Peppermint essential oil: freshness in small doses

Open a bottle of peppermint oil and the whole room knows about it. Its menthol scent is so powerful that it almost feels cool on the air. That character is exactly what makes it popular… and why it should be used sparingly.

What is peppermint?

Peppermint, Mentha × piperita, belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. The «×» in its name shows that it is a hybrid, the result of a natural cross between water mint and spearmint. Long grown in Europe, it flavours herbal teas, sweets and toothpastes.

According to the product sheet, our essential oil is obtained from the leaves and comes in a 10 ml bottle. The sheet states that its use requires the advice of a specialist. We place it in the ketone family, which calls for particular care: our guide to essential oil families explains why. The range also includes Peppermint EO (fresh, minty scent, refreshing and stimulating) and Organic peppermint EO, 10 ml (intense freshness, invigorating).

How to use it

Our druggist recommends it for diffusion or highly diluted application, for a feeling of freshness and vitality.

In a diffuser

• One or two drops are plenty, on their own or with a gentler oil such as lemon or lavender.
• Diffuse briefly, for about ten minutes, in a study or after cleaning, then air the room.
• Never in a child's bedroom or around babies.

Highly diluted on the skin

• One drop in a tablespoon of vegetable oil, massaged into the feet after a long walk: the fresh feeling is instant.
• Do a patch test in the crook of your elbow and wait 24 hours before first use.
• Do not apply it to the face or to large areas; wash your hands afterwards so that none gets into your eyes.

The gentle alternative: hydrosol

During distillation, the fragrant water collected alongside the essential oil is called hydrosol, and it is far less concentrated. Our peppermint hydrosol comes in a 200 ml bottle; according to its product sheet, it is used externally on a cotton pad wiped over the face or sprayed as a fine mist. A pleasant way to enjoy minty freshness every day.

Precautions

Intense: specialist advice recommended. Not for internal use and never apply neat. Keep away from the eyes and mucous membranes. Not recommended without prior advice for children, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, if you are under medical care or have sensitive skin. One drop too many can create an unpleasant chilly sensation: dilute further. Keep the bottle tightly closed and out of children's reach.

Our products

• Peppermint (Mentha × piperita), 10 ml – from the leaves.
• Peppermint EO – fresh, minty scent.
• Organic peppermint EO, 10 ml – organic version.
• Peppermint hydrosol, 200 ml – gentler, for the face or as a mist.

Let's talk

Peppermint is a true classic, but not an oil to take lightly. Before your first purchase, drop in at Droguerie Perusset in Yverdon-les-Bains: we will tell you which form suits you best, essential oil or hydrosol, and the right amount for what you have in mind.