3 Mood-Boosting Room Sprays to Help Beat the Winter Blues

Believe it or not, the holidays are almost here, and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling a mix of excitement, happiness, and stress. Using a scent is one of the easiest ways to get into the holiday spirit—bring on the cinnamon, citrus, and pine!

Scent is also one of the best relaxation remedies for when you start feeling overwhelmed. And my favorite way to do that is with DIY aromatherapy air freshener.

How to Make Mood Boosting Room Sprays

These DIY spirit-lifting aromatherapy room sprays are sure to help boost your mood and make you feel calm and collected this holiday season. Plus, they’re pretty enough to give as Christmas gifts, so stop stressing about what to get your friends and family, and whip up a few of these festive little sprays.

Although I say this a lot (and this time I really mean it), these room sprays are incredibly simple to make. You only need four things—water, alcohol, essential oils, and several little spritz bottles—to get started.

Essential Oils

This is what gives your room spray its fragrance. While bergamot, lavender, and lemon are popular choices, feel free to mix and match using oils you already have on hand.

Some of my favorites are:

• Rose absolute
• Sandalwood
• Chamomile
• Pine
• Patchouli

Vodka or Grain Alcohol

Alcohol helps the oils mix with the water, but it’s not a perfect emulsifier, so you’ll still need to shake your room spray prior to each use. If you find the smell of alcohol to be overpowering, swap it out for something more subtle like witch hazel.

Water

This helps dilute the alcohol, so it’s not quite as potent.

Spray Bottles

You can use any kind of spritzer bottle you like. But if you’re giving these as gifts, I recommend buying a cute one from Rail19. So once the room spray is gone, the recipient can use the bottle for years to come.

Now here’s how to make some of our favorite blends.

Bergamot Brightening Room Spray

Bergamot has powerful mood-boosting effects. It helps calm agitated children, promotes mental clarity, and helps stabilize overpowering emotions [source]. While it blends well with most oils, combine it with sandalwood to promote serenity [source] and clary sage to soothe stressed nerves [source].

• 1.5 ounces distilled water
• 1.5 ounces vodka or witch hazel (avoid rubbing alcohol if you can)
• A 4-ounce refillable spray bottle
• 15 drops bergamot essential oil
• 10 drops clary sage essential oil
• 10 drops sandalwood essential oil

Using a small funnel, if you have one, pour the alcohol into a 4-ounce spritzer bottle.

Add the essential oils and shake well. Add the water and shake again. Spritz around the house whenever you need a lift.

Sunny Lavender Room Spray

Nourishing and balancing lavender has been shown to reduce feelings of anger, anxiety, and insecurity [source]. Combine it with lemon essential oil to help elevate the mood and re-energize a tired mind [source].

• 1.5 ounces distilled water
• 1.5 ounces vodka or witch hazel (avoid rubbing alcohol if you can)
• A 4-ounce spray bottle
• 15 drops lavender essential oil
• 15 drops lemon essential oil

Pour the alcohol into a small spray bottle. Add the essential oils and shake well.

Add the water and shake again. Spritz around the house whenever you need a little boost.

Uplifting Chamomile Room Spray

Chamomile is best known for its ability to help calm a stressed mind and soothe a tense body, and it has long been used to ease feelings of grief, anger, and sensitivity [source].

Rosemary is widely favored for its stress-reducing qualities and has been shown to relieve feelings of anxiety [source]. When used as a room spray, chamomile and rosemary help calm and clear the mind and promote vitality.

• 1.5 ounces distilled water
• 1.5 ounces vodka or witch hazel (avoid rubbing alcohol if you can)
• A 4-ounce spray bottle
• 15 drops chamomile essential oil
• 15 drops rosemary essential oil

Pour the alcohol into a small spray bottle. Add the essential oils and shake well. Add the water and shake again. Spritz around the house whenever you need a lift.

Mood-Boosting Room Spray FAQ

What is the seedy plant inside the bottle?

That’s just a sprig of eucalyptus seeds. You can often find it in eucalyptus bouquets at the grocery store.

Can I add a fresh sprig of greenery to my bottle, or should it be dried?

You can use either! 

How long will this room spray last?

Since these contain water, they won’t last too long. I recommend using your room spray within a month. If needed, you can make a smaller batch and replace it more often.

How can I make my room spray last longer?

Try layering your scents. Essential oils fade pretty quickly. But using homemade room spray in conjunction with reed diffusers, candles, and wax sachets can help the overall room scent last longer.

Why do my essential oils separate and float to the top of my spray?

The alcohol is supposed to help prevent this from happening, but it’s not perfect. If you’re still experiencing separation, I recommend vigorously shaking your room spray before each use.

This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Susanna Quasem, M.D., a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

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