Menthol Crystals and How You Can Easily Use Them to Reduce Congestion, Headaches, Nausea, Muscle Aches and More!

Hello Handmakers!

In this blogpost today, we’re going to talk about the amazingly versatile Menthol Crystals. It’s been a favourite among many of us at Craftiviti ❤️

What are Menthol Crystals?

Menthol crystals are the crystallized oil of the mint plants. They are crystallized at a temperature of -22°C, solid at room temperature and melt at temperatures slightly higher than room temperature. These crystals are widely used in personal care formulations like shampoo, muscle rubs, shaving cream, soap, masks, DIY headache and muscle pain relief oil blends, and more!

 

What are the Benefits of Menthol Crystals?

Via aromatherapy, or in other words, smelling the menthol crystals (be careful not to sniff too closely as they have a kick to them and can sting the eyes 😂) can help to
✅ promote easier breathing
✅ temporarily relieve nasal congestions
✅ soothe sore throats, coughs, headaches, and sinus discomforts
✅ support immunity
✅ stabilize emotions
✅ naturally repel pests like spiders, flies, ants, cockroaches and lizards

 

When used in personal care products or topically, these crystals (use sparingly cause they can get superrrrrr cold 🥶):
✅ cools and soothes the skin
✅ calms irritations, inflammations, itching and burning
✅ soothe insect bites
✅ regulates sebum production of the skin
✅ removes dandruff buildup
✅ stimulate blood circulation
✅ relieves aches, pains, cramps and sprains
✅ relaxes muscles
✅ eases headaches, nausea, dizziness and migraines

 

How Can You Use Menthol Crystals?

There are many ways you can easily incorporate menthol crystals into your daily life.

For aromatherapy purposes, you can…

1. Place a few pieces of menthol crystals in a dish or directly on any surface (be careful, you may get oil stains!) to let it gradually melt on warmer days or set it under direct sunlight to speed up the melting process a little.
2. Use an essential oil warmer where instead of essential oil, you replace it with menthol crystals.
3. Put a few pieces of menthol crystals in an organza or cotton bag to hang up in your closet or wardrobe.
4. Take a small piece of menthol crystal into you hands and sniff it directly or melt it using the warmth from your palms first.
5. Drop a few menthol crystals into a bowl of steaming hot water and drape a towel over your head and the bowl before breathing in and out the scent.

 

For topical applications, you can…

1. Add a few pieces of menthol crystals to 10ml of carrier oil (ie: jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, etc) in a roll-on bottle. Wait for the crystals to dissolve entirely before applying on skin or scalp.
2. Dissolve some menthol crystals in carrier oil before blending with your choice of clay powder to create a face, body, foot or scalp mask. Leave on for 5-10 minutes before washing off.
3. Add two cups of of epsom salt, 5-10 pieces of menthol crystals and 40 drops of your choice of essential oils to a standard sized bath tub for a full body soak, or half the amount for a foot soak.
4. Melt some pieces of menthol crystals using the double boiler method before adding it to your DIY personal care formulations (ie: scrubs, soap, shampoo, body balms, etc).

PS: Make sure to thoroughly clean your hands after handling menthol crystal to avoid spreading it on delicate areas such as the eyes!