Greek mythology says that the water nymph Minthe was hotly pursued by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades’ wife, Persephone, was not too happy about that and she trod poor Minthe into the ground!
Hades felt bad about the whole thing and he turned Minthe into a divine, aromatically scented flowering herb, so Minthe is still beloved. Pretty sure the Greek Gods are the inspiration for modern day soap operas, so much drama!
Add some peppermint to your bath!
The other evening I did the Rose & Coconut Bath, which was wonderful, but I also added about 5 drops of Peppermint Essential Oil as I was feeling drained. It really picked up my spirits, and made my time in the bath all the more pleasant. I highly recommend adding a little bit of Peppermint Oil to your bath!
The scent of peppermint is crisp, fresh, and menthol, and will clear out the cob webs without getting you hyped up.
Don’t over-do Essential Oils in your bath! Be IN the tub when you add the oil – carefully add about 3 drops to start, wait and see how it smells and feels and then a few more drops if desired. Read this short post for more about adding Essential Oils to your bath. I add Peppermint Oil to my bath all the time.
Peppermint is prolific and easy to grow. If you have some in your garden, crush some of the leaves in the bath and enjoy it that way. Or wander around your neighborhood and find some in a neighbors garden and ask them if you can take a couple sprigs and grow them yourself. It’s EASY to start cuttings and make peppermint grow in your garden or an indoor pot.
CLICK HERE for a short video from Lady Lee with steps on how to grow mint from cuttings.
Please do be careful and don’t add too much peppermint oil to your bath! The oil is super concentrated and too much peppermint will irritate your skin and make for a most unpleasant experience. There are a number of comments below from bathtub aficionados that accidentally over-indulged with peppermint oil :(
Tossing a few sprigs in your bath should not be an issue!
Crush some of the leaves in your bath water
Here are some more properties attributed to Peppermint:
- Mood uplifting
- Helps relieve mental fatigue
- Improves mental clarity, alertness, concentration, and memory
- Sharpens the senses
- Reviving and refreshing
- Energizing
Peppermint is also helpful for weight loss. If you’re in one of those “grazing” moods, open up the Peppermint Oil and take a few sniffs. The scent usually knocks out the “grazing” mood.
Try it in your bath and let me know how Miss Minthe affected you!
Thanks to Lady Lee Home for the video on harvesting mint cuttings!
Thanks to Wikimedia Commons for the image.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Love your bath tub tips and this one is a great reminder about all the benefits of peppermint! Have a great day!
Let’s not forget the benefits of peppermint ice cream too! A bowl of that in the tub could be pretty sweet too.
Thanks for checking in so enthusiastically – it’s fabulous to know people are enjoying the tips:)
Have a lovely day too Beth!
I put too much peppermint in my bath lol now i have cold spots and im freezing now. Any ideas on how to warm up.
I just did that. Im freezing in a hot bath.
Dearest Diva Sarin,
Aw shoot! Try again with less oil.
Loves,
The Bathtub Diva
Do not do this if you have sensitive skin. Do not put peppermint oil directly in you bath, if you are going to try this mix it with coconut or olive oil first and then mix that with epsom salt. Or save yourself and buy a pepermint bath bomb. The discomfort and pain is not worth it. Honestly. Im going to put this in hopes that someone will see this BEFORE they put peppermint oil in their bath. Be careful. I stumbled upon this while researching how to get peppermint oil off of my skin because i got the smart idea to do this very same thing on my own. But ended up with burns and irritations all over my body. It started with the same thing i keep seeing in these comments. Chills despite sitting in a hot bath. Burning sensation on my body parts. And last if you put too much get out immediatly and rub yourself down with vegetable oil and wipe it off with a towel. Water will only make it worse. Thank you and be safe.
Me too but at the same time it’s refreshing …have space heater on. Don’t recommend that lol
Darling Diva Rose,
It’s definitely refreshing and “bracing”! Glad you didn’t get too uncomfortable.
Loves, The Bathtub Diva
Dear Diva Chrissi,
Sorry for my late reply, but I am sure you are warmed up by now! Next time….not so much peppermint!
Loves,
The Bathtub Diva
I’m laying in the tub so confused why I feel freeing in hot hot water lol…. a few too many drops this time.
