
NOTE: The photo shown for this product is not an exact representation of the product which is made up of clear, almost transparent shards of various lengths and widths. (posted 8/15/22)
These crystals offer a wonderful, penetrating odor resembling that of peppermint. A little goes a long way! The crystals are soluble in alcohol, essential oils and vegetable/nut oils. The crystals contains not less than 99.4% menthol. The crystals are extracted by freezing the oil of Mentha Arvensis and are produced without synthetic solvents. Suggested uses: Add some crystals to a warm carrier oil and use as an invigorating massage rub, great for sprains and cramps. Put some crystals in a small container and inhale them as a nasal decongestant as needed, do not place near the eyes.
Sold by weight. Menthol Crystals (from Mentha arvensis), steam distilled. These are clear, colorless, crystals/shards/stones with a wonderful, penetrating odor resembling that of peppermint. The crystals are soluble in alcohol, essential oils and vegetable/nut oils, but almost insoluble in water and glycerin. The use of Polysorbate 20 is recommended for water applications (1 part menthol to 3-4 parts Polysorbate 20). Melting point 41 C to 44 C (105.8 F to 111.2 F), boils at 212 C (413.6 F). Menthol crystals start to evaporate at 21 C (70 F). The crystals contains not less than 99.4% menthol.
WHAT YOU MAY EXPECT DURING HOT TRANSPORT TEMPERATURES: You may find that the loose crystals have melted while in transit to you, they may arrive totally or partially liquid. Place the container in a cool place and the product will quickly return to a partially solid form. You will not be able to re-create the crystals as shipped by us, the product will now be a partially solid product which you must break up by banging on a counter the plastic bag in which they were shipped or by gently hitting the bag with a rubber mallet. We will not accept returns because you received melted, partially melted or solid menthol crystals NOT in loose crystal form. We have no control over temperatures while in transit to you, when this product left our air-conditioned warehouse it was in its loose usual form. Be sure you understand this before you order during hot weather, we are located in hot SW Florida.
Sizes of the crystals: Pieces are in small, medium and large crystal form. We will not accept returns because you believe you can’t work with this product in the sizes of the pieces provided. If this concerns you, we suggest you initially order a small amount of this product so you can see it firsthand; however, what you may receive today may not resemble what you may receive weeks later. Menthol is the chief constituent of mint oil; it is responsible for its odor and taste and the "cooling sensation" when applied to the skin and mucosal surfaces. Mentha piperita contains up to 50% menthol and Mentha arvensis contains 70-80% menthol. Menthol crystals should be kept in a cool place in a well-capped container. Menthol is obtained by subjecting the distilled oil of mint to a temperature of -22 C, (-7.6 F.) by the aid of a freezing mixture. The menthol crystallizes out in satiny crystals and the mother liquor is removed while the low temperature is maintained.
Menthol and its derivatives can also be added to various peppermint-type compositions to enhance the cooling and freshening effects. Menthol is used in pharmaceutical, confectionery and flavoring industries. In ointments, liniments, and solutions menthol crystals are employed in strengths ranging from 5 to 20 per cent. The crystals are commonly applied to cosmetics, salves and balms which are created to assist in coughs, congestion, upper respiratory problems, and the flu. Menthol crystals are great inhalants by themselves and are easily combined into recipes. Add several drops to a bowl of hot, steamy water and carefully inhale the soothing vapors through the mouth and nose for stuffiness and bronchitis. Once you have converted the crystals to liquid, use a few drops on the tiles of the walls surrounding your shower (not on the floor!) and the menthol will be released by the steam created by the hot water. Externally, it is employed as a local analgesic. Diluted and rubbed on the skin, it produces a sensation of cold, followed by numbness and partial anesthesia; it first stimulates the nerves, conveying the sensation of cold, and later penetrates the skin and paralyzes the nerve endings. Known ingredients of Vicks VapoRub: Camphor, menthol, eucalyptus, cedarleaf, nutmeg, thymol and turpentine.
