Single Oil Look: Mint© Marie A. Miczak
Jul 31, 2003
When the word mint is mentioned, many people immediately think of peppermint
candies or the cool and refreshing scent given off from a freshly picked leaf. This
wonderful scent can be bottles up in the form of essential oil and is know how to have
many uses in the home. Some make note of there being over 30 different types of mint,
with the most well known being common peppermint. A sometimes invasive herb, mint
comes in many flavors from pineapple to chocolate and is an easy plant to grow in the
garden or as a container plant. Some mints can even be grown as shallow marginal pond
plants. Given plenty of water and a somewhat shady spot, mint will thrive forming thick
carpets of green leaves. Its pungent scent and essential oil content makes it pretty off
limits to pests, making mint a great plant to try growing. Picked fresh the leaves can
impart a wonderful aroma and flavor to drinks and culinary dishes. The leaves can also
be dried in ones oven for use in soaps, potpourri and tea, if it was grown organically.
The most common verity of mint used in essential oil form is peppermint ( Mentha
pierita). Extremely pungent, peppermint contains a great deal of menthol which
gives mint its refreshing and cooling nature. A dark yellow color, essential oil of
peppermint is quite strong and will easily take over other scents when used in blends. For
this reason many use peppermint for single note massage oils and toiletries. Peppermint
can also be blended with other minty scents such as lemon balm or culinary scents such as
vanilla or almond for a delicious effect. Common uses for peppermint include steam
inhalation to clear nasal passageways and the lungs of congestion, frequently as a side
effect from a cold. Peppermint is also used to reduce fevers, for skin conditions, to relax
tight and sore muscles including those associated with menstrual pains and to help relieve
migraine headaches. Mint is regularly used in foot baths and massage products for ones
feet as well. The invigorating nature of peppermint can be a welcome effect to tired and
sore feet. They also will have the added effect of being deodorized by the peppermint.
Peppermint should however not be overused as an inhalant and it may be too strong for
use on babies or small children. -MAM
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The copyright of the article Single Oil Look: Mint in Aromatherapy is owned by Marie A. Miczak. Permission to republish Single Oil Look: Mint in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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