Minty minty minty!

[DayStar]

So there's a fairly big variety of mints out there. But there are what? The big three? Spearmint, Peppermint, and does Wintergreen count? My problem is, with those three, I can imagine tastes but not smells. I often see Peppermint used for candy or baked goods-themed soaps, and Spearmint often paired with plants like Eucalyptus. So what's the scent comparison with those three? Peppermint vs Spearmint vs Wintergreen. And is combining all three just gross or awesome?

 

[jules92207]

One of my favorite mint blends is spearmint, peppermint, and eucalyptus. Some one shared on here the combo of the three in a 6-3-1 combo in order listed. Smells like doublemint gum.

 

[CanaDawn]

So what's the scent comparison with those three? Peppermint vs Spearmint vs Wintergreen. And is combining all three just gross or awesome?

For a cheap way to sniff them, I would suggest going to the candy counter and picking up three versions of lifesavers, which come in those flavours and smell reasonably like the herb. (Or really anything that has those flavours)

 

[Susie]

Wintergreen EO smells exactly like wintergreen Lifesavers.

 

[Ktaggard]

I combine peppermint, spearmint & eucalyptus. I go heavy on the peppermint, about 60%. I can not keep it in stock. There has been a run on my mint soap this year!!

 

[LunaSkye]

Please be careful of the wintergreen EO. Other than that, some peppermint EOs smell like candy while others smell more herbaceous. I know the peppermint EOs from NOW and Bulk Apothecary has a more candy-like scent than the peppermint from SOS. Bulk Apothecary also has a spearmint that smells like the dried herb itself, a rather gentle OOB scent at that.

 

[judymoody]

Wintergreen EO is potentially toxic in small amounts, if ingested or as an active ingredient in a leave on product. It's not worth the risk to use in soap, even though it rinses off, IMO.

Rosemary and Eucalyptus Radiata also have minty qualities if you want to blend.

 

[DayStar]

Oh wow good to know about the Wintergreen! Thanks ya'll for the info!!

 

[sassanellat]

The MSDS for wintergreen tells you about the limits. There really isn't any problem using wintergreen as long as you're not creating a heavy wintergreen slave for daily use. People *eat* tins of wintergreen Altoids and chew wintergreen gum all the time, and you have a larger negative effect from ingestion than from the salicylate you absorb through skin. I'm sure a quick google search will tell you the actual defined limit when absorbed though skin.

BTW - BenGay and IcyHot are 30% methyl salicylate topical cremes, and strictly OTC.

Here is a sensible general commentary and some estimates on using wintergreen EO:
http://www.agoraindex.org/Frag_Dem/toxicitymyths.html

 

[AKjulz]

My concern with wintergreen (any eo's used neat or not diluted properly) is the potential for sensitization. No idea how that pertains to soap though, possibly not used in quantities high enough to worry about.

 

[goji_fries]

Hey Daystar :smile:

of you are using EOs in a mixture, you could mix in a little sweet birch EO to round it out. A bit minty but smells like old stamp adhesive lifesavers

 

[LunaSkye]

Hey Daystar :smile:

of you are using EOs in a mixture, you could mix in a little sweet birch EO to round it out. A bit minty but smells like old stamp adhesive lifesavers

I think I have that EO as well. I haven't gotten around to using it, but it really does smell like root beer. I guess I could play around with your idea...

 

[CanaDawn]

or there's always this... [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4-eY8dZB9k[/ame]

 

[LunaSkye]

or there's always this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4-eY8dZB9k

I haven't done that since 5th grade. Memories, memories...