If there is an essential oil that I use and love as much lavender, it is peppermint. It was the next oil I tried after I decided that this essential oil craze wasn’t all hype. Prior to trying , my only exposure to peppermint was in candy canes and herbal tea (both of which I love, so why not try it!).
Putting peppermint on my list of 10 Best Essential Oils for Everyday Use was a given for one main reason. . . headaches.
For many years, most of my life actually, I have suffered with headaches. I heard that peppermint essential oil could help with that, so I tried it and was pleased with the results. Today, 3 years later, whenever I feel a headache coming on, I reach for peppermint immediately, and then follow it up with the Tension Relief.
While treating headaches is a common use for peppermint, it has many others. This is a short list of what I discovered when researching peppermint essential oil’s possible uses:
- Kills bacteria, making it helpful for treating acne, dermatitis and other skin conditions
- Insect and rodent deterrent
- Digestive aid
- Expels gas from the stomach, making it helpful for nausea, stomach cramps, and indigestion
- Fights colds and flu
- Pain reliever for sore muscles and aching feet
- Treats headaches, anxiety, stress, and mental fatigue
- Provides relief from allergy symptoms
- Improves alertness and concentration
- Improves hair health
- Freshens breath and reduces cavities
Just like with lavender, I carry peppermint essential oil with me practically everywhere I go. If I need a quick pick-me-up, I just open the bottle and inhale it. If I feel a headache coming on, I place a drop on my thumb and apply it to the roof of my mouth. During allergy season, it is in my diffuser daily in a blend with lavender and lemon (more about my love of lemon tomorrow!). Peppermint essential oil is just something I don’t ever want to be without.
Here are some of the best everyday uses for peppermint essential oil:
Tummy Troubles: add a drop of peppermint to a teaspoon of carrier oil and rub on the tummy to relieve a tummy ache, nausea, or diarrhea.
Hunger Fighter: breathing in the aroma of peppermint is said to decrease hunger.
Allergies: Use peppermint mixed with lemon and lavender in your diffuser to treat allergy symptoms.
Headache relief: Use peppermint mixed with a carrier oil on your temples and sinus area to relieve headaches. You can also place a drop on your thumb and apply to the roof of your mouth to treat a headache or stuffy nose.
Tick Removal: Smother ticks with peppermint oil. They will pull their heads out giving you the opportunity to grab them whole!
Toothache: Add a drop of peppermint and coconut oil to a cotton ball and place on a painful tooth for pain relief. Clove oil will also work.
Spider Control: Spiders hate peppermint. Sprinkle a few drops on window sills or anywhere they may be getting in.
Achy Feet: Add a few drops of peppermint to a carrier oil and massage into your sore, achy feet. You won’t believe how good it feels.
Warnings
Be careful when using peppermint oil on skin. Always dilute with a carrier oil.
Essential oils are highly concentrated, strong, and powerful liquids that can be harmful if not used carefully and properly. This is an especially potent blend of essential oils which could cause irritation when applied to the skin, even in diluted amounts. Use caution when using them. Please keep essential oils out of reach of children. Please do not use this essential oil on children under the age of 3.
One of my favorite everyday uses of is with oil pulling. Would you like to learn more about oil pulling?
Keep reading to learn more and to get my recipe for CocoMint Oil Pulling Chews.