How to Use Peppermint Essential Oil

By Alene L. Brennan, RYT

1 min read

Essential oils have been part of my migraine management toolkit for years.

I haven’t found essential oils to be effective in getting me out of a debilitating migraine. However, I have found them incredibly helpful to “take the edge” off my bad migraines and sometimes even stop a smaller migraine from progressing further.

Use high-quality essential oils

The biggest lesson learned over the years was to use high-quality essential oils. Many of the essential oils on the store shelves are fragrant chemicals that not only don’t have therapeutic effects but the chemicals can actually trigger a headache.

So, if you’re venturing into the essential oil world for the first time, make sure you choose a high-quality pure essential oil. Next, understand that each oil has unique properties.

Two important notes

Peppermint essential oil, for example, has been studied for migraines has two important things to know about applying it.

Use a carrier oil

If you have sensitive skin, it’s helpful to apply it with a carrier oil. It can help to reduce the chances of skin irritation. Many people believe that using a carrier oil can also make it more effective.

Use peppermint oil last when layering

Also, if you are layering essential oils – applying more than one essential oil to the same area of the body – use the peppermint oil last. It is sometimes referred to as a “driving oil,” suggesting that it can help increase the body’s ability to absorb the essential oils applied underneath it.

Have you used essential oils for migraine?

Using essential oils is a personal preference, but in my experience, they truly have been a great tool for migraine management over the years.

What’s your experience with essential oils? If you have a favorite essential oil, please share that below too!

