Updated 31 January 2024
Botanical characteristics
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Lamiales
- Family: Lamiaceae
- Genus: Mentha
- Distilled part: Whole plant
- Country of origin: France
Authorised users
Due to the presence of terpenocetones (mentone), this hydrolate should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women or by children under 3 years of age.
Routes of administration
- Oral route: +++
- Skin: +++
Scientific properties
- Activates the lymphatic and venous systems
- Harmonises the pancreas, spleen and liver
- Refreshing
- Digestive, antispasmodic
- Analgesic
- Antiviral
Energy properties
- Annoyance, irritability, anger
- Neurasthenia
- Difficulty expressing yourself without becoming irritable, hyper-emotionality
- Lack of clarity
- Lack of desire to complete projects
- 5th chakra blocked
Indications
- Nausea
- Abdominal swelling
- Difficult digestion
- Digestive disorders
- Hepato-pancreatic insufficiency
- Cirrhosis
- Eczema
- Urticaria
- Bad breath
- Migraine
- Headaches
- Acne
- Hot flashes
- Excessive sweating
- Varicose veins
- Heavy legs
- Oral hygiene
- Dull skin
- Shingles
- Itchy skin
- Childhood viral diseases such as chickenpox
Directions for use/usual dosage
- Spray undiluted on itchy skin (eczema, chicken pox, etc.) as needed.
- For nausea or indigestion, take 1 teaspoon of hydrosol in a glass of water and repeat as needed.
- For excessive sweating or hot flushes, possibly mixed with Sage Hydrosol, take a 20-day course internally.
- For hyper-emotionality or extreme tiredness, take a 40-day course of 1 teaspoon in a glass of water in the morning on an empty stomach.
Precautions for use/contraindications
- None known
Cosmetic
- Care for oily, acne-prone skin
- Care for tired, poorly moisturised skin
- Sunburn
- Stings, itching
Cooking
- This hydrosol can add a fresh, minty flavour to your summer dishes, in a tabbouleh, a cold melon soup, a chocolate dessert or a fruit salad. It can also be used to flavour a thirst-quenching drink.
Interior use
- This hydrosol can be used to make refreshing and deodorising sprays.
Additional information
Habitat and botanical description
Peppermint is a herbaceous plant in the Lamiaceae family. It is thought to be a hybrid between Mentha aquatica and Mentha spicata. It is a perennial plant with a rhizome that spreads underground. Its leaves are 4 to 10 cm long, oval, dark green, reddish in the sun and coppery red in the shade. They are covered with large, rounded secretory hairs. The stems are purplish and square in cross section. Height varies between 10 and 14 cm.
Mythology / History / Anecdotes and traditional virtues
Dried leaves were found in the Egyptian pyramids, testifying to the plant's ancient use.