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View Full Version : Anyone try peppermint for hair growth?



Arden
August 9th, 2012, 09:55 PM
I was just curious. Several months back I started using Dr Bronners Castel soap to wash my hair. I was also alternating ACV and lemon rinse and occassionally doing a conditioner....

I did this for quiet awhile but noticed that my hair was looking on the dull side so I started experimenting with organic / sulfate free shampoo's and low or no cone conditioners....

I had a very intresting observation. When I was using the Dr Bronners my hair was growing super fast. Like I had on average an inch a month. Now because I was also starting to grow out my hair around the same time the rapid growth didnt seem really out of the ordinary because before I really had not paid attention to how quickly or not quickly it growed... but from say April to June I really got close to 4 inches. In July I stopped using the bronners and started the other products. My hair all of a sudden seemed to stop growing. I took pictures sometime in June for the sake of a visual referance and since then I can not tell that my length has increase at all. Additionally I have noticed a larger "fall out" ...much more hair loss....

I got curious and looked up peppermint. The Dr Bronners I was useing was the traditional peppermint soap. Sure enough there where references online to peppermint being good for growing hair.

Has anyone else used peppemint for hair growth?

Do you think that might have been what was making my hair grow so much / not shead so bad?

Or do you think it might have been somthing else I was doing?

Any thoughts would be apprciated :)

SerinaDaith
August 9th, 2012, 10:00 PM
I had made my own coconut oil, fresh mint concoction and was using it regularly from May till last month. I didn't pack it with me in my toiletry bag when we moved so it ended up in storage but I was getting about an inch a month growth while I was using it regularly, now I am stalling big time. Perhaps I need to remake my mix and see if that doesn't get my growth going again. Thanks for this feed, I hadn't thought about this being part of my growth factors.

Kaelee
August 9th, 2012, 10:05 PM
Funny I was just thinking about getting some peppermint shampoo or deep conditioner. I remember a product that St. Ives used to make called Hair Repair, I used it years ago and now they don't make it anymore. :( I was just thinking the peppermint would feel really good on my scalp but if it helps growth, all the better!

Pearly~91
August 9th, 2012, 10:09 PM
I have no idea if Peppermint does affect hair growth, but I was just thinking about this last night, as I did my first SMT with a new conditioner that has tea-tree oil and peppermint and was laying in bed with the SMT on and wondering if the mint would have an effect on growth rates. So thanks for creating this thread, I will watch it closely to see what people have to say. :D

Arden
August 9th, 2012, 10:12 PM
I had made my own coconut oil, fresh mint concoction and was using it regularly from May till last month. I didn't pack it with me in my toiletry bag when we moved so it ended up in storage but I was getting about an inch a month growth while I was using it regularly, now I am stalling big time. Perhaps I need to remake my mix and see if that doesn't get my growth going again. Thanks for this feed, I hadn't thought about this being part of my growth factors.


I would be intrested to know. Sounds VERY much like my situation... Dr Bronners soaps have a very high concentration of very nice quality essential oils and it seems rather intrestings that both of us used peppermint products and had rapid growth and then the growth all of a sudden slowed down or stopped when we stopped using it...

I'm going to start back using the Dr Bronners / ACV / and i'm also going to add this new peppermint leave in product I got to try from them.. i'll let you know if my hair growth picks back up when I switch back...

I also am growing rosemary, peppermint and spearmint... among many other things right now... I may start experimenting with concoctions from the fresh herbs as well...

Years ago I used rosemary mint shampoo and loved it... but I always assumed the nice hair after effect had more to do with the rosemary and the mint was just to make it smell good... Bonus if the smell good works better for practical use, right? LOL

Arden
August 9th, 2012, 10:16 PM
Oh and just to give you a visual example. I got my hair cut March 31st and it was maybe just an inch below shoulder... my siggy pic was taken June 25th, just around the time I started switching around my products. Today is August 10 and I can not tell that my hair has gotten much if any longer since I stopped washing my hair with the DR. B's peppermint soap....

Bunnysaur
August 9th, 2012, 10:18 PM
I have both peppermint oil and tea tree oil in my mix, and it's seemed to really help with growth. Plus, the tingly feeling is fantastic!

SerinaDaith
August 9th, 2012, 10:24 PM
I always thought I was weird for craving minty hair, I am so glad I am not alone!

Perididdle
August 9th, 2012, 10:27 PM
Those of you doing oil + mint mixes, is this on your scalp? I'm curious, quite curious...

SerinaDaith
August 9th, 2012, 10:51 PM
Scalp and length for me.

