Essential Oils have been used for thousands of years in various cultures as a natural alternative to medicine (an ‘essential oil’ is made from separating the most powerful healing elements of a plant, like eucalyptus or sage, into a single oil that you inhale or rub on your skin).
They are one of the world’s most ancient methods for healing, boosting energy levels, reducing anxiety, and from Egypt to England, from China to the United States, aromatherapy has become the most popular way to treat yourself in a natural, safe and cost-effective way.
Nebulizing deffusers are used in people’s homes, in yoga studios, and in medical centers everyday. It’s a machine that disperses your chosen oil into the room so that you can breathe the healing properties into your blood stream.
Ever instantly felt calm at a luxury spa? Did your mother ever cure your cold with eucalyptus? That’s aromatherapy.
In the context of travel, just because you’re constantly on the move doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from aromatherapy. I’ve recently discovered the mobile-mini nebulizing diffuser from Organic Aromas … it’s compact, portable, wireless, and fabulous for traveling with.
How to Travel With Essential Oils
Why Aromatherapy Rocks for Travel
If you’ve never thought of traveling with a nebulizing diffuser I don’t blame you. It’s not something that tops most essential packing lists. But you are missing out on a massive range of benefits.
One of the key benefits of using essential oils is that they zap germs that are in the air. And whether you’re jumping between hotel rooms, or spending time in a rental car, filling the space with aromatic vapors boosts your immune system and keeps you healthy.
Essential oils often act as a stimulant to boost your energy levels, though unlike energy pills or coffee, they’re actually good for your body. And then there’s the bonus element of making a space smell lovely (ever entered a hotel room that just wreaks?!)
Pro Tip: For boosted energy on long days of travel use oils like clove, jasmine, rosemary or tea tree (these also increase your circulation).
For help with digesting foreign foods use oils like ginger, chamomile, or lavender (these have a great calming effect for dealing with gut issues).
Essential oils speed up healing and recovery if you injure yourself, they alleviate headaches (in a travel context this is most likely because you’re hungover!), and can improve your digestion if you’re worried about eating new foods.
Using oils like peppermint, tea tree, rosemary, or citronella in a diffuser is also really effective for repelling insects. This is especially helpful if you’re traveling in tropical countries where mosquitoes carry disease.
Mobile-Mini Nebulizing Diffuser Review
When it comes to a portable nebulizing diffuser for travel, Organic Aromas has an incredible unit called the ‘Mobile-Mini’. It gets 5 stars from customer reviews on Amazon, and gets 5 stars from me personally.
It’s quiet, powerful, sleek, and completely wireless, with rechargeable lithium batteries that last 16 – 18 hours at a time. And best of all, it diffuses a strong aroma of pure essential oil across a wide area very quickly.
I’m in love with mine!
Design
The mobile-mini has been designed with sophistication in mind. It has an elegant dark grey aluminum body, a hand-made glass reservoir and a powerful miniature air pump. Design wise, it resembles a thermos.
Measuring in at 68 mm/ 2.67 inches wide at the base and 160mm/ 6.29 inches tall, it’s small and lightweight. It weighs approximately 440 grams or about 1 pound, and fits perfectly in the cupholder of a car for aromatherapy on the go.
Personal Note: While it’s lightweight, it’s also very sturdy, which means it doesn’t have that fragile, tipsy feel that many nebulizers do. There’s a top cover lid that locks everything in. You could bump it and not have to worry about anything breaking, or oil escaping.
One of the biggest features of the design on this unit is that it’s wireless. There’s a USB jack on the back of the unit, and the batteries charge in exactly the same way as your phone (it takes around 5 hours to charge for 18 hours of battery life).
The batteries are included (mine was fully charged when it arrived), and it comes with the Micro USB charging cable, which is exactly the same as my phone cord.
Perspective on Size
Operating It
I actually didn’t need to read the instructions, operating the mobile-mini was that straight forward. Once you’ve placed your choice of oil into the glass reservoir, there’s a button on the unit to turn it on.
The diffuser has an operating cycle of 2 minutes ON and 1 minute OFF and is programmed to shut down automatically after two hours. This means that you don’t have to be close to the device to run it, and you can leave it on overnight without worry.
