A check mark. It indicates that the relevant content has been reviewed and verified by an expert Our stories are reviewed by medical professionals to ensure you get the most accurate and useful information about your health and wellness. For more information, visit our medical review board. Putting peppermint oil on a damp washcloth and applying it to the forehead may calm nausea. Madeleine_Steinbach/Getty Images The essential oil has muscle-relaxing properties, which are responsible for many of its benefits. It's important to pick an organic peppermint oil for treatment since it's free from synthetic pesticides. Mint plants have been used in traditional medicine for centuries, stretching back to at least ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, when it was used to calm upset stomachs.