“The lamp you gave me is so pretty… But the flame is so high—the cap is all burnt!” my sister-in-law says.  I pause for a moment, taken aback, then I realize, “Oh, you’re not blowing out the flame! You’re not even getting to enjoy the fragrance!” I take my own Lampe Berger and give her a quick demonstration. The next evening, she texts me, “I used the lamp the way you showed me, and it works really well! My kitchen smells so nice!”

Using the Lampe Berger correctly is the only way to enjoy its full benefits and is actually incredibly easy. Just fill the lamp body no more than 2/3 full with the Maison Berger Paris home fragrance of your choice. If this is the first use, let the wick soak for 20 minutes, and be sure to keep the cap on for this step to prevent fragrance evaporation. Then remove the cap and light the burner. The flame will be high at the beginning, but it shouldn’t emit any smoke. Blow out the flame after 2–3 minutes. Let the fragrance diffuse for 30 minutes and replace the stopper to end the diffusion. Next time you want to use your fragrance lamp, just light it for 2–3 minutes again, blow out the flame and enjoy!

I bought Berger home diffusers for every household in our family this past Christmas. With every fragrance lamp, I included the Air Pur So Neutral purifying solution. This deodorizing solution is essential for using your Lampe Berger! Add it to any Maison Berger Paris home fragrance to dilute the aroma for less intensity. You can also burn it alone to remove odors from the air without fragrance. It’s also the solution to use to clean your wick when you want to change fragrances. Just follow the steps for using your Lampe Berger for the first time and burn the So Neutral solution for at least 20 minutes. Let the burner cool, pour out the So Neutral solution, then fill with the new  fragrance refill as you did at the beginning.

One of my favorite things about Berger lamps is that they don’t just mask unwanted odors, they actually act as an air cleaner and room deodorizer. Even better, they also diffuse a range of high-end fragrances for a truly unique system! Because the diffuser refills are not oils, but in fact mostly pharmaceutical-grade alcohol, when the fragrance lamp burns the alcohol, it removes existing odors from the air. And all while diffusing an amazing aroma formulated by master French perfumers. At my house, we are in the middle of kitchen renovations, and our temporary kitchen is set up in a basement room with limited ventilation. Every morning while I’m packing the kids’ lunches, I light my Lampe Berger to clean and perfume the air. It’s a small ritual that makes the situation feel more livable. I love knowing that I’m removing the stale air in the basement while infusing a fresh aroma. Fresh Linen and Ocean Breeze have been perfect fragrances for adding a feeling of freshness.

I’ve had my first Lampe Berger for about a year now, and it's one of the best home fragrance diffuser systems I've used. Since replacing the burner every 200 uses or once a year is recommended, I ordered my replacement burner online. And while I was on the site, it was easy to order a new cap for my poor sister-in-law who ruined hers. I’m so glad that she’ll be able to enjoy the look of an untarnished lamp. So, no need to worry if you haven’t been using your lamp correctly or if you need new accessories—life happens! And now you know just what to do to get as much enjoyment out of your Lampe Berger as I do!