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Presented in part at the XXVI Congreso Internacional de la Sociedad Farmace´utica del Mediterra´neo Latino, Medicamentos del siglo XXI: Innovadores y Gene´ricos, Palma de Mallorca, September 16–18, 2004. The aim of this work is to evaluate the stability and release of chitosan beads loaded with volatile molecules of Mentha piperita essential oil (EO) in a cosmetic formulation. The ability of the beads to quickly release Mentha piperita EO during use of a cosmetic formulation such as bath foam is also assessed. The chitosan beads were produced with three different chitosan dispersions gelled with two different gelling solutions: (i) a 10% solution of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and (ii) a 4% solution of sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). A few properties of six bead samples loaded with Mentha piperita EO are assessed. The properties are morphology, size, swelling ability, encapsulation efficiency, stability in time, and fast release of Mentha piperita EO during the use phase of the cosmetic formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]