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Spearmint Essential Oil: Benefits and Uses
Spearmint Essential Oil is an Alternative to Peppermint for Those with Sensitive Skin
While peppermint essential oil is often a go to for topical application for those suffering from digestive upset, muscle pains and general discomfort, peppermint essential oil may be too strong for children and those with sensitive skin. Since it has a higher menthol content, peppermint essential oil could be too cooling for those with sensitive skin and may cause tingling and other mild skin discomfort. Spearmint essential oil has similar muscle relaxing properties, but is much milder than peppermint, making it the preferred oil to use in place of peppermint.
To help relieve digestive discomfort or muscle aches in children dilute 1 drop of spearmint essential oil in 1 TBSP of carrier oil (fractioned coconut oil, jojoba, sweet almond, etc.) and rub on their stomach gently in a clockwise motion for digestive discomfort. For muscle aches, gently rub the diluted oil on the targeted area. For adults, dilute 3 or 4 drops of spearmint essential oil in a carrier oil and rub where needed.
Further Reading on Peppermint Essential Oil
- The Benefits and Uses of Peppermint Essential Oil: Respiratory Health, Muscle Pain and More
Peppermint essential oil offers many benefits, making it one of the most popular essential oils among aromatherapists. Read to learn about the many ways this oil can benefit you and your family.
Relief of Respiratory Discomfort
Like peppermint essential oil, spearmint is also a great oil to use for respiratory congestion and discomfort. With its minty aroma, spearmint essential oil is a natural decongestant and is a great alternative to peppermint essential oil for those that want a sweeter, more uplifting smell. Spearmint essential oil also blends well with eucalyptus, another very useful essential oil for respiratory issues. Blending 3 drops of spearmint with 3 drops of eucalyptus essential oil is a great diffuser blend for respiratory discomfort.
Uplifting Mood and Enhancing Focus
My favorite way to use spearmint essential oil is to help uplift my mood and enhance my focus to help fight my afternoon slumps. Many essential oils, when diffused, can help uplift mood, enhance focus and energize, but spearmint is one of the most popular oils for this use. With its sweet, minty and refreshing aroma, spearmint essential oil also blends well with other oils that can also give the same uplifting and energizing benefits. Some of these oils include: grapefruit, lime, lemon, bergamot, peppermint, tangerine, lemongrass and wintergreen. My favorite blends to uplift my mood and enhance my concentration and focus are:
- 4 drops spearmint, 2 drops lemon, 2 drops lime
- 4 drops grapefruit, 2 drops lime, 2 drops spearmint
- 2 drops tangerine, 2 drops lemongrass, 2 drops spearmint
Your Turn!
What are some of your favorite ways to use spearmint essential oil? Which minty oil do you prefer, peppermint or spearmint?
