Peppermint oil for hair: what it is, what it does, how we blend it
Peppermint oil is the one you feel: menthol makes the scalp read cool within a minute of applying, which is why Braid Season carries it at half a percent beside tea tree.
| Role | Essential oil, fresh herbal family |
|---|---|
| On the label | Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil |
| In our blends | Braid Season 0.5% |
| Builder limit | Up to 0.5% of a hair blend (all essential oils together: 1%) |
What it is
Steam-distilled from the leaves of Mentha piperita, the oil is about 35 to 45% menthol with menthone behind it. Menthol triggers the skin's cold receptors, so the scalp feels cool without any change in temperature; the sensation fades in a few minutes. It is clear, thin and volatile, and strong enough that 0.5% is a normal share.
How it feels on hair
At 0.5% it gives a clean, sharp, minty scent and a brief cool feeling on the scalp. It does not change the weight or finish of the blend.
Who reaches for it
Braid, loc and twist wearers oiling the parts between a protective style (Braid Season, 0.5% with tea tree), and anyone who likes a cool scalp oil for the summer. Not for the face or near the eyes.
Where it sits in our blends
Braid Season carries peppermint at 0.5% (with Jojoba 52.3%, Grapeseed 26.2%, Hemp Seed 10%, and more). The blends with a product page can be bought as they are; every one of them can be opened in the builder and changed oil by oil.
How to compose with it
Essential oils share at most 1% of a hair blend; the builder allows peppermint up to 0.5%. Pair it with tea tree or rosemary over jojoba and grapeseed with hemp seed and pumpkin seed for a light scalp oil.
Good to know: Strong. Keep it away from the eyes; wash your hands after applying.
Compose with peppermint Find your formula
Weighed to the gram and blended to order in New Jersey, with the recipe printed on the label. For external use only; patch test before first use. Every oil, with its INCI name, is in the oil library.