19 replies to this topic

[Jofo]

My nose has been extremely oily for years. 6 months ago I started experimenting with topical peppermint oil after reading the experiences of some users on this forum and a few others. For those 6 months, I applied diluted peppermint oil to the left side of my nose once a day every day. I applied it to only the left side so I could compare oil output between the two sides of my nose.

I should note that I started taking low-dose Accutane several months ago to curb my oil production, but occasionally I run into a snag where I don't have access to my Accutane pills and my oiliness starts to re-emerge. It's during these relapse periods when I can use blotting sheets to test the amount of oil on my nose.

And now, 6 months after I first started applying peppermint oil, the left side of my nose consistently produces less oil than the right side of my nose. I would estimate the oil production has been cut in half. Actually, I'm not sure if it's less oil or if my skin is producing oil at a slower rate, but either way it's an improvement. Here is a picture of a blotting sheet comparing the difference: http://i.minus.com/ibth0t5l1rppm9.jpg

It's not the greatest quality picture but you should be able to tell a difference between the oil on the two sides of the sheet. I'll try to get better pictures later.

When I first started researching the use of peppermint oil for sebum reduction, I kept asking myself, "Why aren't more people trying this?" It appeared to have a high success rate. I've even seen people claim to get results in a matter of weeks. Here is one thread about it from 2007: http://www.acne.org/...-reduces-sebum/

I'm making this thread to encourage other oily people to experiment with peppermint oil. I would love to get other people experimenting and compile all the results here in one thread. Peppermint oil could prove to be an actual solution to oily skin for a lot of people.

It's not a big hassle. I just made it a part of my daily routine. I dip a finger into the solution and gently massage it into my skin once a day. Takes a grand total of 30-60 seconds every day.

Now I know some of you might scoff at the 6-month timeframe, click the Back button on your browser, and continue searching for that magical quick fix to your grotesquely oily skin. Let me save you some time: the only quick fixes are Accutane, B5 megadoses, and maybe diet changes. And those first two have a whole bunch of potential side-effects that go along with them, not to mention an Accutane prescription is really difficult to obtain unless you have a serious case of acne. No, peppermint oil is not a quick fix, but it could be a long-term solution.

For reference, I bought the NOW brand of peppermint oil. I'm sure other brands will work fine too, but NOW is what I use. If you guys are struggling with oily skin and are desperately looking for a solution that doesn't involve dangerous drugs, you should really give peppermint oil a try for a few months. Just do it on the side as you look for other remedies. That's what I did. I hardly even thought about it. I just put the oil on my nose every day and checked up on my progress every month or so. Don't get eager for results.

I'm not usually one to evangelize about a product, but I have seen the results with my own eyes and I firmly believe peppermint oil is well worth testing out for oily skinned people. It may be one of the only real remedies available to us. As for me, I'm going to continue using peppermint oil and see if my oil output decreases even further.

[paigems]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I remember reading the thread you linked a little while ago. I'm not sure why I didn't pay more attention to it, maybe because a lot of the people trying it also said it was rather irritating and my skin is sensitive. Are you applying it straight or diluting it? Also, are you applying it at night or in the day?

[Jofo]

It does burn for a minute or two if you don't dilute it enough. I don't know the exact ratio of water to peppermint oil that I use, but it's probably something like 15:1. I water down the solution until it doesn't burn my skin upon application. I've never noticed any adverse reactions aside from that initial burning. It's worth a shot at least to see how your skin reacts.

I usually apply it at night, but occasionally I forget so I apply it the next day. Doesn't matter when you do it. The only reason I don't apply the peppermint oil both in the day and at night is that I experiment with some other products during the day, but applying it twice a day would probably yield quicker results.

[AlexLWJ]

Hey Jofo,

so are you still applying the peppermint oil to your nose?
does it still decreasing the oil on it?

and do you apply it on the entire face or only the nose to test out?

lastly, do you have acne? does peppermint oil cause acne/clog pores?

THANKS!!

Edited by AlexLWJ, 11 April 2012 - 08:04 AM.

[mjill1245]

You might consider T-N-T tea tree n Tamanu oil. It has drying ( tea tree) yet moisturizing ( tamanu) properties. I love it and it's the bomb at diminishing my scaring from the breakouts. I found it through mybluedolphinsoap online. They also have a great soap called RESTORZ for skin challenges. Best regards and be well.

