My VERY favorite peppermint oil. Sweet as candy. (I am not fond of “sharp” peppermints. I am a Lifesaver (tm), not an Altoid(tm) lover. This Midwestern oil is produced primarily for the flavoring industry and is rectified to meet their requirements.
Peppermint Essential Oil is one of the “basic necessities” for a first aid kit. It is one of the oils often recommended (applied topically in low dilution for easing migraines or other headaches (especially those stemming from digestive problems); it helps clear congestion in the sinuses; it can ease indigestion (one drop on a sugar cube, or in a spoonful of honey).
Mentally, it clears the brain, helps concentration, is a restorative in cases of mental fatigue, and a mental stimulant. Obviously not an oil to use in the evening when you are seeking sleep, but great in the car to help keep the driver alert. It is a great remedy for car or air sickness. Peppermint is the ideal remedy for all digestive disorders, including nausea and vomiting.
In a massage, it helps stimulate the lymph system. It is also an analgesic and aids with treating sore muscles and joint pain. In skin care, a very weak dilution (less than 1%) is helpful for easing itching or irritation. (We add a few drops to calamine lotion to treat poison ivy!) Definitely a case where “less is more” since in a higher concentration it will be irritating. For cooling relief around post-herpetic healing wounds that itch, in low dilution of course, is recommended by author and educatorMadeleine Kerkhof-Knapp Hayes.
Peppermint may be either cooling or warming depending on the dilution used. In low dilutions (less than 2%) it is very cooling. In HIGH dilutions, greater then 5%, it will be warming (a rubecacient), and serve as a counter-irritant in pain relief blends. One or two drops of peppermint added to a bath is wonderfully cooling; however more than that is TOO cold.
WARNING: Peppermint cools by constricting the capillaries and needs to be used in extremely low dilutions. It is also an irritant. One or two drops in a bath is sufficient. Use a 1% dilution for massage or other skin applications. Also, recent research indicates that the use of Peppermint Essential Oil may aggravate GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease-type of heart burn). It is contraindicated in cases of gallbladder inflammation.
SHELF LIFE: Approximately 3 to 4 years after you open the bottle. Storing in the dark, refrigerated, and decanting half full bottles into smaller, full bottles will extend shelf life. (My experience, and private correspondence from distillers is that this estimate is very conservative.)
Certificate of Analysis:
Batch No. US-C6754001
Batch No. US-5700804150
Batch No. US-5701031160
Batch No. US-58621
BLENDS WITH: Black Pepper, all Citrus Oils, Eucalyptus species, Fennel, Ginger, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Rosemary, and Spearmint.
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