The Difference Between Peppermint and Spearmint

Hands down, one of the most popular lip balm flavors on the market is mint. There are two kinds of mint commonly used in skincare products: peppermint and spearmint. While they’re both wonderful members of the mint family, there are a few things that set them apart

Spearmint

Spearmint is the milder of the two mint varieties. The flavor is typically sweet with a light amount of mint. Spearmint is commonly used in tea and cooking as its milder flavor enhances rather than dominates other flavors. The main chemical in spearmint is carvone, which gives it the milder flavor profile.

Peppermint

Peppermint offers a much stronger flavor, full of cooling menthol. This mint is most commonly used in medicinal and homeopathic remedies because of the high concentrations of menthol which provide a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. When used in food, most people find it beneficial for sweet desserts and with other flavors that stand up to the intensity of peppermint.

Which Should You Use?

Both spearmint and peppermint are great additions to a lip balm or lotion, but choosing between them truly comes down to personal preference. If you want a strong mint scent and intense cooling sensation, use peppermint oil. If you’re looking for a milder flavor with less of a pronounced cooling effect, add spearmint to your lip balm.

Adding mint essential oils can transform your moisturizing lip balm into a soothing and cooling salve. Use mint oil when crafting headache sticks, tension-relieving salves, and lip balms. Since it’s widely used, you should be able to find high-quality peppermint or spearmint oils in your local natural foods store. Order your lip balm tubes today and get started crafting your own custom lip balm.