[AuguriesofInnocence]

I read that drinking spearmint tea can also reduce oiliness in both sexes...coincidence?Im going to give it a try, it cant hurt. 3 cups to start with, I like mint anyway.

[Jofo]

Hey Jofo,

so are you still applying the peppermint oil to your nose?
does it still decreasing the oil on it?

and do you apply it on the entire face or only the nose to test out?

lastly, do you have acne? does peppermint oil cause acne/clog pores?

THANKS!!

Sorry for the late reply, Alex. I have slipped a bit on applying the peppermint oil lately but I still try to do it, yes. I'm doing it on my whole nose now because I'm convinced by my own results. My acne is almost non-existent right now, but I can thank the low-dose Accutane for that. Peppermint can be irritating to some people's skin at first, in which case they have to give their skin time to get acclimated. I dilute my solution quite a bit, as I mentioned in a previous post.

Also, here is a picture I took today of another blotting sheet I used on my nose:

http://i.minus.com/ibfQ3ogHXmrVzD.jpg

Like the first picture I posted, there is an obvious uneven distribution of oil between the left and right side. I strongly encourage people to try this out.

Edited by Jofo, 23 April 2012 - 05:12 PM.

[Obii]

Just received my peppermint oil today and will be testing it out! How do you know exactly how much you're diluting? I know you said 15:1, so I understand that there's a lot more water than oil. I'll probably just put a small but measurable amount into a container and then put 10-15x as much water into it.

Edit: Also, how do you fit it into your routine? I'm using proactiv right now, and you're supposed to leave the last step on overnight. Should I just replace that last step, or use it afterwards?

Thanks a bunch for making this thread, it inspired me to try it!

Edited by Obii, 25 April 2012 - 08:50 PM.

[Jofo]

Obii, I'm glad to hear you're trying it out! Remember not to expect quick results. The 15:1 ratio was just a guesstimate. I have a small plastic vial that's about half the size of the bottle that the peppermint oil comes in. I fill it up halfway with water and add two drops of peppermint oil. It's not important to be real precise with the measurements, as long as the solution isn't burning your skin off

If it were me, I would apply the peppermint oil before or after the Proactiv stuff. Since the peppermint oil dries pretty quickly and doesn't leave any residue on your skin, it shouldn't interfere with other products you're using.

[Obii]

LOLOL so, I tried it this afternoon, had it diluted a little more than 10:1, and boy oh boy, that was the worst burning I've ever experienced on my face! I just dipped two fingers into the solution and spread it all over. I literally couldn't see for a minute or two because I couldn't open my eyes. An hour later, however, my skin is pretty dry and feels pretty tight, probably because I just "overdosed" on the stuff. I'm extremely happy that it doesn't leave a residue, which was my main problem with other products. I diluted it to around 25:1 now, so we'll see how that goes tomorrow morning.

Again, I won't expect quick results from this, but day 1 seems hopeful other than the massive burning.

Why didn't you warn me???

Edited by Obii, 28 April 2012 - 04:19 PM.

[jsmithson]

My nose has been extremely oily for years. 6 months ago I started experimenting with topical peppermint oil after reading the experiences of some users on this forum and a few others. For those 6 months, I applied diluted peppermint oil to the left side of my nose once a day every day. I applied it to only the left side so I could compare oil output between the two sides of my nose.

Fantastic work jofo! I love your experiment. The only problem is you now have a lop sided nose (oil wise)! hehe

Until you mentioned it, I hadn't heard about peppermint oil. I've jumped on the band wagon: I got some from the local health food store. I mixed it 5% by weight into my daily moisturiser. Boy does it smell! And the eyes do water for a few minutes (if I leave them open!)

I'll report back in a few weeks...

Again, I won't expect quick results from this, but day 1 seems hopeful other than the massive burning.

Obii I get the same intense sensation as you. I looked it up and I think it's from menthol. Menthol activates the cold receptors in the skin. So it's not actually a burning feeling, it's an intense freezing feeling! But it's not actually burning / freezing - it just feels like it - so you're probably fine...

[Jofo]

LOLOL so, I tried it this afternoon, had it diluted a little more than 10:1, and boy oh boy, that was the worst burning I've ever experienced on my face! I just dipped two fingers into the solution and spread it all over. I literally couldn't see for a minute or two because I couldn't open my eyes. An hour later, however, my skin is pretty dry and feels pretty tight, probably because I just "overdosed" on the stuff. I'm extremely happy that it doesn't leave a residue, which was my main problem with other products. I diluted it to around 25:1 now, so we'll see how that goes tomorrow morning.

