I can remember one of my first experiences at Vancouver-based Escents Aromatherapy, several years back when their former store on West Broadway would tempt me in with scented oils coming from a diffuser on a small table outside the shop door. Since then, I’ve been converted into a fan, using their natural soaps, bath bombs, and essential oils.
The 23-year-old Vancouver based company began with founder/Vancouver native Jacqui MacNeill operating from a small kiosk, filling orders of ready-to-blend pure essential oils. She was committed to learning everything she could about plant-based products, and responded to a growing customer base seeking wellness solutions for insomnia, headaches, and overall well-being. Jacqui’s customers returned with rave reviews after trying her essential oil blends; by then, she knew that she was onto something big.
From that humble start, MacNeill’s company has grown internationally to offer an assortment of bath and personal care products, essential oils, skin care accessories, and signature scent collections.
Over the holidays, I had the chance to visit Kitsilano’s West 4th Avenue location and sample several of the aroma oil blends, later contacting Escents to try out one of their popular ultrasonic aromatherapy diffusers. Each of their diffusers has a simple yet elegant design; the Lotus spoke to me immediately, its bamboo-grooved cylindrical form a perfect match for adding a natural touch to a room.
The Lotus scents a space of up to 800 square feet, and features a dual-setting soft light, silent operation, continuous or 30-second-interval operation, and auto shut-off system (once the water is absorbed). Not only pretty, this diffuser improves both physical and physiological well-being in any interior environment. I unboxed the diffuser and put the Lotus to work in our office.
As you can see from watching the video above, the diffuser is simple to set up and works from the moment it’s plugged in. Its dimensions are 7” (17.78 cm) high by 4” (10.16 cm) wide with a 100 ml capacity. I forgot to mention in the video that Escents is also located in Coquitlam, Langley, Richmond, West Vancouver, Victoria and Edmonton.
Using ultrasonic technology, this humidifier works to break up water and essential oils into extremely fine micro-particles, diffusing aroma as mist without heat, which can destroy the therapeutic benefits of essential oils. Use this diffuser along with pure essential oils, to purify, sterilize and deodorize the air to help control allergies, asthma, sinusitis and emphysema.
The Lotus retails for $80; the lovely-scented Love aroma blend (just in time for Valentine’s Day!) I used retails for $19.95 (10 ml; $35.95 for 15 ml; $119.70 for 100 ml). I’ve teamed up with Escents Aromatherapy to offer a lucky reader the chance to win their own Lotus ultrasonic aromatherapy diffuser plus a 10 ml bottle of Love aroma blend (a $100 value!). Simply leave a comment below mentioning your favourite wellness tip, or RT the following:
I’ve entered to win an ultrasonic aromatherapy diffuser & Love aroma blend from @escents & @Vancouverscape http://ow.ly/HRnI1
Entrants must follow both Twitter accounts to qualify. You’ll receive an additional entry into the contest by commenting and tweeting 🙂
I’ll draw a winner at random on February 16 at 5 pm. Congrats to Keira Anne Morgan, whose name I chose at random this afternoon! Contest is open to Canadian residents only.