Creating Aroma Stones: A Step-By-Step Guide

Aroma stones are a great way to diffuse essential oils without the use of electricity or heat. They are safe, affordable, and easy to make at home. All you need are a few simple ingredients, such as flour, salt, starch, and water, and your favourite essential oils. You can also add food colouring or dried flower petals to create colourful, personalized stones. Once you've made your dough, simply roll it into balls and let them dry before adding your chosen essential oils. Aroma stones are a fun, creative way to make your home smell great and they make perfect gifts, too!

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, and boiling water

To make aroma stones, you will need to combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. The amount of each ingredient will depend on the desired consistency and the number of aroma stones you want to create. Usually, the ratio of flour to cornstarch is around 2:1, but you can adjust this based on your preferences.

Once you have measured out the dry ingredients, the next step is to add water. Boiling water will be necessary to help activate the thickening properties of the cornstarch and create a dough-like consistency. For every cup of flour, you will need to add approximately ⅔ cup of boiling water. It is important to add the water gradually and mix continuously to avoid lumps.

As you combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and boiling water, mix the ingredients thoroughly until you have a smooth and homogeneous mixture. You can use a whisk or a fork to blend the ingredients together. The mixture should resemble a thick dough that can be shaped into balls or stones.

If the dough appears dry or crumbly, you can add small amounts of water, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency. On the other hand, if the dough seems too sticky or soft, you can gradually add small amounts of flour until it becomes more manageable.

Once you have achieved the right consistency, you are ready to move on to the next steps of creating your aroma stones!

Add essential oils and food colouring

Adding essential oils and food colouring is an important step in making aroma stones. The essential oils provide the scent, while the food colouring adds a hint of colour to the stones.

To add essential oils to your aroma stones, simply add 3-5 drops of your chosen oil(s) directly to the stone. You can use any essential oil, but it is recommended to use a single oil rather than a blend. Popular choices for essential oils include lavender, sweet marjoram, geranium, and rosemary, as they have calming and warming effects.

If you want to add food colouring to your aroma stones, it is best to add it to the boiling water before mixing it with the dry ingredients. This will help to evenly distribute the colour throughout the dough. You can use any type of food colouring, but clay or mica powder is recommended for a more natural look.

Once you have added the essential oils and food colouring, simply form the dough into your desired shape and let it dry. Your aroma stones will then be ready to use, providing a subtle and natural scent to your space.

Knead the dough

Kneading the dough is an important step in making aroma stones. After mixing the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch/starch, and salt) and adding the wet ingredients (water, essential oils, and colouring, if using), you'll need to knead the dough until it's smooth and has an even colour. This process ensures that all the ingredients are well combined and helps to create a uniform consistency.

When kneading the dough, use your hands or a dough scraper to fold the dough over onto itself, and then push it away from you with the heels of your hands. Repeat this process, working your way around the dough, until it becomes smooth and elastic. This should take several minutes. If the dough is crumbly and dry, add a small amount of water (a tablespoon at a time) and continue kneading until the water is fully incorporated. The dough is ready when it resembles bread dough in texture.

The kneading process is a great opportunity to add more of your chosen essential oils. Simply add a few drops at a time and work them into the dough as you knead. This helps to evenly distribute the scent throughout the dough, ensuring that your aroma stones will effectively release their fragrance.

If you're happy with the consistency and scent of your dough, you can move on to shaping your aroma stones. However, if you prefer a stronger colour, you can add more clay or mica powder at this stage and continue kneading until it's evenly distributed. Remember, the colour of your dough will affect the final appearance of your aroma stones, so feel free to experiment with different shades to achieve your desired look.

Once you're satisfied with the dough's consistency, colour, and fragrance, you're ready to start forming your aroma stones. Simply pinch off small pieces of dough and roll them into balls or desired shapes. You can also use silicone moulds or cookie cutters to create unique shapes.

Shape the dough into stones

Once you have your dough ready, it's time to shape it into stones. The first step is to simply take a small piece of dough and roll it gently in your hands until you have your desired shape. You can make the stones as big or as small as you like, but keeping them around 1-2 inches in diameter is a good rule of thumb. If you want to give your stones a more natural, river rock look, dip your finger in water and use it to smooth out any cracks in the dough.

If you want to get creative, you can incorporate dried flowers or herbs into the stones for added texture and scent. You can also add a hint of colour to your stones using clay or mica powder. This is also a great way to indicate which stones are infused with which scents.

If you want uniformly shaped stones, you can use a silicone mould. Simply press the dough into the mould and let it set. This method also allows you to create different shapes, such as stars or hearts, which can be perfect for decorative ornaments.

Once you've shaped your stones, place them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven for about an hour at 140°C/285°F. Alternatively, you can let the stones air-dry at room temperature, but this will take a couple of days, and the appearance of the stones will change, giving them a sugared look.

Leave to dry

Once you've made your dough and formed your stones, it's time for the final step: drying. There are a few different methods you can use to dry your aroma stones. One is to simply leave them out to air-dry. This method will take several days, and the stones will end up looking like they've been dusted with powdered sugar due to the hygroscopic property of salt. If you're short on time, you can speed up the drying process by baking your stones in the oven for an hour at 140 °C / 285 °F.

Regardless of which drying method you choose, make sure your stones are completely dry before using them or packaging them up as gifts. This will ensure that they have a pleasant appearance and texture, and it will also maximise the scent's longevity.

Frequently asked questions