Peppermint Essential Oils: The Difference Between Mentha Arvensis and Mentha Piperita 

Contents:

Understanding Peppermint Essential Oil 
-Mentha Arvensis Peppermint Oil 
-Mentha Piperita Peppermint Oil 
-Organic Peppermint Essential Oil 
Do Mentha Arvensis and Mentha Piperita Offer the Same Benefits?
Benefits and Uses of Peppermint Essential Oil  
-Peppermint Essential Oil Benefits 
-Peppermint Essential Oil Uses 
Final Words About Peppermint Oil Australia 

According to the Australian Natural Therapists Association, Peppermint oil is one of the most popular essential oils on the market. Take a glance at its credentials, and you’ll quickly appreciate why this is the case. 
 
To begin with, Peppermint oil smells incredible! Crisp, sweet and minty, the scent of peppermint lingering in a room conjures wintery forests and snow-capped mountains, bringing a purity and freshness that clears the mind, awakens the senses and uplifts the spirit. If an oil’s aroma matters to you – which it does for most of us - Peppermint will have you on the hook in an instant. 
 
Next, how about an incredulous CV of potential health benefits? Peppermint essential oil is believed to treat many physical and mental ailments, relieving sickness, sores, digestive issues and fatigue. Emotionally, the properties in Peppermint oil offer an array of goodness both calming and inspiring, removing any tension and restoring balance before invigorating minds and bodies into action.  
 
Yet, when shopping for Peppermint oil, you might find yourself looking at more than one option, causing you to wonder which one to buy. Is one type of Peppermint oil more authentic than another? Do you need to buy organic to get the best quality oil? Let’s look at each variant in more detail. 

Mentha arvensis oil – also known as Corn mint oil - comes directly from the leaves of the corn mint plant, a herb native to India and the Himalayan regions.  

The oil is produced by steam distilling the plant leaves, producing a clear-to-yellowish liquid with a beautifully fresh and minty aroma similar to Peppermint. Often the oil then goes through a demontholising process to reduce the menthol potency from around 70% to 35-45%, more aligned with Mentha piperita (true Peppermint), and to reduce the likelihood of the oil crystallising in cooler room temperatures.

While these days corn mint is grown globally, much of it can still be found in the Indian hills; no surprise, then, that this oil type is produced in abundance in this region of Asia before being shipped around the world. Loved by many because of its revitalising and calming capabilities, it makes a great additive to homemade healthcare remedies and beauty products or simply diffused and enjoyed aromatically. 

Mentha piperita is the botanical name for the Indian-grown Peppermint plant. Oils that include this term on their label are derived from true peppermint, extracted from the herb’s leaves by steam distillation. 

Unlike the Mentha arvensis type, this Peppermint oil is naturally lower in menthol. As such, it carries a much lighter, sweeter and more refreshing scent that many people liken to candy canes. While its smell carries less potency, this doesn’t reduce its powerful capabilities in supporting all manner of physical and mental health issues – in fact, many aromatherapy fans prefer this type of oil because of its authentic Peppermint origins. 

Mentha piperita Peppermint oil enjoys a plethora of uses ranging from health treatments to self-care products and household applications. 

To a degree, yes. The menthol found in both varieties of Peppermint oil holds abundant therapeutic properties – analgesic, antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant, offering digestive, immune system and respiratory support.   

Yet it’s worth keeping in mind how their different constituents can lead to different outcomes.

As such, you may want to keep a bottle of each type of oil in your collection, switching between the two depending on the desired outcome. Or else, choose an organic version if you prefer your essential oils produced organically and close to their origins as possible. 

It’s fair to say Peppermint oil is quite the all-rounder, with multiple benefits for the body and mind enjoyed in different applications. 

Emotionally, Peppermint essential oil is said to clarify, energise, harmonise, revitalise, stimulate and uplift. Physically, it works hard as a treatment for all manner of health issues, including these: 

• Combats symptoms of coughs, colds and flus 
• Clears sinus congestion
• Helps to alleviate headaches & migraines 
• Comforts mental exhaustion by calming the mind 
• Promotes focus and attentiveness 
• Deters against insect bites and stings 
• Aids in relieving inflammation 
• Soothes itchy, irritated skin and acne 
• Helps to reduce feelings of nausea 
• Can improve digestion and flatulence 
• Treats cuts, small wounds and abrasions 
• Useful for deterring rodents, spiders and insects

Highly versatile, Peppermint essential oils adapt perfectly across multiple applications, including aromatherapy, meditation and yoga, and skin care. Due to their high menthol content, these oils prove equally popular as a natural household cleaner and insect/rodent repellent. 

Here are some of our favourite ways to enjoy Peppermint essential oil. 

Using Peppermint Oil in a Diffuser: 

Add a few drops of your preferred Peppermint oil to your aromatherapy diffuser and allow the beautiful scent of sweet mint to fill the air, clearing congestion and revitalising a tired mind or body. 

Using Peppermint Oil Topically (see dilution guide below for safe application):  

Massage oil – add a few drops to a carrier oil or massage oil and work into sore muscles. 

Foot soother – dilute a drop or two of oil in warm water and immerse feet to soothe away aches and pains. 

Insect repellent – add eight drops to a 15ml roller bottle, top with fractionated coconut oil and apply to the skin to repel insects.  

Fast decongestant – add one drop of peppermint oil to a tissue, hold beneath nostrils and inhale. 

Migraine relief – in a 15ml roller bottle, mix eight drops peppermint with the remainder fractionated coconut oil and apply to your forehead and temples.

Topical Dilution Guidelines 
AWO recommends the following for healthy adults: 

• General Use: 1 – 3% dilution (2 – 6 drops per 10ml carrier) 
• Facial Application: 1% dilution (2 drops per 10ml carrier) 

• Peppermint oil is an intense and complex compound. AWO recommends you always follow our dilution guidelines to avoid reactions.  
• Due to its popularity as a tea and a flavouring for many edibles, many people believe Peppermint oil is OK to digest, however, we do not support this claim. Products from AWO are 100% pure essential oils for use in health remedies and DIY cosmetics. They are not for oral consumption. 
• When using it on the skin, we recommend trying a small patch test before applying Peppermint oil freely.  
• The high menthol content in Peppermint essential oil can cause it to crystalise in cooler temperatures. When this happens, place your bottle in a cup of warm water and allow the heat to return your oil to its liquid state. 
• Always look for Peppermint oil with the botanical (Latin) name on the label and ‘Peppermint 100% pure Essential Oil’ for authenticity, stored in a dark glass bottle. Once purchased, store it in a cool, dry place away from children and animals. 
• To enjoy the plentiful benefits of Peppermint oil, always buy from a reputable supplier like AWO.