Aging is a natural consequence of time. Not taking care of your skin or waiting until you see that creeping wrinkles might only show the damaging effects of time quicker. Peppermint essential oil has years of history showcasing its various uses in natural skin care. For the longest time, it was used to treat skin conditions such as acne and eczema.
The oil has cooling and soothing effects on the skin. As a result, peppermint essential oil is an excellent choice for treating sunburns, inflammation, and bug bites. In addition, it is known for reducing itchiness caused by dry skin or eczema.
Now that’s a solution to a problem worth solving!
A Brief History of Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is extracted from the leaves and flowers of the peppermint plant Mentha piperita. The plant is native to various regions, including Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia. However, it can be grown in other areas with similar climates.
The various uses of peppermint in different forms trace back to ancient Egypt. Peppermint essential oil includes medical, cosmetic, culinary, and therapeutic applications. Ancient medical texts in 1550 BC claimed its ability to treat stomach ailments. One of its cosmetic uses includes softening skin and masking body odor. Apart from this, it was also often mixed with other herbs for perfumes in religious rituals.
Egyptian and Peppermint essential oil
Peppermint essential oils made by the Egyptians are well-made and preserved. Ancient Egyptian glyphs showed the long shelf-life of peppermint essential oil. Bottles of this oil often lasted for months, even after its extraction. It didn’t go wrong and was well-preserved as long as it had no heat exposure. Remnants of peppermint essential oils were discovered after the excavation of several pyramids.
Egyptians are very popular in perfume and oil making. Another worth-noting oil they used back in time is the Egyptian musk essential oil.
Other countries
Peppermint was also known as an old medicinal herb in ancient Europe and Japan. In ancient Greece, on the other hand, Alexander the Great of Macedon even believed it had stimulating effects.
However, fearing that the essential oil might distract them from their duties, he had forbidden the use of it. With the modern knowledge people have access to now, it’s apparent fear was fueled by a misconception. After all, peppermint essential oil has several benefits in aromatherapy.
The Benefit of Peppermint Oil
There is many ways to replenish your skin’s dryness. One solution is to use peppermint essential oil. Its application on the skin gives it a soft, moisturized, and healthy feeling. It’s also an excellent anti-aging solution, giving you younger-looking skin without the need for surgery or injections.
One may opt to either use products such as peppermint oil spray or infuse it with different oils with similar benefits. Here are some benefits of peppermint essential oil on the skin:
Antibacterial
One of peppermint oil’s health benefits and characteristics is its antimicrobial properties. It’s mainly because of such properties that it’s quite a versatile oil. Hence, peppermint essential oil effectively soothes skin irritation and reduces acne. Peppermint provides a sense of relief for people experiencing itchy or irritated skin. It also gets rid of acne-causing bacteria and balances sebum production.
Congestion
It is traditionally used in South Asia as a cooling chest rub to relieve congestion. This benefit is widely seen in tons of commercially sold balms and inhalers.
Astringent
Peppermint essential oil acts as an astringent. It prevents the clogging of pores, tightens the skin, and does wonders in reducing acne.
Nourishment
Apart from its antimicrobial properties, peppermint oil is also rich in vitamins and minerals. Therefore, using it can promote healthy skin regeneration, allowing the skin to get rid of dead skin cells. It’s also due to this property that it also promotes soft skin and lips. Likewise, its abundant nourishment and cooling effects also help quickly heal sunburns.
Dandruff removal
The versatility of the peppermint essential oil, of course, not only limits its use to the skin. There are also various hair health benefits of peppermint essential oils. To be specific, it gets rid of dandruff and lice and promotes hair growth.
Other Therapeutic Benefits
Peppermint essential oil’s refreshing menthol scent is indeed pleasant. Hence, it is also often used in aromatherapy. Its soothing properties allow relief of congestion and easier breathing. In addition, it boosts one’s energy, enhances mental focus, and relieves stress, anxiety, and depression.
The sedative properties of peppermint essential oil allow the mind to relax and calm down. It induces a state of calm and peace. Such an effect is perfect for people experiencing significant stress and intense emotions. It can be considered a natural way to help relieve depression and anxiety. Likewise, the induced moment of calm helps clear one’s mind to focus or gather energy.
Bottomline
Peppermint essential oil is versatile with many benefits ranging from its medicinal, culinary, cosmetic, and therapeutic uses. However, just as beneficial, always be mindful of possible allergies and irritation upon using such products.
Peppermint essential oil is a great way to help skin and hair care naturally. It’s certainly something that one should try to incorporate into their skin and hair care routine. You could even take advantage of its other applications too! Its versatility is worth a try and is something you will not regret.