Setting Up the Diffuser

• The distiller is set up so that the plant or herb that is being used to create the essential oil is placed in a container that allows steam to enter and to escape. Water is added to a container on one side of the plant container and connected to the bottom of it via a tube of some kind. A second container of cold water is placed on the other side of the plants and connected to the top of it via a hose.
  
  

Creating Steam

• Water in the first container is exposed to a heat source. As the water heats up, it becomes steam and escapes from the container through the hose that is connected. The steam travels through the hose into the chamber holding the plants.
  
  

Releasing the Essential Oil

• As the steam rises through the container holding the plants, it causes the oil membranes to open, releasing the essential oils. This process prevents the membrane that surrounds the oil from bursting, which ruins the oil. The oil evaporates and is taken with the steam up through the tube attached at the top of the container.
  
  

Condensing the Steam

• The steam containing oil and water is taken to a container containing cool water. The water cools the steam, causing it to condense into liquid. The oil is taken with the steam into a water cooler. As the steam cools, it condenses and becomes a liquid again.
  
  

Collecting the Essential Oil

• The extracted oil sits on top of the water, allowing it to be easily collected by skimming it off the top. The essential oil can then be used for its intended purpose. The leftover water has some soothing properties because it retains some of the aroma of the oil.