Peppermint oil and the Bath; What you Should Know

Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub. Sounds positively decadent, doesn't it? The product photo makes this sugar scrub look even sweeter than it sounds and what a tempting holiday idea too. I love everything about this . . . except (you knew that was coming) there are a few things you should know about using products in the bath that are made with peppermint essential oil.

Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub Recipe

Firstly, not all essential oils are created equally so when someone claims to be using an essential oil like peppermint in their bath products, I would definitely raise a skeptical eyebrow. Peppermint oil in its pure, unadulterated form can be very skin irritating. Couple that with warm water and you've got a recipe for redness and burning that can quickly turn your bath or shower from a relaxing and therapeutic experience to one of downright misery.

Secondly, there are generally two types of oils used in handmade beauty products. The first is a fragrance oil, which may or may not cause skin irritation in the shower but it contains artificial and a potentially lethal cocktail of carcinogenic ingredients. The second is a pure essential oil and anyone versed in the responsible and therapeutic use of essential oils would never include peppermint as an ingredient in a bath product, period.

That said, how does your seller stack up? I guess you have to ask yourself if peppermint is worth what you might sacrifice in the way of comfort and health or whether or not you are willing to risk the chance that your seller understands the difference. For this reason, this certified aromatherapist says to just say no to peppermint in the bath.