How is this peppermint oil used in cosmetics?
Peppermint oil is a classic cosmetic ingredient, used for its fresh scent and its well-known cooling sensation in skin, hair and oral-care products. It appears in the Chinese inventory of used cosmetic ingredients (IECIC, 已使用化妆品原料目录) with a historical whole-body leave-on use record, and in oral products where its fresh, clean character is the main benefit.
Typical Cosmetic Applications
| Product type | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lip balms | 0.5-1% | Cooling tingle; pairs with menthol-like freshness |
| Foot / leg creams | 0.5-1% | Refreshing cooling effect |
| Shampoo / hair tonics | 0.5-1.5% | Clean scalp sensation, fresh scent |
| Body washes / shower gel | 0.5-1% | Fresh, energising character |
| Toothpaste / mouthwash | 0.5-2% | Key flavour component; respect pulegone limits (IFRA Cat 12) |
| Massage gels / balms | 0.5-1.5% | Cooling feel in sports and muscle products |
Formulation Notes
- Add to the oil phase or pre-dissolve in a solubiliser for aqueous systems (mouthwash, sprays)
- The cooling effect is driven by menthol — the effect scales with menthol content
- Sensitive skin: keep facial leave-on levels low (0.5%) and patch test
- Colour: the oil is pale, so it does not affect light formulas
- IFRA 51: unrestricted in cosmetic categories 1-11; Cat 12 (oral care) restricted by pulegone — our COA reports pulegone per batch
- INCI name for labelling: MENTHA PIPERITA (PEPPERMINT) OIL
Relate Products
This article was published on 2026-09-07, and last updated on 2026-09-07. The article will be continuously updated.
