Have you noticed the best shops and spas have something about them that makes you relax as soon as you step over the threshold?
The customer experience is about more than just window dressing and decent lighting. Scent is that extra, invisible element that separates a middling visit from a truly exceptional one.
But why wait until you’re outside of your own home to experience such an uplift?
Home fragrance is usually an afterthought, one that generally covers candles, reed diffusers and air fresheners. While some offer room-filling scent, others linger for little longer than it takes to light the flame, gathering dust on a shelf instead of enhancing the room it’s in.
This is precisely what Rituals is attempting to combat with its aromatherapy diffuser, whimsically named The Perfume Genie.
Available in a choice of two colours, the device can be controlled through a smartphone app and offers a scent range of up to 50 m², which should be enough to cover most spaces. Is it the zen experience it claims to be, or just another thing to stress about?
I gave it a go to see if it comes up roses.
Rituals Perfume Genie key specs
- Remote control with your smartphone
- Personalised smart schedules
- Up to 270 hours of scent per refill
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Design
It’s not quite a brass lamp in Aladdin’s Cave, but there’s an air of Eastern design about this diffuser. The low oval shape is topped with a high chimney, which appears to be just for aesthetics alone, as scent is released from vents at the front and back of the design.
This smooth oval base fixes in two parts - the top screws away to reveal where the fragrance inserts chamber, while the underside of the design bears a QR code to help with onboarding via the companion app.
This gadget is USB powered, and you’ll get a plug with UK and EU fittings to use it, depending on where you are. If you’ve got the right PC port, you can plug it straight into your computer, charging until the tiny LED light on the front blinks from red to blue and eventually green.
Performance
I didn’t even refer to the manual to get the fragrance cartridge into place; it’s pretty intuitive. My Genie came with the Sakura scent, but there are lots of other Rituals scent cartridges to pick from if you’ve got a favourite. Each one lasts for 270 hours, so you’re really getting your money’s worth (cartridges cost around £45, which is less than some luxury candles but about double the cost of a standard Rituals candle).
App instructions are easy to follow - it mostly involves pairing your diffuser to the Wi-Fi, keeping your phone close by as it does so. Once done, you can control the diffuser from anywhere in the house, which is great if you want to create a soothing bedroom or bathroom ambience before heading into said room. You can alter the scent’s intensity and schedule it on and off via the app too, but I’ve found the lower setting covers the area around my desk nicely (no perfume-triggered migraines here).
Cost - is it worth the money?
As a gift (to yourself or some other lucky soul), this diffuser does the trick. The design evokes a luxe spa feel, so it will elevate your space straight out of the box. It is on the pricey side, but the refillable cartridges mean it won’t go the way of spent candles or poorly wafting reed diffusers (read: the bin).
It’s worth the RRP for anyone who wants a long-term solution for their home fragrance.
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Rituals Perfume Genie
This smart diffuser from Rituals allows users to fine-tune their home fragrance at the touch of a button. Controlled via app, you can set the intensity and schedule sessions so your space always feels like the warm and welcoming haven that it should.
The Genie covers areas up to 50 m² and takes fragrance cartridges from Rituals’ scent collection, each promising up to 270 hours of use.
Easy to set up, the Genie comes in two colours with an elegant Eastern design that won’t fail to elevate your space, even if it’s not turned on.
Buy now £114.90, Rituals