Omg… so I just mixed tea tree oil like for drops and maybe too many drops of peppermint oil because I don’t like the smell of tea tree so I was trying to outdo the smell of tea tree and I achieved that with the peppermint, I also added some Epsom salt and it was terrific and relaxing while I was in it. Then about 7 minutes into my bath I started getting very very cold now I am out of the bath and have a freezing sensation but it’s a different kind of cold not bad but it won’t go away. LOL so yes please Easy Does It on the peppermint oil LOL
Diva Melissa!
Glad you had 7 good minutes :)
Yes, I too know that “different kind of cold that won’t go away. It just takes one time to never do it again!
Thank you for writing in about this.
Love & happiness,
THe Bathtub Diva
I JUST DID THE EXACT SAME THING ! I put my comforter in the dryer and now i’m in bed shivering under a few throw blankets..
Peppermint is great,I love using it for aroma therapy. So just a bit a go I thought I would put it in my bath,wow!! I froze to death. Be careful how much you put in lol.
Exactly first time I try it and used about 10 drops my arms are still freezing a hr outta tub. Wow. Would be good for a fever I would think. ..lol not so much next time.
Dear Diva Leslie,
Maybe 5 drops next time? Happy you are ok and didn’t get too freaked out with the POWER OF PEPPERMINT! No really….it’s huge. And it’s such a good thing, in small doses.
Love and happiness,
The Bathtub Diva
Yes! My skin is freezing but I’m sweating!
They should put warnings on the packet I’m freezing. Bathtubdiva can you recommend a list of essential oils that smell great and don’t have the risk of turning you in to an ice cube 😅
Dear Diva Chris,
Lavender is good, ylang ylang and frankincense shouldn’t cause you to turn into an ice cube! But remember, 6 – 8 drops ONLY to see if the oil and you are a good match :)
Love and bubbles,
The Bathtub Diva
I wish I would’ve read this thread before I put tooooooo much oil in my bath. I’m sooo cold. Lol will definitely do better next time
I add my essential oils directly to the Epsom salts… It helps disperse them into the water (instead of staying on the surface) and then there is no possibility of an accidental eucalyptus spill. (I add the salts at the end, so the eos are not dissipated by the flow of the water.)
(I have added as many as 12 drops of eucalyptus to my own baths, but I’m a sucker for that sort of tingle ;D)
Mint is REALLY fabulous for summer bathing (and mornings all year round!). I love mint and lavender and orange together — but rose sounds like a wonderful pairing, too, I shall try that post haste!
Wow! Thanks for getting this over from FaceBook so quickly – you are fabulous! Now I’ve gotta copy and paste mine too, here ’tis:
Adding the oils to Epsom salts is a great tip – I need to remember to do that more.
Mint is awesome, I love the tingle too – I’ve mixed it with lavender, but not orange – – – – – yet! I’ll try that too, sounds really refreshing.
Thanks Alexis for adding to the post, I see you are a bathing connoisseur too!
Have a big bubbly day Alexis!
Great post and site – another great benefit of peppermint is pain relief! It’s really helped my sciatic pain.
Peppermint IS amazing! I didn’t know about pain relief – how did you apply it? Bath? Peppermint tea? Do tell!
Oops. I think I added way too much. I did several drops of bothe lavender and peppermint. As I got out of the tub, I got the shakes. I started searching to see if that is a problem. I’m certainly tingly. Hopefully, it will calm down after a while. I know this is an old post.
Oops! that can be a little scary but not life threatening! Well, as far as I know….It’s probably the Peppermint. I have done that too – added too much Peppermint – and then felt kinda weird and tingly after. Hopefully things have calmed down for you by now! You can always take a cool shower to cool off the Peppermint “high”, or apply cold wash clothes to your pressure points on your wrists and neck.
You have to be careful with Peppermint. I put about 5 drops in my hand and then swirl it in the water. When I get in I see how it feels and really just add a drop or two at a time until it feels right. Like put another drop or two in and then WAIT a few minutes to see if it’s ok. That way if you put a tad too much in you can always add more water and/or drain the tub a bit until it evens out. I want to be able to smell it but not have it start to burn or make my skin tingly. Not everyone is so sensitive to Peppermint. I happen to be and also found out the hard way when I added too much! But I lived! And I still use it in every bath….with more moderation!
