15 Amazing Uses For One Common Essential Oil Everyone Loves

Mosquito repellent. Woman spraying insect repellent on skin

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2. Natural Bug Repellent

One interesting fact about spiders is that they have taste buds on the tips of their legs. This is why you will see spiders poke in front of them with their legs. Another interesting fact is that, for some reason, spiders hate the scent (and apparently the taste) of peppermint. In a spray bottle, add 12 ounces of witch hazel and 50 drops of peppermint essential oil. Shake well and spray everywhere you don’t want spiders. This also works with ants and flies, as they don’t appear to be too fond of peppermint either.

3. Fever Reducer

Peppermint has a cooling effect when applied to the skin, which makes it the perfect way to reduce fevers, especially for children. Mix 4 drops of peppermint essential oil in two tablespoons of coconut oil and rub it on your child’s neck, chest, and the bottoms of their feet to reduce fevers fast. This is a much better alternative to using aspirin or other fever reducers.

4. Increase Concentration

You might have heard, or even seen, people suck on peppermint candies before they take a test. There is good reason for this! The University of Cincinnati conducted a study in 1990 that found that just smelling peppermint helped subjects to better concentrate, and therefore do better on their exams, than those who did not smell peppermint. So if you are about to take a test or need to improve your concentration level, go ahead and take a few peppermint candies with you, or bring a bottle of peppermint oil and take some deep breaths before and during the exam.

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