**In this post we are going to be making a rollerball blend that can help offer a soothing aroma that helps promote relaxation!**

*This blend contains a mixture of 4 essential oils inside of a menthol infused carrier oil.*

Rollerball Blend for Headaches

This post may contain links but they are not affiliate links. I am not in any sort of affiliate program at this time. They are links to things I actually use. All formulations shared on this blog have been formulated for personal use only, not for resale.

Let me introduce you to one of my (current) favorite raw ingredients, Menthol Crystals. I will admit when I first started working with them it was a bit intimidating to say the least but now I find myself trying to include them in as many of my personal formulations.

They help provide a soothing effect to the skin while developing the senses in a cooling aroma, but what are they?

What are Menthol Crystals?

Simply put they are the concentrated form of menthol.

Menthol is the natural substance derived from mint plants but predominantly from the peppermint & spearmint varieties. They are used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals food as well as aromatherapy practices

According to one manufacturer menthol crystals contain not less than 99.4% menthol

How are They Formed/Extracted?

Here is a simplified process of the menthol extraction

Extraction: The mint oil is extracted from the leaves through steam distillation. This process separates the essential oil from the plant material
Crystallization: The extracted oil is cooled & allow to undergo crystallization which is when the menthol separated from the oil & forms crystalline structures
Purification: The crystals are filtered to remove any remaining impurities or oils

What we have left are these powerful pieces of medicine that can be used in a multitude of ways, where your imagination is truly the limit!

Benefits of Using Menthol Crystals:

While this is not an exhaustive list, here are some benefits you may experience.

A soothing & cooling effect:

On the skin providing relief from muscle soreness.

In the mouth & throat helping to produce a refreshing feeling

In the respiratory system providing temporary relief from congestion, coughs & colds.

Local anesthetic & analgesic properties:

These first two potential benefits occur because a compound in the crystals called terpenes act on something called our TRPM8 receptors, this stands for transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8. What a mouthful! This receptor is also called the cold & menthol receptor 1.

Terpenes are the aromatic compounds found in many plants & is what gives the plant its distinctive aroma & flavor.

Back to the TRPM8 receptor, this is the very same receptor that is activated by a cool breeze or when you touch something cold. While the crystals won’t actually lower body temperature, it does trick the nervous system into sensing cold. This cooling sensation is a result of activating nerve endings creating a mildly numbing feeling!

Antimicrobial, antibacterial & antifungal properties when applied topically

Mental clarity & focus with a possible improvement of cognitive performance by directly stimulating the Central Nervous System

Safety Precautions & Dermal Max of Menthol

We do have some safety precautions we want to keep in mind when using menthol.

Do not get it in your eyes. This is the number one warning about working with menthol crystals.

Full transparency, the reason for this is because I’ve gotten the dust in my eyes before when I was not wearing the appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment).

Have you ever done something & immediately you realized “that was a bad idea”? That’s what happened to me. I had ground up some menthol crystals to make a cooling balm for achy muscles & I noticed some dust left in the mortar bowl. Without even thinking I tried to blow the dust away. As soon as I did I heard a voice in my head telling me: “you shouldn’t have done that”.

No, I shouldn’t have because what happened next was one of the worst pains I’ve felt in a long time, & this is coming from someone who lives with chronic pain & has experienced a frozen shoulder for the almost 3 years. I am excited to say that the shoulder is defrosting & I’m able to do things I haven’t been able to in a few years. Oh how easily we take for granted the ability to lift an arm above the head.

Back to the story. As soon as I realized what a bad idea it was, it was too late. I stood in my dining room, unable to open my eyes, experiencing some of the worst pain in my life. There was even a brief moment of thinking I made myself blind.

I blindly felt my way across the house to the linen closet where I grabbed a facecloth with the intention of rinsing my eyes with water. It didn’t work & was actually making things worse.

Then I started to cry & it was the tears that helped to rinse away the powder. Hindsight has told me that since water & oil do not mix, there’s no way the water was going to be helpful.