SerinaDaith
August 9th, 2012, 10:54 PM
I do live in a semi arid climate so my skin and scalp dry out very quickly even with stretching washes I CWC then follow with a drop of oil on damp hair and scalp. It helps keep my scalp from getting dry and itchy longer and my hair ends up being super soft, wavy and curly.

akilina
August 9th, 2012, 11:11 PM
I put peppermint oil in my castor oil mix for my scalp. Also, I put a ton of other stimulating EOs :] I love the tingle, and anything stimulating can't be bad, as long as you do not over do it.
I think a peppermint tea rinse sounds very refreshing!

Dang3rousB3auty
August 10th, 2012, 03:02 PM
I definitely would think peppermint helps because it's so invigorating for your scalp and helps the blood to flow. I have this stuff I bought from the salon a while back and it was a scalp refresher and it was heavy on the minty/eucalyptus. I didn't really like it for the purpose of refreshing my scalp because of the weird residue it left, but I could prob use it now like a tingly hair tonic to help with growth.

I love the smell of peppermint so I wouldn't mind it all over me! :P

Kaelee
August 10th, 2012, 04:20 PM
I'm definitely trying this soon. I currently get less than 1/2'' growth a month, I'll reportback when I try it!!

Does the smell of the peppermint stay in your hair? I want to get some peppermint shampoo and maybe also deep condish and I'm wondering how much the smell will stay with me?

IndigoOptimist
August 10th, 2012, 05:14 PM
Ooooooo, sounds interesting... I may have to go out and get some peppermint oil, I love the smell of mint! My mum used to use a really strong smelling mint shampoo on me as a kid, it smelt AMAZING and made my scalp tingle :D

march_sun
August 10th, 2012, 05:36 PM
Interesting. I sometimes use my husbands paul mitchell tea tree and peppermint shampoo. (it feels great on my scalp but is too drying) It must stimulate the scalp and increase circulation.

Trish in SC
August 10th, 2012, 06:31 PM
Wondering which soap you used? The liquid hand soap? I have a little sample bottle that is called "18-in-1 Hemp Lavender Pure Castile Soap." Is this the type you used?

Speaking of type, the words on this bottle are so small I can't read some of it! I can see the ingredients, though, and it's full of essential oils.

Arden
August 10th, 2012, 06:54 PM
Wondering which soap you used? The liquid hand soap? I have a little sample bottle that is called "18-in-1 Hemp Lavender Pure Castile Soap." Is this the type you used?

Speaking of type, the words on this bottle are so small I can't read some of it! I can see the ingredients, though, and it's full of essential oils.

Dr Bronners 18-in-1 peppermint castel soap. It is the first and origonal Dr Bronners. All the new "flavors" they make are ok I guess... I have the rose and the baby unscented stuff as well. I got the baby for my kids and my husband who says he dislikes that the peppermint tingels his "nether regions" LOL ....I kind of like the tingel myself.... :D

The rose is not acctually rose EO but a blend (I'm thinking probably rose gerainium with something else) ....which isnt suprising considering how enormously expensive Rose EO is... it takes thousands of flowers just to get a drams worth... I like the rose as a night wash... hands and face before bed.. and the peppermint for my morning shower.

The 18-in-1 lavender soap I dont really like but I'm fairly certian that they use Lavendin instead of Lavender in that.... they're both EO's but diffrent plants

I love love LOVE Dr Bronners though in general. They are a family company founded by Dr Emmanuel Bronner who was a 5th generation jewish german soap maker. All the little words on your bottle are parts of his "moral ABC" ....he was a little kooky but a real visionary in the truest sense of the word.

His grandchildren now run the company and they are very big into political things. They are very much activist who's intrest range from Non-GMO / GMO food labling, Fair Trade, Regulatory issues regarding the use of the misuse of term "organic" .... etc etc.... They are ethical, responcable, support so many human intrest causes, pay a fair living wage to all there employees and have even capped there own salaries. Just a fantastic company and genuinely hugh hearted people who are everything a company should strive to be.

Arden
August 10th, 2012, 06:58 PM
Oh and since I'm thinking about it anyway.. Today when I did my wash I first soaked my hair in the leave-in peppermint conditioner. Then I used the peppermint soap and washed my hair. I followed up with the shikaki citrus rinse....

I cant tell you how my hair has turned out yet though because it's still wet from the wash. It probably wont be dry till morning. but I will say this much... I smell good! :D



....I'll let you know in a few days how the leave in cream is working for me.... and I'll keep you guys updated on if my hair starts growing like a weed again :)

pepperminttea
August 10th, 2012, 07:14 PM
I've tried peppermint tea rinses before, but they left my hair with a film-y residue which I wasn't a fan of. Not tried the oil besides for scenting things though, I'll have to look into that! :)

WaitingSoLong
August 10th, 2012, 08:03 PM
I definitely would think peppermint helps because it's so invigorating for your scalp and helps the blood to flow.

