If you’re looking for an essential oil to help improve health conditions, revitalise your mind and make your home smell clean and fresh, then you’ve just found it: Peppermint Oil!
No wonder Peppermint Oil is one of our best-selling essential oils, when it delivers so much goodness across a range of applications. Here, we’re looking at this all-natural, 100% pure and pretty darn perfect oil in more detail, exploring what peppermint oil is, its properties, uses, benefits and cautionary advice for safe use.
Introduction to Peppermint Oil
As the predominant component, menthol is akin to therapeutic gold. It contributes to Peppermint oil's cooling sensation and characteristic aroma. This cooling effect not only provides relief from discomfort but also stimulates the senses, promoting alertness and mental clarity. Additionally, menthol possesses analgesic properties, making peppermint oil a popular choice for reducing body aches and pains. Menthone, another significant constituent, bolsters this oil's therapeutic properties and helps create its distinct scent.
Like many essential oils, Peppermint is produced by steam distilling the plant, a chemical free process that ensures its constituents and properties remain intact. Also retained is its incredible fresh and minty smell, a scent you can’t help but fall in love with as it meanders through your home and enlightens the senses.
Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil
Aromatherapy Benefits of Peppermint Oil
Studies into Peppermint oil claim its menthol properties and minty aroma can improve cognitive focus, mental function and positivity, as well as enhancing physical alertness and energy. It also relieves tension and signs of anxiety, bringing a calmness to the space.
Diffusing Peppermint oil is said to have other benefits, such as clearing nasal congestion or head pains. Also, when used as a massage aid, Peppermint can help soothe sore muscles and alleviate tension.
Health Benefits of Peppermint Oil
Where do we start with Peppermint’s health benefits? This oil boasts multiple plus points, so much so, it’s an absolute must for your essential oils collection.
The key constituent of Peppermint oil, menthol, helps the body to ward off many an ailment, including these ones:
- Inflammation
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Cramps
- Coughs, colds and flu viruses
- Nasal congestion
- Muscle pain
- Problem skin
- Stress
For a deeper dive into the many benefits of Peppermint essential oil, click here.
Skincare Benefits of Peppermint Oil
While popular oils like Rose, Frankincense and Lavender oils top the list for everyday skin support, Peppermint can work wonders on problem skin.
The natural cooling effect in menthol helps to calm irritated skin, reducing redness and inflammation. It is also said to benefit pimples and acne. This makes Peppermint oil a must for anyone who battles breakouts and wants to keep their skin as clear as possible and pimple-free.
Household Benefits
You might have guessed already, but that wonderfully crisp, fresh aroma means Peppermint Oil household uses are abundant.
But it’s more than the smell of Peppermint oil working hard in homes. A blend of antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal properties in Peppermint oil help create an ideal natural disinfectant for floors and work surfaces.
And if that wasn’t enough reason to use Peppermint oil, how about this for a bonus - insects and rodents hate Peppermint! Just a small amount of oil around the home can help prevent creepy crawlies from invading your space. You can learn more about this top tip in our article called ‘Peppermint Essential Oil and Repelling Rodents and Insects’.
Pet Care and Peppermint Oil
While we’re talking about Peppermint Oil benefits, it's impossible to ignore one of the questions we’re asked most: Can I use Peppermint Oil for pet health?
It’s an extremely good question, given that Peppermint Oil is controversial when it comes to pet care, and is often quoted as effective for repelling fleas, soothing skin irritations, or easing digestive issues in animals – but is it safe around your furry friends?
We cover this topic in depth in our article about Peppermint Oil and Pets. If you’re considering using essential oils for pet care, please take the time to read it before doing so!
How to Use Peppermint Essential Oil
There are two popular ways to appreciate the benefits of Peppermint essential oil: in a diffuser and topically.
Diffusing Peppermint Oil
We’ve mentioned diffusing already, and it’s certainly an extremely popular way to enjoy the invigorating scent of Peppermint while its natural health benefits get to work.
The great thing about diffusing Peppermint is how easy it is. Simply add four or five drops to the water in your diffuser basin and set it going. More than likely, you’ll feel its effects working immediately as the sweet, minty aroma quickly fills your space.