If you ever get something like menthol dust or even essential oils in the eye, flush them with a carrier oil instead of water. Like attracts like which means oil will attract oil.

Do not apply menthol on mucus membranes or on broken skin.

To play it safe, always be sure to use gloves when handling raw menthol crystals.

Start low & move up slowly.

Menthol works in minimal amounts & it is suggested to increase slowly & always be sure to stick within the dermal limits

Menthol has a dermal limit of 0.2-10% depending on the application.

There is a dosage rate for pain relief of 2.5-10% applied no more than 3-4 times a day

Keep out of reach of children & use cautiously around animals.

How to work with menthol crystals:

Soluble: alcohol, oil & essential oils

Insoluble: water & glycerin

Evaporation point: 21°C (70°F) & should be kept tightly covered in a cool place

Melting point: 42°C (107°F)

When to add menthol crystals to a formulation: in the oil or cool down phase

Rollerball Blend for Headaches

Now that we have an idea about the benefits, safety precautions & how to use menthol crystals let’s talk about the essential oils that are going into this blend.

Be sure to check out the blog article for nasal inhalers to learn more about safety considerations when working with Essential AKA volatile oils. Read all about it HERE

**Peppermint,** *Mentha X piperita*

Family: Lamiaceae
Image courtesy of Canva.com

Therapeutic Benefits:

Analgesic to support with aches & pains as well as calming muscle spasm
Decongestant helping to clear congestion from the system
Stimulant helping to stimulate mental clarity & focus
Diaphoretic helping to cool down body temperature

Safety Precautions:

Avoid use around children’s faces
Contraindicated for G6PD deficiency (Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency
Can be problematic to some with GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease)
Use with caution for an asthmatic flare
If you get peppermint oil in your eyes, do not rinse with water as that will make it worse. Flush the eye with a carrier oil instead
Should be diluted 50:50 with a carrier oil prior to topical application.
It is suitable for direct inhalation, diffusion, topical application & ingestion

Dermal Max: 5.4%

**Eucalyptus,** *Eucalyptus globulus*

Family: Myrtaceae
Image courtesy of Canva.com

Therapeutic Benefits:

Analgesic & inflammation modulating helping with aches & pains
Antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties
Antispasmodic helping to open the airways releasing congestion
It is can also be used as an insecticide

Safety Precautions:

Keep away from infants & young children faces
Should be diluted 50:50 with a carrier oil prior to topical application
It is suitable for direct inhalation, diffusion & topical applications. Eucalyptus globulus is the only form of eucalyptus suitable for ingestion

Dermal Max: 20%

**Lavender,** *Lavandula angustifolia*

Family: Lamiaceae
Image courtesy of Canva.com

Therapeutic Benefits:

Antidepressant & anxiolytic, (an-zee-o-lytic) helping to promote a sense of calm & balance. This eo can be beneficial for shock/panic attacks or when you just need to move stagnant energy & letting go. These effects can also be helpful for pms symptoms & nervous tension
Sedative helping address insomnia & restlessness
Analgesic helping to address bruises, burns & even insect bites
Antifungal, antiseptic & antibacterial

Safety Precautions:

None known

Can be used neat but may still irritate the skin. I’d play it safe & dilute it
Suitable for direct inhalation, diffusion, & topical application.

Dermal Max: N/A

**Arnica,** *Arnica montana*

Family: Asteraceae
Image courtesy of Canva.com

Therapeutic Benefits:

Analgesic & inflammation modulating properties can help to relieve muscle pain & swelling as well as soothing migraines & headaches
Antimicrobial helping to protect against infection
Circulatory stimulant properties & can help boost the immune system

Safety Precautions:

Avoid if you have an allergy to ragweed or the daisy family of plants
Not safe for use on pregnant or breastfeeding people

Do not use on children under the age of 5
Do not apply on or around eyes or mucus membranes
Avoid prolonged use as skin irritation may occur, even when following the proper dilution ratio
Suitable for topical applications only, not suitable for inhalation
Should be diluted 30:70 ratio, 30% arnica, 70% carrier oil. It can be purchased already diluted

Dermal Max: ?

