Spearmint Essential Oil 10mL
Spearmint and peppermint smell related because they are, but they work differently. Peppermint is menthol-rich, which triggers the cold receptor in your skin. Spearmint is led by carvone instead and produces almost none of that cooling effect. It reads sweeter, softer and rounder, and it is far easier to live with around children.
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Spearmint is steam distilled from the leaf of Mentha spicata. It is one of the parent species behind peppermint, which is a sterile hybrid of spearmint and watermint. The aroma is fresh and minty but noticeably sweeter and less harsh than peppermint, and Zea's is Australian grown.
From bush to bottle
Like all the mints, Mentha spicata spreads aggressively by underground runners rather than seed. That makes it easy to establish and hard to remove, and it means a commercial planting is effectively one clone repeated across a paddock.
The oil profile shifts as mint approaches flowering, so timing the cut matters. Harvested at the right point the result is bright and sweet; left too long it turns coarse and the carvone character flattens.
Steam passes through the cut herb and lifts the volatile oil. Nothing is added and nothing is rectified out. Every batch carries a certificate of analysis, which records Australia as both country of origin and country of extraction.
Peppermint's defining trick is menthol, which binds to TRPM8, the receptor your nerves use to detect cold. Nothing actually cools; the nerve reports cold and the brain believes it. That is why peppermint feels icy and why it can be genuinely uncomfortable on sensitive skin or around small children.
Spearmint is led by carvone instead. Carvone gives the sweet, rounded mint aroma without meaningfully triggering that cold receptor. The result is a mint that smells like mint but does not produce the shock of cold, which makes it the more forgiving of the two in a diffuser, in the bath and anywhere children are around.
Quality and testing
Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis. The figures above are taken from that certificate, which records Australia as both the country of origin and the country of extraction.
Most of the world's mint oil comes from the United States, India and China. Zea's spearmint is Australian grown and Australian distilled, which the certificate of analysis records for each batch.
Spearmint, Peppermint and Peppermint Gum
| Spearmint | Peppermint | Peppermint Gum | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botanical | Mentha spicata | Mentha piperita | Eucalyptus dives |
| Plant type | Herb | Herb, a sterile hybrid | Tree |
| Lead constituent | Carvone | Menthol and menthone | Piperitone |
| Cooling effect | Minimal | Strong | Mild |
| Aroma | Sweet, soft mint | Sharp, penetrating | Eucalypt with cool mint |
| Around children | The gentler choice | Not suitable | Use with care |
A botanical and aroma comparison to help you choose between oils. It is not a claim that one oil performs better than another.
Properties
Traditional and aromatherapy properties associated with this oil. Individual results differ, and this is not a substitute for advice from your health professional.
Ways to use it
3 to 6 drops in a diffuser or oil burner. The simplest way in.
Spearmint blends with Sweet Orange, Eucalyptus, Lemon Myrtle and the citrus oils.
One or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba. Patch test first.
One drop inhaled from a tissue when you want the aroma on the move.
A few drops in water instead of a synthetic air freshener.
Well dispersed in a carrier or with bath salts, never neat on water.
A few drops in a homemade surface spray as a fresh deodoriser.
A softer option than peppermint where a cold hit is not wanted.
What customers tell us
★★★★★
“I absolutely love your Spearmint. It has a heavenly fresh scent and I use it in the diffuser regularly.”
Carol M. · Verified buyer
★★★★★
“Great quality oils. So useful for so much.”
Ariel · Verified buyer
★★★★★
“I have been using ZEA Essential Oils for some time now. I love them, always packed beautifully, arrive in quick time, always correct.”
Robyn N. · Verified buyer
Five-star reviews from verified Judge.me buyers. The second and third speak to the Zea Essentials range rather than to this oil specifically. Individual experiences differ.
Complete your blending kit
Spearmint is a soft mint top note. These are the oils that sit under it.
Foresty depth under the mint.
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The sharper mint. Worth having both.
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Warm citrus over the sweetness.
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The clearing note alongside it.
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Intense lemon over a soft mint.
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Unscented base for diluting before any skin use.
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Single origin Australian essential oils since 2016
Questions, answered
A 100% pure essential oil, steam distilled from the leaf of Mentha spicata, grown in Australia. It is GC/MS tested, and each batch carries a certificate of analysis recording Australia as both the country of origin and the country of extraction.
Fresh and minty, sweeter and considerably less harsh than peppermint, with none of peppermint's cold bite.
Start with 3 to 6 drops in a diffuser. For skin, dilute one or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond, and patch test first.
Chemistry. Peppermint is menthol-rich and triggers TRPM8, the cold receptor, which is why it feels icy. Spearmint is led by carvone, which gives the sweet mint aroma without that cooling effect.
It is the gentler of the two, because it is not menthol-rich. Menthol-rich oils are not suitable for babies and young children. As with any essential oil, keep it out of reach and dilute well.
No. Never apply an undiluted essential oil and never take one internally. Dilute in a carrier oil first, and patch test.
Yes. Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis, which is how the specifications on this page are established.
Keep it out of reach of children and never apply it undiluted. Diffuse in a ventilated room rather than a closed space. Check with your vet before diffusing around pets.
Below 30°C in a dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap on firmly. The lighter constituents are always the first to escape.
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Free on Australian orders over $75. Orders are dispatched from our Australian warehouse.
Free shipping on Australian orders over $75 · 100% pure · GC/MS tested · Australian grown. Choose your pack and we will get it on its way.
Choose your packSpearmint Essential Oil is an aromatherapy product for external use only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always dilute before use and follow the label directions. Statements about individual constituents refer to published research on those constituents, not to an outcome from using this product. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.
Spearmint Oil 10mL
