Wintergreen Essential Oil (Methyl Salicylate)

 

Facts and Uses

WINTERGREEN ESSENTIAL OIL (Methyl Salicylate) – With a minty and somewhat earthy aroma, Wintergreen Oil may bring relief to muscles too tense to relax. Containing high levels of methyl salicylate, which is comparable to salicylic acid in aspirin, it has analgesic, antiseptic and astringent properties and is known as a counterirritant to treat minor aches and pains of the muscles/joints. It works by causing the skin to feel cool and then warm. These feelings on the skin distract you from feeling the aches/pains deeper in your muscles, joints, and tendons. As a natural astringent and antiseptic, when applied directly to the skin with carrier oil, it is able to fight inflammation from blemishes and skin disorders. In lesser concentrations, it is used to give a wintergreen flavour or smell to foods and fragrances.

  • as a rubefacient (a substance for external application that produces redness of the skin) in deep heating liniments.
  • it is also used to provide fragrance to various products and as an odor masking agent for some pesticides.
  • for use in a warming massage.
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