Our wonderful Peppermint Foot Crème is powered by potent Peppermint Essential Oil. We like to share with you some of its history and benefits.

History and Origin

The herb peppermint is actually a natural hybrid of two other forms of mint found in both North America and Europe. Water mint and spearmint were first purposely crossbred no later than 1500 BCE, and peppermint is occasionally found in the wild where those two mints have overlapping habitats. The first recorded purposeful crossbreeding likely originated in North Africa or the Mediterranean. Peppermints scientific name, and mint as a whole, actually get the name from Minthe in Ancient Greek mythology. Archaeologists have found dried peppermint leaves in the inner chambers of Egyptian pyramids, ancient Romans used peppermint to flavor special dishes, including sauces and wines, and ancient Hebrews covered the floors of synagogues with peppermint for special events.

Records from ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt also mention that it was used for digestive disorders and other conditions.

Benefits of Peppermint

Peppermint is naturally high in menthol which is where that minty scent comes from. Menthol is used on the skin for its local analgesic effects to help take the sting out of conditions like arthritis, and sometimes even helps improve movement. Some studies have shown it can help ease irritated skin and aches and pains.

Peppermint essential oil, in its complete form, is used as a mosquito repellent with some antibacterial properties. Beyond its antibacterial properties peppermint essential oil has also shown to be incredibly effective in fighting yeasts and fungi in the lab. In a lab test peppermint essential oil was shown to be an effective anti-fungal agent against all 25 standard strains of fungus tested, and 35 different yeasts.

Peppermint in Montana

Here in the Flathead Valley of Montana we’ve had a notable history in peppermint production. Because we are north of the 41st parallel, we have the right amount of daylight to produce good yields of good quality peppermint oil. Another reason that growing peppermint has been popular is that White Tailed Deer, which often will snack on various crops, actively avoid peppermint. In fact local growers are known to plant it around other plants at risk of being snacked on to help discourage the our local deer. Over the years there have been large swings in production because the amount of high quality peppermint oil demand has also swung in both directions. In the late 90s more than 7000 acres of farmland was dedicated to peppermint here in northwest Montana, but just a few legacy farms continue to produce this wonderful herb in our local area.

Where we use it

The potency of our Peppermint Foot Crème is so incredible because we combine the power of peppermint essential oil with the also incredibly powerful tea tree oil, which itself is also renowned for its ability to soothe distressed and dry skin.

Peppermint essential oil is also found in nine other of our products. The Peppermint Lip Balm, Environmental Barrier Lip Balm, Robber’s Mist, Eucalyptus Breath Balm, Horse Chestnut Leg Lotion, Soothing Under the Weather Mineral Bath, Botanical Hair Spray, and Botanical Leave in Conditioner all feature the powerful peppermint essential oil.