Peppermint – the best essential oil for keeping cool!
Peppermint, Mentha piprita, believed to a natural hybrid between Watermint and Spearmint is a very popular essential oil. Renowned as a digestive aid, good for muscular aches and pains, clearing to the sinuses and great for relieving headaches, It also has the ability to cool you down, leaving you feeling refreshed.
Perfect for hot summer days!
But why & how does Peppermint cool you down?
Peppermint is rich in Menthol, this naturally occurring chemical, present in all mints, interacts with the cold sensitive receptors on our skin and our mucus membranes, this includes the inside of the nose, so just inhaling Peppermint can, in effect, cool you down!
As the receptors are activated it sends signals to the brain that mimics the sensation of coldness even though our skin temperature stays the same! However, the reaction that occurs within the nervous system can help us to feel cool, clever!
Why not try these following blends to help keep you cool when its hot outside.
Hot feet?…try this
PEPPERMINT FOOT BATH
In a glass mixing bowl add the following:
½ cup of Epsom Salts
1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
5 drops of Peppermint Mentha piperita
Stir vigorously to disperse the ingredients
THEN add the mixture to a large bowl of cool water, place your feet in and let them soak!
Too hot to concentrate? Try this…..
PEPPERMINT DIFFUSER BLEND
To your essential oil diffuser add the following drops of essential oils:
2 drops of Peppermint Mentha piperita
2 drops of Cardamom Elettaria cardamom
4 drops of Lemon Citrus limonum
Perfect for a hot summer’s day, refreshing and uplifting in its aroma.
I hope you enjoy using your Peppermint essential oil to cool you down!