Topical Application
- All-round health: Dilute Peppermint with your favourite carrier oil at a 1-2% ratio and apply safely to the body.
- Facial care: After diluting at a 1% ratio, use your Peppermint oil to cleanse the skin and help prevent breakouts. Or, add a few drops to your favourite moisturiser.
- Treating inflammation: Target problem or inflamed areas and massage your diluted Peppermint oil using circular movements.
- As a relaxing bath soak: Add a couple of drops of Peppermint oil to your warm water, step in and enjoy...
Lots of us love animals and choose to keep one or more as pets. From Chihuahuas to backyard chooks, our furry or feathered friends keep us company in our homes and provide a source of affection for families to dote on.
If you’re a fan of essential oils and keep pets at home, then caution is required. Because contrary to what the human body and mind can handle with essential oils, some animals cannot do likewise.
Peppermint Essential Oil Blends
No question that Peppermint is one versatile oil. As such, it blends incredibly well with many essential oils – the best one tends to depend on what benefits and aroma you’re hoping for. Here are some tips on blends you might want to try yourself.
Eucalyptus is one of our favourite Peppermint diffuser blends for relieving congestion (we recommend three drops of each oil). Or to really up the ante, add two drops of Lime oil and a drop of Tea Tree oil.
A great blend for providing mental clarity and focus is Frankincense, Grapefruit and Peppermint oils (four drops of each).
For an effective insect repellent, combine Tea Tree and Peppermint oils (two drops each) into a carrier oil, and rub over the skin.
Safety Precautions and Considerations
As with all essential oils, which are extremely potent, you need to apply caution when using them.
Thankfully, side effects of Peppermint oil are rare. That said, if you’re using this oil for the first time, we always recommend performing a skin patch test to check how you react. If you experience any irritation, it is best to stop using it.
All essential oils are highly concentrated and should be diluted before using them topically, following our dilution guidelines.
In terms of oral consumption, we urge users not to ingest Peppermint essential oil, which is highly potent and can cause serious harm if used incorrectly.
You can expect greater results from a pure, unadulterated essential oil, and an oil's quality varies from one manufacturer to another. Some things to look out for on the product label when buying Peppermint oil include:
- The Latin name – this is most important and should be stated clearly (for example, Mentha piperita)
- The words ‘100% pure Essential Oil’
- A valid best before or usage date
Properties and Chemical Composition of Peppermint Oil
Now, one thing you will quickly notice as you shop for Peppermint oil is that there are a few types on offer.
The two common variants are Mentha piperita and Mentha arvensis. These oils actually come from different plants and have slight differences to their chemical composition, which may impact their use cases.
| Properties | Mentha piperita (Peppermint) | Mentha arvensis (Wild Mint) |
| Main Chemical Constituents | Menthol,menthone,menthyl acetate,1,8-cineole (eucalyptol),limonene | Menthol,menthone,isomenthone,menthyl acetate,1,8-cineole (eucalyptol),limonene |
| Menthol Content | High | Higher (typically) |
| Aroma | Minty,cooling,sweet | Stronger minty aroma,more intense cooling sensation |
| Therapeutic Properties | Analgesic,antiseptic,digestive support,respiratory relief,pain management | Analgesic,antiseptic,potential stronger respiratory support,pain relief |
| Common Uses | Aromatherapy,pain relief,digestive aid,respiratory support,household cleaning | Aromatherapy,pain relief, respiratory support,household cleaning |
| Potency | Versatile,commonly used in various applications | More potent due to higher menthol content |
As you can see, both Mentha piperita and Mentha arvensis oils offer unique benefits and are valuable in different contexts. While Peppermint oil is widely recognised for its versatility and balanced properties, wild mint oil, with its higher menthol content, may be preferred in applications where a stronger cooling sensation or respiratory support is desired. However, due to its potency, Mentha arvensis oil may need to be diluted more than pure Peppermint oil for certain uses.
You can learn much more about both oil types and which to use for what purpose in our article ‘Peppermint Essential Oils: The Difference Between Mentha Arvensis and Mentha Piperita’.
Also note there is an organic version of Peppermint oil available from AWO. It contains all the goodness of Mentha arvensis with the additional benefit of being produced and certified organic.