I was looking for an essential oil burner for quite a while. Or maybe “looking for” is not the right term as I wanted one, but didn’t really wanted to spend money on one. I am trying to save money right now and an essential oil burner was not the top priority. But it was at the back of my mind.
After some time I decided I want to try an essential oil burner as I believe the scent is a bit stronger due to stronger evaporation. And I can change the essential oils every day to my liking. There is an oil for every mental and physical condition. If you want to read more, you will find information about each oil here .
Suddenly I had the idea to make an essential oil burner myself. After thinking about it for a little while and finding the perfect small, white bowl in an Asian supermarket – it is intended for sauces – I got the idea of using a tin. Which makes it even better, now it’s an upcycling project!
For the upcycled essential oil burner you need:
- empty, clean tin
- thin marker
- metal cutter
- sanding paper
- small ceramic bowl (should fit nicely onto the tin)
- lacquer spray / spray paint – copper
- tea light
Optional:
- flat saucer or coaster
1 – Draw the shape for the opening on the tin. I opted for a triangle. Remember that the tea light has to fit through and the candle needs enough air to burn evenly.
2 – Start cutting along the lines. It is easier to start when you first make a hole with hammer and a nail and cut from there. Be careful the edges are sharp!
To be honest I used my leather shears to cut as I don’t have a metal cutter, but I really, really wanted to make this DIY essential oil burner. I don’t recommend it, you can seriously ruin your shears.
3 – Sand the sharp edges to prevent cuts.
4 – Spray paint the outside and the inside bottom of the tin. Let it dry completely.
5 – Place the tea light in the middle of the tin and the ceramic bowl on top. Fill water into the bowl and add a few drops of your favourite essential oil. Light the candle. Enjoy.
I really enjoy my new DIY essential oil burner a lot. I have a few essential oils like ylang-ylang (a rich floral scent), lavender, grapefruit or lemongrass…and I like them all, but my absolute favourite right now is a blend of rosemary and lemon. What’s your favourite scent?
Ah! This is great! I’ve been wanting one for awhile and it only just occurred to me today to make one of these myself – I love this. Thanks for sharing!
Aw, thanks so much, Malinda! I am happy that you like this tutorial. I still use mine almost every day :)
Enjoy creating!
Out of curiosity – the lacquer spray is for what reason?
Hi Terri, I used the lacquer spray (you can use any spray paint) to give the tin this nice copper colour. I think it looks so much nicer than the normal silver the tins come in :) Does this make sense?