A strong, instantly recognisable aroma. Peppermint gives a cooling sensation on the skin and is well known as an invigorating scent. That is exactly why it needs care: it is very concentrated, and here less really is more.
This one is also available as a pre-diluted roll-on. For getting started and for carrying in a bag that is the simplest form: there is no carrier oil to mix, and it cannot spill.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: leaf. Extraction method: steam distillation. Typical origin: United States, India.
Steam distillation means that hot steam passing through the plant carries the volatile compounds with it. The steam is cooled, and the water and the oil separate on their own — the oil floats on top.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: sharp, cooling, clean menthol.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- One drop in carrier oil on the nape of the neck after a long day at a screen.
- In the diffuser in the afternoon, when a little freshness helps.
- One drop rubbed between the palms, then a deep breath before training.
- Diluted on the shins in summer heat.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Massage oil after movement
What you get: 30 ml, several sessions.
- Measure sweet almond or grapeseed oil into a 30 ml bottle.
- Add 15 drops of Peppermint and 8 drops of Basil — that is roughly a four per cent blend.
- Close it and turn it over a few times.
- Warm it in your palms and massage into shoulders, back or calves.
Four per cent is for adults and for a specific area. For whole-body use, mix it at half the strength.
Bath salts
What you get: one bath.
- Put a handful of Epsom salt into a small bowl.
- Drop 5 drops of Peppermint onto it and stir it through the salt.
- Scatter the salt into the already-filled bath and stir the water.
- Soak for at least twenty minutes.
Never put essential oil straight into the water: it does not dissolve, and it can reach your skin undiluted. The salt holds it.
Neck roller
What you get: 10 ml, lasts weeks.
- Into a 10 ml roll-on bottle, add 5 drops of Peppermint and 2 drops of Basil.
- Top up with fractionated coconut oil — that is about three and a half per cent.
- Click the rollerball back in and turn the bottle over.
- Roll it onto the nape of your neck and the tops of your shoulders, then rub it in.
Use it on the temples only carefully, well away from the eyes. It travels in a bag without spilling.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- Basil — shared topic: Easing tension
- AromaTouch — shared topic: Easing tension
- Black Pepper — shared topic: Energy and vitality
Safety and storage
Keep away from eyes and mucous membranes. Avoid in children under six and during pregnancy; never bring it near a small child’s face.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for with this oil?
Keep away from eyes and mucous membranes. Avoid in children under six and during pregnancy; never bring it near a small child’s face.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