Again, I won't expect quick results from this, but day 1 seems hopeful other than the massive burning.

Why didn't you warn me???

I guess I should have put more emphasis on the burning aspect of peppermint oil. Sorry!

Let me do that now: peppermint oil can burn, people. Or freeze, as jsmithson put it. When you are first starting out, dilute the mixture heavily and do a test patch on one part of your skin to see how you handle it. If it's too intense, dilute even more. It shouldn't be painful.

[Obii]

Obii I get the same intense sensation as you. I looked it up and I think it's from menthol. Menthol activates the cold receptors in the skin. So it's not actually a burning feeling, it's an intense freezing feeling! But it's not actually burning / freezing - it just feels like it - so you're probably fine...

That's neat. Do you put it right under your eyes also? It's truly a huge pain, in order for my eyes not to water I'd have to close them for 10 minutes or so. I may try some different things to reduce the burning and the watery eyes, maybe by not applying it to the area directly under them or something. I've diluted it to around 50:1 now and it still burns like crazy.

I guess I should have put more emphasis on the burning aspect of peppermint oil. Sorry!

Let me do that now: peppermint oil can burn, people. Or freeze, as jsmithson put it. When you are first starting out, dilute the mixture heavily and do a test patch on one part of your skin to see how you handle it. If it's too intense, dilute even more. It shouldn't be painful.

'Twas a joke, you said it would definitely burn, haha.

@Smithson, if you have the time, I think it'd be worth it for us both to do some "proper" scientific testing here. I'm going to take pictures of blotting sheets used on my forehead and cheeks as time progresses, maybe every week or so. With the 3 of us combining results, I think we could have some valuable evidence of it's efficacy, granted it does work.

[paigems]

I've been trying this for about 2 weeks now, and I had to stop. I was diluting the peppermint oil until it didn't sting upon application. It did seem to help with the oil production, but stash peppermint teas does that for me too. The reason why I had to stop is it's been breaking me out so badly. Not in huge cysts or anything, but tiny little whiteheads all of the place. My skin usually doesn't break out since taking accutane so something's up. Not sure if it's irriation of actually clogging my pores, but I won't be using it anymore.

[Obii]

Yea, unfortunately I had to stop it too. I was starting to break out with a bunch of whiteheads, I think it was clogging my pores. Unfortunate :/

[Jofo]

Hey guys, sorry to hear about the bad reactions. I don't think I've ever heard of peppermint oil causing whiteheads, but everyone's skin responds differently to products. I hope this doesn't discourage other people from giving peppermint oil a shot, because the more people that experiment with peppermint oil, the closer we get to finding a cure for oily skin.

One other fringe benefit of peppermint oil that I forgot to mention is that it seems to do a pretty respectable job of reducing blackheads. The pores on the left side of my nose (the peppermint oil side) look noticeably better than the rest of my nose. I haven't really paid attention to anything besides oil production throughout this experiment, so I can't say how long it took for my pores to start looking cleaner, but the effects are worth talking about. I'll see if I can capture the difference with a picture later.

[Jofo]

Thought I would update this thread with a couple more pictures showing the lopsided oil output on my nose:

http://i.minus.com/igbcQnRpusbOn.png
http://i.minus.com/ikKy8VEpIAtqO.png

And for comparison, this is what my oil distribution used to look like around the time I first began using peppermint oil:
http://i.minus.com/iMDT6brLtCHBV.JPG

I'm hoping people will still be willing to jump on board with this experiment. I know peppermint oil can be irritating to the skin if it is not diluted enough, but I really think it is a worthwhile product.

Edited by Jofo, 06 January 2013 - 12:45 AM.

[FredTheBelgian]

Peppermint is highly estrogenic and not suitable for men, but thanks for sharing.

[Jofo]

Peppermint is highly estrogenic and not suitable for men, but thanks for sharing.

If there were evidence that small amounts of topical peppermint oil had negative effects for men, I would echo that warning. But I don't see any reason to think that. Ingesting large amounts of peppermint orally has been known to cause estrogenic effects, but there is no compelling reason to assume that small amounts applied to the skin will mess up your hormones. I've been doing it for over a year and haven't noticed any side effects.

[FredTheBelgian]

Good for you, if you notice any side-effect, it's already too late (ie growing boobs).