While the device operates on it’s own timer, you can/should turn it off when the scent in your environment reaches your desired level. It’s definitely a powerful unit, and emits a very strong, pure aroma across a wide area quite quickly.
Unlike Other Nebulizers …
Unlike other nebulizers, the mobile-mini has been designed to use no heat, no water, and no plastic.
The specialty glass reservoir means there is no waste, so no mess to clean up. It’s a totally clean experience which is one less thing to worry about when you travel.
There’s no real cleaning required either; if you want to change your essential oils without mixing them you can just use rubbing alcohol. Orangic Aromas recommends cleaning every 5-6 days, and provides dropper pipettes to squirt in cleaning alcohol.
While many nebulizers tend to emit a lot of light, the mobile-mini only has a small LED indicator on the power button, so it’s unlikely to interrupt your sleep or be distracting.
And it’s one of the quietest nebulizers on the market. The unit is not silent, it does emit a soft hum, but if you place it at least 6 feet away from you it’s unlikely you will be able to hear it.
Tips for Traveling with the Mobile-Mini
Picture: Using the mobile mini in Morocco
The mobile-mini is a fabulous to travel with; it’s quiet, clean, and safe. But there are a couple of tricks I’ve learned from traveling with it.
The diffuser is incredibly effective and may be too strong to be used in an enclosed space, so it’s important to use it appropriately. As much as it may be tempting to combat the body odor of other passengers, don’t be a horrible human being and use it on a plane.
While it’s 100% portable and lasts for 18 hours, be respectful of other people, and don’t whip it out in a public space. After checking out of your hotel it might be an idea to leave the window open so the aroma can dissipate.
Keep the box that the unit comes in; it comes with fitted foam for each of the parts, and this makes it really easy to travel with, without losing the charging cable, or potentially breaking the glass reservoir.
If you’re traveling with essential oils in your carry-on, make sure they’re in a bottle that is 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less to meet airport liquid restrictions. It’s fine to use in humid destinations too; since it uses no heat or water, it doesn’t increase the humidity of the room.
My Favorite Essential Oils
The mobile-mini comes with a mini bottle of oil to start you off right away. Mine came with a signature blend that has a sweet scent and a calming sedative effect.
But there are a huge range of essential oils available via Organic Aromas, and to find my favorite I ordered the Discovery Collection, which is a comprehensive sampler set of 40 different organic blends (pictured above).
The Discovery Collection is a great way to go to sample the huge range of oils and find your favorite; each vial contains 2 milliliters of pure essential oil, and lasts up to 4 hours in the mobile-mini unit.
You get to experience virtually the entire spectrum of scents without wasting money, oil or time, and it’s a fabulous way to play around with your own custom blends.
My favorites are cinnamon (smells like grandma’s apple pie!), eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, sweet orange, and tea tree. The 40 oils are comprised of a range of 10 organic oils, 14 single essential oils, and 16 blends.
Giveaway Has Ended
Winner: Christopher Bloomfield
Want one? We know you do!
In partnership with Organic Aromas, we’re giving away a Mobile-mini unit. Can’t wait for the competition to end? Head to Organicaromas.com to order before your next trip.
Competition is open to residents of all countries, and runs until 11:59PM 31st October 2018 Pacific Time (US & Canada). Please read the terms and conditions for further competition details.
Enter by completing any of the actions listed below (there are multiple entries up for grab). The winner will be drawn at random at the giveaway end and contacted via email.
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68 Comments
Oooh this looks fantastic! I love essential oils and I’d love to use this in my home.
Really is, I’m in love with mine! Good luck in the giveaway!
I’d consider this. I especially like the idea of using something like citronella oil in a glamping situation to ward off mosquies.
It’s amazing for that purpose, mosquitoes are drawn to me unless I have the nebulizer on!
These look awesome. What a cool and convenient ways to bring oils with you on the road
Absolutely, the mobile mini is fantastic! Good luck in the giveaway :)
I love aromatherapy oils. I am really into frankincense at the moment as I hear it has great healing properties
I haven’t actually tried frankincense yet, though I know there’s a bottle in my Discovery Collection. I’ll have to pull it out next, I’m slowly making my way through the various different scents :D
I have fairly serious allergies and have had friends suggest using essential oils to fight and stabilize them.
