OT:What is the difference b/t peppermint essential oil and peppermint oil

Some recipes may call for peppermint oil that is used for baking, but the peppermint oils you find in your grocer’s baking aisle generally have additional ingredients such as alcohol, water, preservatives, etc. If your recipe calls for a certain amount of drops of peppermint oil (say, 5-6 drops), they probably mean peppermint essential oil.

Essential oils are natural oils that are usually extracted directly from a plant by steam distillation. This provides a pure, concentrated fragrance from the plant. Using essential oils for lotions, lip balms, and other personal care products gives you a natural, healthy alternative to many chemical-laden products on the market in retail stores. Purchasing a small bottle of peppermint essential oil would, in my opinion, be well worth the price.

If you search “essential oil” on this forum, you’ll find some good threads with recommendations on where to purchase essential oils. Some of them even offer free shipping, especially at this time of year.

HTH,

Sue