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Profile: Spearmint Essential Oil.

Commonly known as: Menthe Spicata Herb/Leaf Oil (I.N.C.I.), Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil(I.N.C.I.), Moroccan Mint, Sweet Mint, Spearmint, Spiked Mint, Curly Mint.

Botanical name: Mentha spicata L. / Mentha viridis L.

Extraction process: Steam distillation of green mint leaves sourced from organic farming.

Family: Lamiaceae.

Part of the plant extracted: Aerial parts (leaves and flowering tops).

Location: Temperate Western Asia (Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus) and Southeastern Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy).

Flowering: From July to September/October.

Provenance, origin: India, China.

Phytochemical composition: Carvone, camphene, pinene, D-limonene, pulegone, linalool, 1,8-cineole, citrals (neral + geranial), eugenol, cis-dihydrocarvone, beta-bourbonene, trans-thuyanol-4, cis-jasmone, trans-dihydrocarvyl acetate, viridiflorol, menthone, caryophyllene, germacrene, terpinene-4-ol.

Sensorial properties: Appearance: Clear, mobile liquid; Color: Colorless to greenish-yellow; Scent: Fresh impression, reminiscent of the smell of a leaf.

Physical characteristics: Density: 0.920 - 0.940 g/cm3; pH: Not applicable, non-aqueous product; Soluble in alcohol; Insoluble in water; Refractive index: 1.480 - 1.495.

Benefits: Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, regenerative, soothing, refreshing, fragrant.

Concerns: All skin types but particularly for skins showing cutaneous marks.

Details

Applications

Facial Care (moisturizing creams, cleansing gels, after-shave treatments, lotions, care oils);
Body Care (solid soaps, body firming gels, shower gels, foot care);
Hair Care (shampoos);
Hygiene (deodorants, toothpastes).

Method of Preservation

Store in a place protected from air, light, and at a stable and moderate temperature.

Contraindications, Usage Precautions

It is not recommended for babies, children, people with epilepsy, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, as green mint essential oil contains significant amounts of carvone (ketone). This molecule is potentially neurotoxic and abortive at high doses. Thus, the IFRA 49th Amendment states that this essential oil can be used safely up to a concentration of 0.24% for rinse-off products due to the presence of carvone.

Other compounds found in spearmint essential oil may pose a risk of allergy in certain sensitive individuals, such as D-limonene and, to a lesser extent, linalool, when incorporated into a cosmetic composition (according to the 7th Amendment of the European Directive on cosmetic products (2003/15/EC)).

When applied topically, green mint essential oil can be irritating ; therefore, it is always necessary to properly dilute it before any use (up to a maximum of 30%). As a precaution, always perform a skin test in the crook of your elbow 48 hours before using it.

Find out more

Spearmint is a perennial aromatic plant that can grow up to 60 cm tall. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants. According to a Greek legend, mint was born from the nymph Mentha, who was saved by Hades after being killed by his wife. There is still much uncertainty about the origins of mint, but it is believed to have come from a vast region encompassing North Africa, the Mediterranean basin, and Western Asia. It was known to the Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans, and was cultivated as early as the 9th century in the gardens of European convents and monasteries. There are many species belonging to the Mentha genus, including peppermint, a hybrid born from the cross between watermint and spearmint.