One thing I’ve found interesting when researching arnica, while I can find all sorts of information regarding proper dilution, I can’t find anything about its dermal max. If you happen to know, be a dear & throw it in the comments & let’s help each other out.

Remember, I will also be sharing some more suggested essential oils you can use once we get to the notes & substitutions portion of this post

We’re going to start out by making the infused oil so you will need to decide which carrier oil you want to use.

Suggestions:

Sweet almond oil: great for mature, dry, chapped & sensitive skin
- Do not use on people who have a tree nut allergy

Jojoba oil: good for all skin types. Close to the natural sebum found on the skin

Use caution if allergic to latex, as it does have a similar makeup

Fractionated Coconut oil: great for mature & dry skin.

This oil does not go rancid nor does it stain or leave a greasy residue

Rollerball Blend for Headaches

Equipment:

Digital scale
Heat proof bowl
Mortar & pestle
Glass rods for string
Small funnel
Gloves
Eye & lung protection. This is what I like to use
Empty dropper bottle. These are the bottles I use
Empty roller bottle. I used this kit

To make the infused oil:

You will need to decide at what percentage you want your menthol to sit at. Keeping in mind we have a dermal max of 10.

I suggest starting at 5% menthol which means you will require:

5% menthol crystals

95% carrier oil

In the video used 8% menthol which means:

8% menthol crystals

92% carrier oil

The menthol crystals I like to use can be found HERE.

Instructions:

Put on the appropriate PPE
Crush up the menthol crystals using a mortar & pestle
Place phase A into a heat proof container
Heat until the crystals are fully dissolved, stirring constantly
Remove from heat
Once cooled off, package the oil & label the bottle. Be sure to include menthol percentage & carrier oil

To make the essential oil blend:

I made a 10g batch of essential oil blend. Feel free to make more or less depending on the size of your chosen storage container.

3.5 g I 35% Peppermint essential oil

3 g I 30% Eucalyptus essential oil

2 g I 20% Lavender essential oil

1.5 g I 15% Arnica essential oil

Instructions:

Put on the appropriate PPE
Weigh out the essential oil in a weigh boat or glass container
Stir or shake until fully combined
Pour into a dropper bottle

To make the rollerball:

Put on the appropriate PPE
Place 4-6 drops of blend into an empty rollerball bottle
Add enough carrier oil to fill the bottle
Put on the lid & give it a good shake to fully combine

To Use:

Roll on forehead & temples at first sign of a headache. Repeat as necessary 3-4 times per day.

Notes & Substitutions:

Do not use peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil on or near a child under the age of 5
Do not use jojoba oil if you have an allergy to latex
Do not use almond oil if you have a tree nut allergy
Do not diffuse arnica essential oil. If you want to use this formulation in a diffuser, remove the arnica & replace it with one of the suggestions below

To diffuse an arnica free blend:

Adult: Diffuse for 30 minutes to a maximum of 60 minutes & then take a break for 60 minutes.
Child (over the age of 5): use a shorter diffusing time, maybe 15-30 minutes with a 60 minute break. You need to put a time limit on your diffusions, as to not overwhelm your senses

Possible Substitutions:

Rosemary- can help bring cortisol levels down in the body
Chamomile - tap into her calming properties that can help modulate inflammation & soothes sore joints & muscles
Frankincense - to help quiet the mind bringing tranquility & peace
Helichrysum - analgesic properties that help modulate inflammation
Lemongrass- to help relieve pain, pressure & tension that can be brought about by a headache
Basil- analgesic properties that work great for headaches that are stress or tension related.
Orange- holds analgesic & inflammation modulating properties

Comment down below & let me know what other rollerball formulations are you interested in making?