Peppermint Oil For Hair: Benefits And How To Use

Know Your Ingredient: Peppermint Oil

What Is It?
A minty essential oil extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant.

What Are Its Benefits?
It soothes dry and itchy scalp, enhances blood circulation, rejuvenates your hair and stimulates hair growth.

Who Can Use It?
All except those who are allergic to peppermint.

How Often?
Topically, up to three times a day with a carrier oil.

Caution
Avoid using it if you are allergic to it.

What Is Peppermint Oil?

Peppermint oil is the essence extracted from peppermint that is then turned into oil. Peppermint oils that are extracted through modern distillation techniques are stronger than their other counterparts. These kinds of oils are also known as essential oils.

Peppermint essential oils are useful for health, beauty, and cleaning purposes. The taste, smell, and cooling sensation of this oil are due to menthol, a compound present in the oil.

Peppermint oil has several skin care and hair care benefits and is included in many cosmetic products. Here’s why it is good for your hair.

Is Peppermint Oil Good For Your Hair?

Peppermint essential oil has a cooling effect. It can help soothe itching, thus relieving itchy and dry scalps (2).

It also helps promote hair growth (1). A study showed that 3% peppermint essential oil (PEO) could thicken the hair follicles in mice as compared to minoxidil, an FDA-approved drug for hair loss. Regular use of PEO increased the blood flow to undernourished and weak hair follicles.

The menthol present in the peppermint essential oil is a vasodilator that relaxes the blood vessels and enhances blood circulation to the scalp (3). Peppermint essential oil stimulates activity in the hair dermal papilla cells, which promotes blood circulation to the scalp and induces early anagen (growth phase) stage, leading to hair growth.

Peppermint essential oil also has antifungal and antibacterial properties (4). These may help promote scalp health.

Quick Tip

Peppermint oil is most suitable for oily scalp and hair.

Peppermint oil may cause skin sensitivity and itching on the scalp. Hence, do not apply it directly to your scalp. However, there are other ways of using this oil. Scroll down to know more!

How Do You Use Peppermint Oil For Hair Loss?

1. With A Carrier Oil

Using peppermint oil with a carrier oil reduces the chances of skin and scalp sensitivity. You can pair carrier oils like coconut, castor, and jojoba, and shea butter oils with peppermint essential oil. These carrier oils work great because they do not interfere with peppermint essential oil’s therapeutic properties.

You Will Need

• 1-2 drops of peppermint oil
• 5-6 drops of carrier oil

What You Have To Do

1. Add a few drops of peppermint oil to the carrier oil.
2. Massage the oil blend onto the scalp.
3. Leave it on your hair for 15-20 minutes.
4. Wash your hair with a good shampoo

Note: You might feel a tingling sensation while applying the oil. If the sensation is intense, add more carrier oil to balance it out or wash your hair immediately.

2. With Shampoo And Conditioner

You can also use peppermint oil with your shampoo and conditioner.

You Will Need

• 2-3 drops of peppermint oil
• Shampoo and conditioner

What You Have To Do

1. Add 4-5 drops of peppermint oil per ounce of shampoo and conditioner.
2. Use the products as you usually would.

Note: Products containing peppermint scent do not necessarily have peppermint oil in them. Such products will not give you the same result as the oil.

Here are a few points to remember while using peppermint essential oil.

Points To Remember

• Be careful while applying the oil to your scalp so that it does not get in the eyes.

• Avoid ingesting peppermint essential oil as it may cause nausea, heartburn and abdominal pain (5).

• Peppermint oil might cause allergic reactions on your skin. Thus, do a patch test before applying it to your scalp.

Quick Tip

Use peppermint oil on your scalp and hair no more than 3 times a week.

Should you experience adverse effects with peppermint oil, you can opt for an alternative. Learn more about it in the next section.

Alternative For Peppermint Oil

Rosemary oil can be used as an alternative to peppermint oil. It is derived from dried and processed rosemary leaves. Research supports its potential to alleviate scalp itchiness and dryness (6). The oil may also help rebalance scalp moisture and tame hair frizz. Additionally, incorporating rosemary extracts into an herbal hair rinse can make hair appear fuller. Just remember to use rosemary oil after diluting it appropriately with a carrier oil.

To use rosemary oil for hair:

1. Mix 2 to 3 drops of rosemary oil with a carrier oil (like coconut or jojoba oil) in a 1:2 ratio.
2. Apply the mixture to your scalp and hair.
3. Massage it in for a few minutes.
4. Leave it on for 30 minutes or overnight.
5. Shampoo and rinse.

Infographic: 3 Unique Benefits Of Applying Peppermint Oil On Hair

If you are experiencing hair fall, it is time to include peppermint essential oil in your hair care routine. This oil is lauded for its hair-benefitting properties and is known to improve hair and scalp health within just a few months of application. Check out the infographic below to know more!

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can peppermint oil help with dandruff?

Yes, peppermint oil may help cool your scalp and manage dandruff (7).

Can peppermint oil damage your hair?

No, peppermint oil can improve your overall hair and scalp health. However, using undiluted peppermint oil can result in itching, burning, headache, or skin sensitivity (6).

Can I mix peppermint oil with water for hair?

Yes, you can mix water and peppermint oil in your shampoo. Ensure that you get the measurements right and follow instructions before using it.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Was this article helpful?

The following two tabs change content below.

• Reviewer
• Author
• Editor
• Fact-checker

Dr. Shruti ChavanMBBS

Dr. Shruti Chavan is a consulting dermatologist at Dr.Sheth's Skin and Hair Clinic since 6 years. She is a co-committee member of CDSI (Cosmetic dermatologist Society of India). She is highly skilled in non-surgical facial skin rejuvenation and face lift by the use of injection treatments and lasers.   Dr. Chavan is well-versed with dermatological and aesthetic procedures. Her special...more

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

 

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy. She has taken it upon herself to show...more

Eshna DasAssociate Editor

Eshna is an associate editor and a certified skin care coach. She has over three years of experience, a triple main bachelor’s degree in psychology, English, and journalism from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, and a master’s degree in psychology from Sampurna Montfort College, Bengaluru. Her passion for writing and editing and her background in psychology help her create content that...more

Krati DarakAssociate Commerce Editor

Krati is an associate commerce editor, a certified skin care coach, and a beauty enthusiast. She has a master’s degree in advertising and publishing relations from DAVV University and three years of experience in writing and editing for different niches. She has also worked with a number of high-profile beauty brands on a freelance basis to upscale their businesses. Krati...more