I accidentally dumped an entire bottle of eucalyptus oil in the tub once – also a very tingly experience – you can read about it here: https://www.thebathtubdiva.com/dev2018/new/eucalyptus-tub-tale
The sensation usually passes in about an hour after you exit the tub. I’m sorry this happened for you! Peppermint is SO GREAT for your adrenals and general overall sense of well-being so don’t get freaked out about adding it in the future. Just be more moderate and careful with it, ok?
Let me know how you’re doing!
Happy Bubbles,
The Bathtub Diva
Those pesky gods, so jealous.
I know, they need to take a bath and calm down!
Oh my gosh! Can I just say that peppermint oil in my bath was amazing?!?!? I have a sinus infection and yesterday it was so bad that no medicine, no nose spray, no vapo rub, nothing could unstuff my swollen sinus. Until my peppermint bath! Not only did it unstuff my face, but it kept me breathing clear for more than 12 hours. Plus today I actually feel energized instead of like death like I did yesterday. It definitely put a little pep in my step. Seriously, the difference in how I feel between yesterday and today is monumental. I’m going to remember this any time I’m sick!
Fantastic! What a great “testimonial” to the va-voom power of peppermint! So glad you are feeling good.
I adore peppermint and try and remember to add it to every bath – even if I am feeling fine ’cause you can always feel better :)
Thanks for your enthusiasm!
XOXO The Bathtub Diva
I put 8 drops of peppermint oil in my bath along with half cup of Epsom salts as well as half cup of baking soda and the experience was amazing !!!! I suffer from two different back injuries as well as wrist and it made me feel amazing !!!!!
Dear Diva Sharon,
I’m so glad you had such wonderful results! Yay! Thanks for writing to let me know.
Enjoy the bubbles!
Love,
The Bathtub Diva
So I just had my first peppermint bath by accident. I thought I’d grabed the lavender after the chamomile and when I went back to the bathroom it smelled like peppermint. So I got in anyway, and let me just say that was a weird experience. I felt like I was taking a bath in Icy Hot. I’m not sure if I liked it or not,lol. The water was hot but my skin felt cold, but I can tell you that I feel much better than I did before I got in. I will be doing it again, just not as much peppermint next time
Diva Teresa,
So sorry about your – possibly happy – accident! Yes, Peppermint is mighty powerful, even in small doses. Try again and just do 5 drops first, sit and see how you feel then add more drops, one at a time! and wait to be sure it’s not too much!
Good luck and happy bath time!
XO The Bathtub Diva
I added way too much peppermint oil. :( Got the shakes and tingly feeling. Had to wash off, wash the tub and try again. Lesson learned! Xo
PS my back feels great now. Not as much stiffness
YIKES! Well good your back is better! But yes, you have to be careful with the oils or else your body will freak out.
Happy you are OK and willing to try again!
Love and Bubbles,
The Bathtub Diva
I used 6 drops or so of peppermint n 9 drops or so of eucalyptus oil in the tub and I didn’t wanna get out! All I could smell was Andes chocolates! It lifted me up a bit and put me at ease!! Although next time cut back cpl drops of mint because my legs were feeling a bit cold in hot water!
Beloved Diva Sherrine,
Sounds like it was a great combo! I love Andes Chocolates! Maybe dump a few of them in the bath next time :)
Loves,
The Bathtub Diva
So glad I found this post. I just had my first experience with peppermint oil and let me just say, I thought I was near death with hysterical laughter and the shakes. I will definitely do again though.
Dearest Diva Nikela,
You sound like a thrill seeker! Perhaps not so much peppermint the next time :)
Loves,
The Bathtub Diva
I have a sinus infection, so I decided to add peppermint oil to my epsom salt hot bath. I couldn’t smell the peppermint (hello, sinus infection), so I added more. I still couldn’t smell it, so I added even more! I never did smell it, but boy did I feel it!!! Just like another stated, it felt like I was taking an Icy Hot bath! The combination of hot water and cold skin was such a weird feeling!
My husband said he could smell the mint when he opened the bedroom door…before he even got to the bathroom. Lol
But I soaked in the tub for about 2 1/2 hrs because it was the first time in days that I wasn’t feeling miserable.
