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Profile: Green Mint 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 Southeast 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, terpinen-4-ol.

Sensorial properties: Appearance: Clear, mobile liquid; Colour: Colourless to greenish-yellow; Scent: Fresh impression, reminiscent of the scent 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 (moisturising 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).

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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, epileptic individuals, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, as green mint essential oil contains significant amounts of carvone (ketone). This molecule is potentially neurotoxic and abortifacient 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, the essential oil of spearmint can be irritating ; hence, it is always necessary to dilute it well 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, which can grow up to 60 cm tall. It is one of the oldest medicinal plants. A Greek legend tells that mint was born from the nymph Mentha, who was saved by Hades after being killed by his wife. There are still many uncertainties about the origins of mint, but it is believed to 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 convents and monasteries across Europe. There are many species belonging to the Mentha genus, including peppermint, a hybrid born from the cross between watermint and spearmint.