L'peppermint essential oil is obtained by steam distillation from the leaves of Mentha piperita. It belongs to the family of essential oils and has the most immediately recognizable effect of them all.
The main component is menthol, and its mechanism is fascinating: it binds to the skin's TRPM8 receptors, the same ones that signal cold to the nervous system. The sensation of freshness you feel is therefore not due to an actual drop in temperature, but to a signal that menthol activates directly. It is one of the few cosmetic ingredients that communicates with the skin in the most literal sense of the term—the same field explored by neurocosmetics.
It is used in body products and massage oils, on tired legs and in purifying facial treatments, where freshness is part of the expected result. The effect appears the moment it is applied and continues for the following minutes.
It is an ingredient that works as much on theuser experience as on the skin: the immediate feeling of relief is what makes an action pleasant and therefore repeatable. Mint fragrance contains components that regulations require to be declared on the label, a sign that the scent comes from the distilled plant and not from an added fragrance.