I love the smell of peppermint so I wouldn't mind it all over me! :P

All of this.

I have pepperment EO and it has just been sitting on my shelf! Agh!

I recently started (about a month ago) doing scalp oil with massage the night before I wash my hair. Preliminary results are that it has helped my hair growth (I do this twice a week). I hate to add peppermint to the mix before I make a conclusion about the current method (I am all for trying things methodically) but the thought of pepperminty scalp sounds VERY tempting. However, my current oil mix has a heavy fruity/herbal smell and I think it would clash.

I am thinking I could add it to my leave-in, or my shampoo or conditioner maybe. I only have this tiny little vial, though...

I once had a shampoo that was pepperminty (I distinctly recall this was right around the time I joined TLHC) and had caffeine in it. I always wondered what caffeine could do applied topically? I assume the same as everythign else, stimulate the scalp?

Arden
August 10th, 2012, 09:47 PM
Oh and since I'm thinking about it anyway.. Today when I did my wash I first soaked my hair in the leave-in peppermint conditioner. Then I used the peppermint soap and washed my hair. I followed up with the shikaki citrus rinse....

I cant tell you how my hair has turned out yet though because it's still wet from the wash. It probably wont be dry till morning. but I will say this much... I smell good! :D



....I'll let you know in a few days how the leave in cream is working for me.... and I'll keep you guys updated on if my hair starts growing like a weed again :)


My hair is still not compleatly dry yet but I have the distinct feeling right now that washing and lemon rinsing my hair tonight still didnt get all the leave in conditioner out.... To be fair I did soak my hair in the stuff.... but I can still strongly smell the peppermint even after useing the soap and rinse.... I'm even more curious now how my hair is going to turn out tommorow..... I will say this much... closer to the scalp it's much dryer than at the ends because I wrapped it up in a bun after my bath.... when I took it down and felt closer to the scalp away from where it's still damp it feels like downy soft

TheMechaGinger
August 10th, 2012, 10:04 PM
Well I make a coconut oil and peppermint oil mix to rub into my scalp a couple times a month, not for specific growth reasons I just love the way it feels :]

earthnut
August 11th, 2012, 12:03 AM
I used dr bronners on my hair for a while too and had terrific buildup. (I wouldn't be surprised if that was your dullness) It was awful and I'll never use bronners on my hair (or my clothes) again.

Why don't you keep what you're doing now, and add a peppermint rinse? That'll really tell you if it's the peppermint or something else. If you change too many things at once, you can't tell what's doing what.

It might also have been the acidic rinses, especially if you worked them into the scalp.

Arden
August 11th, 2012, 12:11 AM
I used dr bronners on my hair for a while too and had terrific buildup. (I wouldn't be surprised if that was your dullness) It was awful and I'll never use bronners on my hair (or my clothes) again.

Why don't you keep what you're doing now, and add a peppermint rinse? That'll really tell you if it's the peppermint or something else. If you change too many things at once, you can't tell what's doing what.

It might also have been the acidic rinses, especially if you worked them into the scalp.

Well I dont think it was the rinses because I never really stopped doing them.... and part of the reason I decided to go back to the bronners wasnt just because of the growth... the stuff I was using started making my scalp act up....

I cant go back to the old ways of doing things though. I used a commerical conditioner with cones the other day and I could acctually feel the cones... it was icky, like I had put lotion on my hair.... I ended up rewashing my hair just to get the icky feeling off and threw the bottle away.

There has got to be some way to get the best of both worlds... I dont doubt that "build up" was an issue... but when I was doing the bronners before I would use a clarifying shampoo about once every month or so to help with that....

AcornMystic
August 11th, 2012, 12:23 AM
I definitely would think peppermint helps because it's so invigorating for your scalp and helps the blood to flow. I have this stuff I bought from the salon a while back and it was a scalp refresher and it was heavy on the minty/eucalyptus. I didn't really like it for the purpose of refreshing my scalp because of the weird residue it left, but I could prob use it now like a tingly hair tonic to help with growth.

I love the smell of peppermint so I wouldn't mind it all over me! :P

hah, basically what I was going to say. Mint is used as a stimulant to encourage blood circulation. It is used for medical purposes partially because of this.

I had gotten some mint extract from a friend a while ago because he doesn't use mint enough to be worth keeping it. I am wondering if that would work the same... I'd use it in between my monistat scalp treatments! ^.^