Storage Methods for Spearmint Essential Oil and the Differences Between Spearmint and Mint

How should spearmint essential oil be stored to maintain its quality and potency without loss? In what ways do spearmint and mint differ?

How to store spearmint essential oil:

Essential oils are very easily affected by damp heat, light, air and other factors and thus deteriorate. Therefore, the container for storing essential oil must be a dark glass bottle with a child-safe cap, and it is best kept at 16°C. Among these, citrus, rose and jasmine essential oils are especially sensitive to light, so they are best stored in the refrigerator; take them out 1 hour before use and wait until they return to 16°C before using.

 For unopened pure essential oils, depending on the type of essential oil, the shelf life can be as long as 3 to 10 years; for opened pure essential oils, if stored well, they can be kept for at least 2 years; the shelf life of blended essential oils cannot exceed 1 year because the carrier oil will deteriorate.

Differences Between Spearmint and Mint

1. Differences in the stem

The stem of spearmint is a bit longer, has no hairs on it, and is mostly green in color, with leaf grooves and stripes; undeveloped branches grow close to the ground.

The stem of mint is somewhat shorter, has concave grooves, and is also covered with many soft hairs, and it has many branches.

2. Differences in the leaves

Spearmint leaves have no petiole, are ovate-oblong or lanceolate in shape, are relatively pointed at the front and somewhat rounded at the base, and have serrated leaf edges; the upper side is green and the lower side is grayish-green.

Mint leaves are oblong-lanceolate and have a little soft hair.

3. Differences in the flowers

Spearmint flowers grow on the stem or on the upper part of the branches, and their color is purple or white.

Mint flowers are relatively small, and their color is purple.