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Migraine.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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mellies Member
Where do you get your oils?
Alene L. Brennan, RYT Moderator & Contributor
<inline-mention username="mellies" user-id="3918374"/> I personally use and love doTERRA oils. I've tried many different brands and this is my favorite both from an aroma and results perspective.
talespinnerkitty Member
The "Soothe" blend from Jade Bloom.
talespinnerkitty Member
I get most of my oils from Jade Bloom--they test every batch fully, have great prices, give buyer reward points & have the best service around. I've bought from a few others with good results, AuraCacia oils have been around forever, Barefoot is decent as well. I avoid the independent representative brands solely based on pricing, because they tend to be 3x to 10x the price of Jade Bloom, and that money doesn't actually go to the representative. I'd rather hand my friend cash.
taurus56 Member
Sometime I use lavender oil
1. Cheryl Picerno Moderator
 <inline-mention username="taurus56" user-id="3900258"/> Lavender oil can be used for so many things. I find it also works nicely to relax me and help me fall asleep. I mist some on my pillow and that works well. Warmly, Cheryl <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> team
mmgage Member
 I have two go-to blends which I diffuse to help stave off a migraine attack or lessen one. The first is a blend of peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils in a 2-2-1-1 ratio. The second is a blend of spearmint, peppermint, and lavender in a 2-2-2 ratio. I also swear by doTerra oils - they have strict quality standards and many of their oils are actually food grade. Whatever brand you choose, make sure they are having independent testing done for quality and for uniformity between batches. You also want to be careful about the oils you choose. I got a special holiday blend from doTerra one year and each time I used it, I developed a migraine attack. I finally realized that it contained nutmeg oil (nutmeg is my one and only food trigger and it is 100% reliable at causing an attack). I hadn't realized that the blend contained that oil! I have given away that blend (and made sure my friends knew not to diffuse it around me).
mrs-doyle Member
I Absolutely use essential oils, but find that most of the ones traditionally listed for migraine are aggravating for my episodes. I get incredibly cold, so anything that has a cooling effect, like peppermint, backfires on me. Also, depending on what triggered an episode can influence my choice. For example, if it’s related to hormones, I’m going to use something directed more toward PMS. If it’s because food choices weren’t in my best interest, I go for oils that support digestion in addition to nerves/pain. And since sometimes, it’s just impossible to know, I listen to my body and address its complaints of the moment… cold feet and upset gut, maybe some ginger and black pepper rubbed into my feet… clenching and grimacing from the pain, maybe some marjoram or lavender. Green Myrtle is another I use to get the episode to release its grip. I have quite a collection and just let my intuition lead; sometimes it wants floral, sometimes citrus, sometimes herbal, etc. I do have a rollerball blend I have used for years and make up for several people, I‘ll list it below. It’s fairly high concentration (just FYI for those who prefer low dilutions from your training, but it’s a little dab’ll do ya’ emergency remedy and not a full body, daily use product). I do not purchase my oils from multi-level marketing and my collection has come from a lot of places over time. If you are just getting started with EOs 3 established companies to browse are: Plant Therapy- fair prices, good rewards program, free shipping; Eden’s Garden- fair prices, rewards program, free shipping; Aromatics International- good industry reputation, some harder to find oils, rewards program. All three have trained aromatherapists you can reach out to for assistance, too. Do be aware that aromatherapists are limited by “scope of practice” meaning that they can’t treat “medical diagnoses” like migraine, but if you bring the symptoms to the question (i.e. EOs that help with muscle twitches, or cold feet, or nausea, or aches in your head) then they are fantastic at helping narrow down the plethora of choices. This is also a good measure of a person’s training, like if they are making claims that EO xyz cures migraine or psoriasis or specific medical ailments, you might want to get additional guidance (they could be totally correct, but in a world of information overwhelm, be cautious with your precious self.) If you’re unsure about a company, looking at the price of their high end oils can give you an idea of whether oils may be adulterated (synthetically enhanced), example: pure Rose Otto oil is going to cost well over $100 for a *tiny* amount. If it’s below that price, it’s likely diluted or synthetic. Even among the three companies listed above the price varies, but look closely at the bottle size, country of origin, the tiny details, can give you an idea why (sometimes it’s just because a brand gets a following willing to pay highly marked up prices, just like fashion, sometimes people pay for a name.) I would avoid shopping from Amazon, especially when you can order direct from a company and get their rewards program and guarantee that it’s their product and not a counterfeit. AuraCacia is a brand found in a lot of grocery stores and has been around for a long time. I’ve never had issue with them. If the smell of an oil is unpleasant to you, don’t force yourself to use it because it’s “supposed to be good for migraine.” If you don’t like it, you are probably not going to benefit from an hour of thinking nasty thoughts trying to suffer through a smell. If you like a smell and it brings you comfort but isn’t listed as being good for xyz, who cares, it brings you comfort and that’s the point! If the smell of orange reminds you of soccer practice you hated, then you likely are not going to find it uplifting. Same as if lavender makes you think of Great Aunt Bertha and how mean she was, lavender might not be soothing for you. As critters we are keenly tied to memories and associations via our snouts, so if you don’t find a scent to be what everyone else swears it to be, that is okay; you may love the one everyone else says smells like feet. There is a lot of opinions and information that conflicts in the aromatherapy world, so as with all things, make sure to learn a little bit before trusting all of it. EOs really are safe if used appropriately for each person, and since we are each different, what works for one won’t be right for all. Some people are comfortable applying oils neat (without diluting them) and their skin can handle it. Other people have sensitive skin/systems and do fantastic with a highly diluted oil. Some oils (like cinnamon) can “burn” skin and others can cause photosensitivity (some citrus oils + sun/uv light) can cause blistering and such. This is of course if you are going to be applying it and not necessarily applicable to diffusing it. So here’s my go-to recipe. We call it Mjölnir No More (Mjölnir is Thor’s hammer). To a 10ml rollerball bottle add the following, cap, shake, and dab on neck, shoulders, temples, base of skull… 3 drop palo santo 1 drop vetiver 3 drop marjoram 2 drop lemongrass 3 drop tangerine 1 drop neroli 1 drop jasmine 1 drop rose 1 drop Ylang ylang Olive oil/carrier oil That was way more than I intended, lol…
Rebecca C Moderator
 - WoW - thank you for that! Very informative. The process of finding a trustworthy essential oil brand and the concept of mixing my own personal remedy has been intimidating, for me at least. Because of the complexities involved, I rarely use oils to help lessen pain, especially migraine pain. I don't know enough about aromatherapy but you've put it there plainly and most educationally. My go-to is peppermint oil, and rarely any others. I haven't found distinct pain relief with this type of therapy, but it's pleasantly calming. I may be daring and dive back into the realm of stimulating my senses this fall ~ Rebecca (community advocate <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>Migraine.com</a>)
1. Melissa Arnold Community Admin
 <inline-mention username="mrs-doyle" user-id="3838762"/> Yes, this is beyond helpful -- especially given I haven't even chosen a kitty friend yet! Haha. I really appreciate the effort you took to share all this not just with me, but the whole community. You have a great sense of humor and a wealth of insight; it's a real asset here! Definitely consider Holly's invite to post this in our "stories" section so that more people can see this. What a lovely brood of pets you've had over the years! You made me laugh at the thought of being so tall and having a tiny animal -- I am just the opposite, very short. Small dogs are not my cup of tea, so it's a cat for me. 😀 Did any of your animals ever alert you to a migraine? We've had a lot of people here share that their dogs instinctively grew to sense and alert to an oncoming attack, often without training. I think that's the coolest thing. Thanks again! Hugs to you. -Melissa, <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> team
2. mrs-doyle Member
 <inline-mention username="Melissa Arnold" user-id="3827796"/> I'm glad this was helpful, and I did submit a revamped version to the Story section. May the most marvelous kitty select you as their human <3 One of the unknown perks of rescuing our giant girl is her sensitivities to subtle changes. I think in some way it was a survival mechanism from her prior life to be aware of subtle changes, but it has given her the ability to recognize before I do that something has changed and migraine is on the way. She gives me a breath check every morning, and yes I am highly insulted by her dramatic response of exaggerated proportions before I have a chance to brush my teeth, but she also has other responses that are calmer, more quiet and less playful. That subtle shift in her response to my smell lets me know something wicked this way comes. She'll do it during the day, too, like get extra sniffy on me and then sort of get a serious mood if something is awry. It took a bit for me to recognize the message she was reflecting back, that she's confirming what my prodrome is hinting at, but now that I know how to read her, it is a helpful alert (It would be so much easier if she just spoke, but ya' know, she's probably thinking the same of me). I had a cat growing up that was the same way, he would get extra cuddly, snuggly and sort of push my hyperactive grade school butt into a mellow activity before thunder struck. I don't know what telepathic powers he had to control my rambunctiousness but it worked. Our pets tell us a lot if we pay attention to their communication styles. Our giant girl is also fantastic with nightmares which has been an enormous gift. At the first inkling of a nasty dream she gets on the bed and lays her head on my foot. The boon to this is that getting better sleep not interrupted by nightmares has helped with lessening migraine gnarliness. I'm not going to say that having her stretched out as long as I am tall is a good fit for shared space in our bed, but I know we all appreciate me not waking up screaming and swinging. Quality and quantity of sleep has always improved for me with pets. Cats are a little more sassy about their sleep getting interrupted by a dreaming human, but they helped, too. And honestly, so do my goldfish because I can see them from my pillow and watch them as I drift off at night, or if I'm managing a migraine.