Hidden Secrets of Peppermint Oil & the Peppermint Plant

Cooling, Invigorating & Stimulating

Peppermint

Botanical name (Latin): Mentha piperita
Plant family: Lamiaceae
Aroma profile: Peppermint Essential Oil smells intensely minty. Its aroma is reminiscent of peppermint candies, but it is more concentrated and is more intense in fragrance than Spearmint Essential Oil.
Perfumery note: Top
Essential oil extraction method: Steam distillation
Native region/origin
:
Growing habit: Square stems, stalked, smooth, dark green leaves, and blunt oblong clusters of pinkish lavender flowers
Parts used: Leaves and Flowers/Buds

Breathe Beauty:Fresh, deep, and strong minty aroma

Benefits of Peppermint Essential Oil

The main chemical constituents of Peppermint essential oil are Menthol, Menthone, and 1,8-Cineole, Menthyl acetate and Isovalerate, Pinene, Limonene and other constituents. The most active of these components are Menthol and Menthone. Menthol is known to be analgesic and is thus beneficial for reducing pain such as headaches, muscle aches, and inflammation. Menthone is known to be analgesic as well, but it is also believed to show antiseptic activity. Its invigorating properties lend the oil its energizing effects.

COSMETIC:Antiseptic, astringent, cordial, nervine, sudorific.

ODOROUS:Analgesic, cephalic, cordial, decongestant, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, nervine, stimulant.

MEDICINAL:Analgesic, anesthetic, anti-galactagogue, anti-phlogistic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cephalic, cholagogue, cordial, decongestant, digestive, emmenagogue, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, nervine, stimulant, stomachic, sudorific, vasoconstrictor, vermifuge.

History of Peppermint Essential Oil

Mentha piperita, or Peppermint as it is commonly known, is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean but has also been cultivated in the USA, Italy, Great Britain, and Japan. It can be identified by its serrated leaves and by its flowers that range in color from light pink to mauve, growing in a conical shape.

Peppermint essential oil has been called one of the most versatile oils in the world, sharing the title with Lavender. Abounding in dermal and oral uses as well as anti-microbial properties, there are countless issues for which it is beneficial, promoting the wellness of body, mind, and overall health. The scent of Peppermint can be described as being fresh, sharp and comparable to Menthol, and the components of this multi-purpose oil are used internationally in cosmetic, culinary, and health industries.

Extracted from the Peppermint herb, the uses of this cherished plant and its benefits have been traced back to Chinese and Japanese folk medicine practices and even Ancient Egyptian times where dried Peppermint leaves were found placed in tombs inside the pyramids. Due to the common incidence of using the name Peppermint interchangeably with the terms Mint and Spearmint, there has been confusion about its history of cultivation, but ancient textual references to it prove that it has been used for culinary purposes and in herbal medicine since 1500 BC. Peppermint is also mentioned in Greek mythology in the story of the nymph “Mentha” or “Minthe,” who is transformed into the sweet-smelling herb that releases a powerful, lingering aroma every time she is stepped on.

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