Because menthol and alcohol are very strong it is important to keep the temp no higher than 41deg. C (106 deg. F). Menthol crystals start to evaporate at 21 deg. C (70 deg. F) so you will get a whiff just before they hit that melt point. Best to remove and let them finish melting off heat to avoid the vapors.
If used in soapmaking, it might be best to put them in the oil phase so that they don't interfere with the action of the lye in the water phase. In whatever recipe you will use menthol crystals, make sure they are well stirred and dissolved to avoid skin reactions.
Statement from the manufacturer of our Menthol Crystals: Menthol Crystals manufactured and supplied by us are 100% natural and pure. The crystals are extracted by freezing the oil of Mentha Arvensis. Our Menthol crystals are not synthetic and are produced without synthetic solvents. The crystals do not contain any chemicals, pesticides or alcohol, they're GMO free. Country of origin: India
OUT OF STOCK ISSUES: If a customer orders a large quantity of a product and all of the product is not in stock when the order is entered into our system, once the new stock arrives we will ship separately whatever quantity we may owe the customer. Most of our restocking orders arrive at our warehouse 5-7 business days after we place a restocking order, sometimes sooner. Should the distiller or vendor inform us restocking will take longer than 7 business days, we’ll promptly notify the customer.
Please note that we do not allow order cancellations for any reason and we don’t allow removal/cancellations of products which become partially or completely out of stock after the customer places an order.
Raw materials/ingredients are dispensed by weight. Many customers ask how many ounces in a pound, there are 16 ounces in one pound. These are not fluid ounces, they are ounces by weight.
EO = essential oil
FO = fragrance oil
Our containers are filled with products to where our commercial digital scales indicate the container should be filled. Some containers will be filled to the top, some will not.
HOW OILS ARE DISPENSED: All our products are dispensed by weight. EO's in 8 oz. through 2 lbs. - amber plastic pharmaceutical-grade bottle. EO's in 5 and 10 lbs. - heavy duty plastic container w/pouring spout, the oil may remain inside the container at least 2 months. EO's in sizes of 25+ lbs. - industry-standard metal or plastic can with a pouring spout, the oil may remain inside the metal can indefinitely and up to 2 months in the plastic pail. It's our decision in which type of pail we dispense the product, metal cans are not readily available. CARRIER OILS - plastic bottles/pails depending on the size ordered, do not need to be transferred to glass unless you wish to do so. FO's - in plastic containers, contents do not need to be transferred to glass unless you wish to do so.
Essential oils in sizes from ½ oz. to 4 oz. are dispensed in amber glass bottles without orifice reducers or glass droppers. If we ever run out of amber glass bottles, we reserve the right to use any other glass bottle available at that time. The only sizes of EO's dispensed with orifice reducers are 1/32, 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 oz. sizes. If you require bottles/vials with orifice reducers or Eurodroppers, we sell those separately.
HOW TO STORE: Upon receipt, EO's dispensed in plastic bottles MUST be transferred into amber glass bottles. EO's, FO's and BUTTERS should be stored in tightly-sealed containers away from direct light and heat. Many oils could be highly flammable, keep away from open flames. Refrigerating butters could adversely affect the consistency of the butter, please join our Forum if you need to learn how to handle and store products.
S&H QUOTES: Our cart provides all S&H quotes. Please look for the link to enter your zip code and obtain a quote. Shipments weighing over 120 lbs. will not be quoted final S&H by our cart, you’ll be quoted a minimum for which you’ll pay during checkout. We’ll charge the balance due, if any, to the card on file. If you paid with PayPal, we’ll ask you to disburse the amount due, if any, before we ship. S&H provided by our cart is always an estimate, please review our Shipping Policies page if you need more information. We do not accept or allow order cancellations because the customer doesn’t agree to final S&H, please be sure you understand this before finalizing an order.