Really good oils for beating allergies would be Peppermint, Lavender, or Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus especially I’ve found is fantastic for almost immediate relief if you’re struggling with congestion. Good luck in the giveaway!
Love this idea! I find some smells really soothing: lemon based ones are my favourite but I am really tempted by the discovery collection. I am entering the giveaway straight away :-)
Good luck in the giveaway! There’s a lemon sample in the Discovery Collection though I haven’t gotten to trying it yet (slowly making my way through the different scents – for small bottles they last a surprisingly long amount of time!) Will have to pull that one out next :)
We love using essential oils in my home. But on the road,and for as much as I travel? Ideal!
Same! Travel with essential oils wasn’t really practical until I discovered this nebulizer. I’m in love with it :) Good luck in the giveaway!
Essential oils have been life savers for us on the road Meg. Love ’em.
So glad to hear Ryan! Good luck in the giveaway!
I think you are overselling aromatherapy and essential oils. Yes, they do create a sense of calm (for some, with some oils)- but the healing claims… (Yes, I am the technoguy- who works in medicine.)
That doesn’t mean if we are calmer we may not get therapeutic benefits, but its not a 1:1 or even 1:10 relationship. And, one still gets to enjoy the aromas.
But, what is the wireless deal?
Depends on which essential oils you use, re overselling the healing claims, and for what result you’re looking for. Some might not have any healing effect whatsoever, so the result you want will require some research into the best one to use. I swear by Eucalyptus, and can personally attest to that living up to the claims of healing (mainly for congestion, colds etc … works a treat for allergies too), but something like lavender is more geared towards being calming (people say it relieves pain but I can’t speak to that).
The wireless deal is great; the nebulizer works without cords, and you charge it via a USB just like your phone. Battery lasts for pretty much a full day after it’s charged :)
I have been wanting to try this for the longest time. I love that spa smell. Thank you for such a detailed and informative post. Now I know what I need to buy!
Can’t beat feeling like you’re living in a luxury spa – amazing how a simple smell can transport you! So glad you enjoyed the post Christina, good luck in the giveaway!
I love using essential oils when I travel and this sounds like an easy way to do it!
Super easy, and what I love the most is that it’s super clean! I can highly recommend Organic Aromas, their products have been great :)
I love lavender :)
My mum used to knit lavender satchels into our clothes when I was a kid – I love the smell too!
My mom swears her oils keep her healthy while she travels. Mom is always right!
Yes she is! Maybe you can buy her the mobile mini as a gift for Christmas :D
I never would have thought of this for travel, but what a great idea for stuffy and stale hotel rooms after a long day.
Glad we could change your thinking! Good luck in the giveaway – definitely helps with that hotel room smell!
I always travel with oils . That diffuser is mine! ?
Good luck! Thanks for entering :)
I love the range of benefits essential oils offer. My favorite scent is lemon. Thanks for the great post!
So glad you enjoyed the post Amy – you can’t beat lemon, always smells so fresh! Good luck in the giveaway!
I think the Serenity oil is calling my name. They all look and bet they smell good.
They do all smell great – the Serenity oil comes with the mobile-mini to get you started which is great :) Thanks for entering!
Fabulous idea, to travel with a small and compact diffuser. What really sold me on this one is the USB plug.
My phone cord is the same as the charge for the diffuser, which is fab because I only have to travel with the one cord for both. They’ve done a great job at making it really practical :)
I’ve become a big fan of essential oils this past year, with anything citrus-y at the top of my fave list, and I’m also a firm believer in their benefits. That mobile mini nebulizer is an excellent idea too. I want one! I think aromas good or bad definitely effect one’s sense of well-being. If it psychologically calms my nerves, sounds good to me. That qualifies as a ‘healing’ property in my book. Aromatherapy rocks. No such thing as ‘over-selling’ it.
