It's cool, refreshing, and smells like one of our favorite chocolate treats. Have you guessed what this week's essential oil is?

Peppermint! Ahhhhh....

Peppermint essential oil doesn't just smell and taste good, it's also really good for you in a number of ways I'm going to talk about.

We use peppermint in our all-natural bug spray because while we love peppermint, bugs don't.

Do you use peppermint essential oil? I'd love to hear how below!

So what makes peppermint essential oil so special?

The entire plant contains menthol, an organic compound with anesthetic properties. This compound is one of the reasons that peppermint is antiviral, anti-fungal, and antiseptic.

Peppermint is one of the more intense essential oils, so it should be blended with a carrier oil like jojoba before being applied to the skin.

We mentioned yesterday that we use peppermint oil in our bug spray, along with our lavender oil. Peppermint oil has a high concentration of natural pesticides, mainly pulegone, that repels mosquitoes. If critters that have nipped you, peppermint helps cool and soothe the skin while helping to kill bacteria with its antimicrobial properties.

Have you used peppermint oil to repel mosquito's before? How did it work for you?

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Peppermint essential oil has been used for centuries.

Native Americans here in North America used it to ease a variety of ailments, top ones being nausea and digestive issues. The reason for this is that peppermint oil has a carminative property of expelling gas, which relieves tension and bloating. There are currently studies in process to see how peppermint may be used to alleviate the symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

In addition to relieving nausea, peppermint essential oil may also help reduce headaches, including migraines.

How has peppermint oil helped you reduce a headache or eased nausea?

Coughs and colds are another area where peppermint essential oil comes in handy.

The oil is used in many natural chest rubs to help alleviate congestion, usually with eucalyptus. The menthol in peppermint helps open up the airways while the smell of peppermint is relaxing and reduces tension in the body. Eucalyptus has anti-inflammatory properties, making this a great pair the next time you have a cold.

Have you used peppermint to alleviate cold symptoms before? I'd love to hear about it below!

It's the weekend, and even though we have some challenges right now, it's time to destress.

Having trouble reducing your stress right now? Try some peppermint! You can have it in tea, take a nice, long bath or shower with one of our peppermint soaps, or use our Rosemary Mint lotion and relax.

Relaxing helps keep you healthy because you're not in fight or flight mode. So add some peppermint to your life and let it work its magic.

#essentialoils #peppermint #relax #magic #vermontlavender #essentialoils #peppermint #feelbetter #essentialoils #peppermint #helpswithcolds #breathe