimate kitchen window sill ornament.
Pairs With:
A three-wick candle like this one gives great bang for its buck. With a longer burn time, it makes for the perfect candle/diffuser in between.
Next up, the coolest interior experts have spoken—these are the trends to know for 2022.
Shannon Lawlor is a renowned beauty journalist and has contributed to Who What Wear’s beauty content since 2020. As a leading beauty editor, expert and brand consultant, she has over eight years of experience working for some of the industry’s most esteemed titles, including Who What Wear (of course), Glamour UK, Stylist, Refinery29 and Fabulous. Having also worked behind the scenes with some of the industry’s biggest brands and retailers, Shannon has a unique insight into what people really want from their beauty routines. Understanding that beauty lovers seek honest, open and responsible advice, she has it made her mission to demystify the intimidating world of beauty, taking a no-frills approach to the most relatable topics. While Shannon is the first to admit she doesn’t hold the answer to every beauty question out there, she is dedicated to sharing her expert insights in a bid to help. As a self-proclaimed lazy girl, Shannon has an affinity for easy-to-use, foolproof beauty products and has made it her mission to scope out the best of the best. When she’s not working, Shannon is likely soaking in the bath or giving no-holds-barred beauty reviews on Instagram from her bathroom floor.
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