Citrusy aromas are at the top of my list too – lemon and sweet orange are right up there among my favorites now. And I agree with you, I think there’s great power in the psychological influencing your physical state, and I’ve definitely come to be an advocate for essential oils since having started using this diffuser. Will be taking it with us on our month long road trip that kicks off tomorrow and setting it up in the center console of the car :)
I’d love to win this, it’s such a great product for travel.
Good luck! Thanks for entering :)
My favorite scent is lavender. I would love to win this as I’m currently traveling for a year in Central and South America.
I love lavender :D My mum used to knit lavender satchels into our clothes when I was a kid – the smell is so good! Thanks for entering!
Wow, I would love to have one like this during my travels – I would definitely make sure to spread some lavender scent everywhere I go :)
Good luck, thanks for entering!
Thank you for the giveaway! My best friend sells essential oils and I love them!
You’re welcome Julie! Always fab to hear from others who love essential oils too :)
I love whatever oils used for massages. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
Really good oils for an aromatherapy massage include lavender, mandarin, frankincense, vanilla, bergamot, geranium, sandalwood, and Eucalyptus. They’re the most common you’ll likely find used with a massage :)
I’ve used essential oils and liked their effects. I might have to try diffusing them. Sounds nice after a stressful day.
I’ve actually always diffused them, I haven’t used them directly on my skin before, but I’ve heard from many people who have with great effect. Let us know what you think of the mobile-mini, definitely a good way to ease stress :)
I have not often thought about essential oils and the benefits of it to travel. But anything that calms the travel experience is a real bonus to me.
Great write up here, with all he benefits that comes with these oils and it does give me something to think about.
Glad we could change your perception – there’s so much stress and hassle involved in the travel experience that aromatherapy can definitely step in to help.
Let us know what you think if you decide to give it a go :)
I am entering to try to win for the wifey. She loves the smells and would love to have the oils and nebulizer to help her sleep when we’re in new places.
You’re a good husband! Good luck in the giveaway :)
I love essential oils and use it at home all the time. Lavender is my favorite scent.
Always fabulous to hear from other fans of essential oils Priya! Lavendar is a classic, can’t beat it in my book!
This would be so great! My travel companion has severe asthma/allergies and periodically have to change hotel rooms if a previous occupant has smoked in a non-smoking room or had a pet in there. Being able to use oils to clean the air or help with asthma/allergies would be so beneficial. I don’t know why I never thought about taking a small diffuser while traveling before.
It’s the worst when someone has previously been smoking, or cooked a strong meal, or had a pet in their room. A diffuser could really help with cleaning the air; this one particularly is really practical for travel. Good luck in the giveaway!
I have a few standby aromas I love. I’m a doTerra Rep, so I discovered Frankincense and love its earthy, citrus scent. Lemon and Sweet Orange are my other two faves. And for night time/sleep, I enjoy Lavender.
Thanks for sharing your favorites Amy; I’m obsessed with Lavender at the moment, and totally agree, it’s fabulous for putting me straight to sleep!
What a fun giveaway. Interesting to learn more about essential oils. I’d try anything to help me sleep better after a long flight.
Look into Lavendar; I’ve found it great for inducing a really peaceful sleep :)
I use oils at home and when I travel. Lavendar is probably my favorite since it’s so versatile but my favorite scent is peppermint.
I do love Peppermint too, though in moderation. I find I have a short lived attention span with the scent. Lavender though, I could never get sick of :D
Hi Meg,
I’m happy that you love the Mobile-Mini Nebulizing Diffuser by Organic Aromas. I have just bought one prepare for new year vacation.
Thanks for your detail review.
Hi Brenda, fab to hear you’ve bought one too. Let us know what you think :) Happy travels!
Do the oil bottles have to be new with an original seal when you are flying? I am flying out of the country and want to take my MOST essential roller bottles that have
their original labels but have been opened.
Hi Emma, you can travel with bottles that have been opened – if you’re traveling with the oils in your carry on, they’ll need to be under the limit for carry on liquids, but if you’re packing them in your checked luggage, you can take as much as you like.
Opened bottles are fine as long as they’re tightly closed when packed. And I would make sure to pack them in a carry case so that they don’t break.
Hope that helps! Happy travels :)