Peppermint essential oil is produced by means of extraction from the mentha piperita, or peppermint plant. Peppermint is a creeping herb that has greenish-purple, spear-shaped leaves. It is one of the most common essential oils used today.
Qualities of Peppermint Essential Oil
The oil is steam distilled from the freshly cut, top leaves of the plant. Ideally, they are cut shortly before the plants flower, which yields optimal fragrance. The oil can be colorless to pale yellow-green. It can take several hundreds of leaves to make an ounce of peppermint essential oil, although the substance is extremely concentrated and potent. For this reason, it should not be applied directly to the skin, but instead diluted with some type of carrier oil.
Essential oils are categorized by their note, which describes how long its fragrance will last. Top note oils are the most stimulating, but only last a few hours. Middle note and base note oils last longer, but are less pungent. Peppermint is classified as a top note oil. Its effects are powerful, but its scent is short lived.
Peppermint essential oil is used to scent soaps and various other personal care products. Hippocrates had claimed that peppermint was an aphrodisiac, but alas, there is no scientific evidence of it. Nevertheless, many proponents of peppermint stand by its remarkable ability to invigorate and energize the body and soul.
