Peppermint

What Is Peppermint Oil in Skincare?

Peppermint essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves and flowering tops of Mentha x piperita. Its main component, menthol, creates the familiar cool, tingling feel, which is why peppermint is used in lip balms, foot creams, scalp products, and refreshing cleansers. It is a fragrance and sensory ingredient used at low levels, not a moisturizer.

EWG Skin Deep rating for Peppermint

Because it is potent, peppermint oil is always diluted. Cosmetic safety reviewers report leave-on use at up to 0.2%.

Peppermint Oil Quick Facts

How Peppermint Oil Works on the Skin

The cooling feel is not a change in skin temperature. Menthol activates TRPM8, a cold-sensing receptor on nerve endings in the skin, so the skin feels cool without actually getting colder. This receptor was identified in 2002 by McKemy, Neuhausser, and Julius, who showed that menthol and cold activate the same channel.

In practice, that sensation is what peppermint brings to a formula:

• Refreshing feel: A cool, invigorating finish in cleansers, scalp products, and foot creams.
• Lip products: The tingle and a brief flush of color can make lips look fuller for a short time, which is why mint is popular in plumping glosses and balms. The effect is temporary.
• Fragrance: A clean scent that pairs well with spearmint, eucalyptus, rosemary, and citrus.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review panel found peppermint oil safe for cosmetic use when pulegone is kept at or below 1%, and in a maximization test peppermint oil at 8% was not a sensitizer. The panel also noted that menthol can increase skin penetration of other ingredients, so formulators should keep the whole formula in mind.

Older versions of this page made claims about blemishes, colds, and skin nutrients. Those claims are not appropriate for a cosmetic and have been removed.

How to Use Peppermint Oil in Formulas

• Leave-on face and lip products: Up to 0.2%, the highest leave-on level reported to the CIR. In a 1 oz (about 28 g) lip balm batch, that is about 0.06 g, roughly 2 drops.
• Rinse-off products: Up to 3% in cleansers, shampoos, and body washes.
• When to add: Add during cool-down, below 40°C (104°F), to limit evaporation of the volatile oil. In a balm, stir it in just before pouring.
• Water-based products: Premix with a solubilizer such as polysorbate 20 before adding to toners or mists.
• Quality: Buy from a supplier who provides a certificate of analysis showing pulegone at or below 1%.
• Storage: Amber glass, tightly capped, away from heat and light.

Who Peppermint Oil Suits

Peppermint suits people who enjoy a cooling sensation: normal, oily, and combination skin, active lifestyles, tired feet, and lip products. It is not a good choice for very dry or reactive skin, for use near the eyes, or on the face of infants and young children.

Sensitive skin: Patch test on the inner arm and wait 24 hours. Start at the lowest rate, a single drop per 1 oz batch, and work up only if your skin stays comfortable. Stop if you notice stinging or redness that lasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply peppermint oil directly to my face?

No. Undiluted peppermint oil can sting and irritate, especially on the face. Always dilute it to 0.2% or less in a leave-on product, and keep it away from the eyes.

How do I dilute peppermint oil for skin?

For leave-on face, body, or lip products, use up to 0.2%, which is about 2 drops in a 1 oz (about 28 to 30 g) batch. Rinse-off products such as cleansers and shampoos can go up to 3%. Mix it into a carrier oil, balm, or lotion, never into plain water.

Does peppermint oil plump lips?

It gives a temporary tingle and flush that can make lips look fuller for a short time. For longer-lasting smoothing of lip lines, amino acid sequences are a better fit. See our guide Your Ultimate Guide to a DIY Lip Plumper.

Is peppermint oil good for face wrinkles?

No. Peppermint adds a cooling feel and fragrance, but it does not change the look of wrinkles. For wrinkles, choose ingredients such as retinol or peptides and use peppermint, if at all, only for scent.

Is peppermint oil good for oily skin?

Many people with oily skin enjoy the fresh, cooling feel in a rinse-off cleanser or a scalp product. Keep leave-on use very low, because menthol can sting.

What is the difference between peppermint and spearmint?

Peppermint is high in menthol, so it feels strongly cooling. Spearmint is rich in carvone and feels softer and sweeter. See our spearmint glossary entry.

Is peppermint oil safe in lip balm?

Yes, at low levels. Keep leave-on use at or below 0.2% and use an oil tested to contain 1% pulegone or less.

Shop and Learn More

For mint lip care, try our Organic Skin Care Kits Lip Balm five-pack, shown below, or the spearmint-scented Organic Fresh Mint Lip Balm. Explore more oils in our essential oils collection.

Sources

• Nair B. Final report on the safety assessment of Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf, and Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Water. International Journal of Toxicology. 2001;20(Suppl 3):61-73.
• European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. Assessment report on Mentha x piperita L., folium and aetheroleum, Revision 1. EMA/HMPC/522409/2013, 2020. EMA assessment report
• McKemy DD, Neuhausser WM, Julius D. Identification of a cold receptor reveals a general role for TRP channels in thermosensation. Nature. 2002;416(6876):52-58. doi:10.1038/nature719

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About the Author
Written by Kari Thomas, cosmetic formulator and founder of Skin Perfection.