I don’t feel well yet, but I sure feel much better! (And I smell minty! Hehe)
Dearest Diva Minty Sunshine,
Glad your bath was weird and refreshing! Baths really are the best remedy for just about anything that ails you, from broken hearts to clogged up sinuses.
Thank you for the story!
Love & bubbles,
The Bathtub Diva
I added Doterra peppermint and lavender to my bath 5 drops each. I had a migraine starting, a couple min in and I was burning. Looked online and it says never add oil directly to water. I rubbed baking soda on then olive oil, then coconut oil to stop the burn. My migraine went away and my body does feel great, except for a lil burning and now I am worried my skin will freak out cause have sensitive skin.
Dear Diva Cristal,
So sorry you had that reaction! But glad the migraine left and I hope your skin didn’t freak out!
If it ever happens again, try rinsing the skin with cool water and then ice if it still burns first – that will usually dissipate the sensation. It might take awhile….as I have learned from experience :)
In many of the recipes on this site I do say to go ahead and add oil directly to the bath water – CAREFULLY – maybe doTERRA is an especially potent brand of essences? Pleases do be careful in the future! Let me know how it goes.
Love and peppermint power,
The Bathtub Diva
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Ok, so maybe I’m a freak, but I use a TON in my bath (mostly when I’m sick, otherwise I do scale it back…. A bit… 😏) When I’m running the bath I will mix up a little bowl of baking soda, whatever sea or Epsom salts I have handy, and like 10 drops of mint oil, often jasmine too 🤩 I toss that in and love the aroma while my bath runs. Then I often add a few extra drops when I get in too… I’ve never had a reaction to this yet, but it sounds like it’s just me here!! 😅
Dear Diva Diana,
Great to hear you’re having a good time in the tub with essential oils! While a lot of the people commenting have had reactions, most people that use essential oils have a perfectly lovely bath :)
XOXOX
The Bathtub Diva
Omg we are freezing in the bathtub on the coldest day of the year. Be super careful with peppermint oil!
Dear Diva William,
Sorry that happened! Yes, absolutely be careful with Peppermint and ALL essential oils when adding them to the bath!
XOXOX The Bathtub Diva
So… a cap of oil is a little too much, eh? Yeah, feels like it.
Diva Jennifer,
:(
XOXO The Bathtub Diva
I used peppermint oil to clear my sinuses. I would just put a few drops on a napkin and breath it in through my nose. Then one day I thought I might put some in my bath not knowing what was going to happen. I put a spoon full in my bath. What a huge mistake. I got in sat down and within a minute my body was on FIRE but yet I was freezing cold. It took hours to stop feeling cold and no sex for a week as my penis felt burnt. I will never do that again. Not even a drop. The only positive was that my whole house smelled like peppermint for a few days
Dear Diva Richard,
Owwwwwwww! But thanks for sharing this so other gentlemen are aware of the dangers with too much peppermint in the tub!
And ladies beware too! I had to press an ice pack on my burning lady parts for over an hour after too much peppermint in the bath :(
Glad all is well now and at least your house smelled like a candy cane for awhile :)
Love & happiness,
The Bathtub Diva
I just recently did the Peppermint Oil in a bath. I added 4 Tbsp thinking more would help. It made it quite worse. I was able to enjoy the bath for about 5 mins, poured the water all over myself, and then started getting chills. It started getting too cold, causing pain, so I started draining the tub, got up to take a hot shower to wash it off, wash/condition my hair – quickly, because even under the hot water I was shaking sooooo much – and then quickly dried myself off. I then put on flannel pants and flannel shirt and got under blankets to warm up. Process took about 30 mins to get my body warmed down to no shivers. So, I HIGHLY recommend only a few drops as others are saying.
Dearest Diva Schmidt,
Thank you for sharing your experience and the reminder! Sadly, most people find this page AFTER they have over-done it with the oil :(
XOXOX The Bathtub Diva
So this actually worked in my favor!! I love a hot bath! But I’m so hot natured, I only enjoy for like 5 seconds. The peppermint oil kept me cool while the water kept me warm! And then when I got out, I wasn’t so sweaty that I couldn’t cool down for hours like normal because I was cold from the peppermint oil! But not over bearing and not uncomfortable! I put somewhere between 5-10 drops. Lol! I stopped counting but I didn’t go over 10 I know. I was also a little stuffy and clear as a blue sky now! DEFINITELY doing this again!!!