Tea Tree Oil Benefits In Natural Skin Care

Tea tree oil has many benefits in natural skin care. It is one of the essential oils that I use often. I love to use it in my homemade skin care, because it has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal properties. Some of the uses of tea tree is to help treat acne, dandruff and to clear up nail fungus.

Making Tea Tree

I guess technically, tea tree oil is not made. It is extracted from the Melaleuca Alternifolia ( aka Tea Tree). The Melaleuca Alternifolia tree is native to Australia. The tree leaves are harvested and then are distilled to make the oil with a steam method.

The INCI name is Melaleuca Alternafolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil.

Using It Safely

When using tea tree oil, it is important to be safe. Tea tree oil is not suitable for putting directly on your skin. Remember, that you always want to be sure to dilute it before using it on your skin. Applying it directly, can cause irritation.

If you have sensitive skin, I would recommend patch testing before use. To do this you will add at least 15 drops of a carrier oil for every 1 drop of tea tree oil. Then you take the solution and use a little bit on your forearm. Wait 24 hours to verify you don’t have any irritation.

I will normally use tea tree at around 1-2% of my recipe. It has such a strong scent that I don’t want it to be overpowering. If using a higher amount, make sure you follow the manufactures recommended use rate.

Tea tree is for topical use only. Never ingest tea tree oil, as it is toxic if swallowed.

Treat Acne

Research has shown that using tea tree in face wash can help to reduce acne. Since tea tree is known to have antibacterial properties, it can help to reduce to amount of bacteria on our skin. It is also good at reducing inflammation when you have a break out.

Medical News Today says that “some research suggests that the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity associated with the (tea tree) oil comes from its ability to damage the cell walls of bacteria”.

I started using tea tree in my homemade face wash a few months ago. In a few weeks, notices my acne start to clear up. After a few months of using it daily, my acne scars are starting to fade. This is what made me fall in love with this ingredient.

Tea Tree For Hair

Using tea tree in a shampoo over the course of a few weeks can help to clear up dandruff. This is because, dandruff is caused from the rise of yeast levels on your scalp. As the yeast levels rise, the scalp becomes inflamed, leaving you with a flaky and itchy scalp.

The anti-fungal properties in tea tree can help to lower the levels of yeast that is found on your scalp, thus reducing dandruff.

Tea Tree For Nail Care

The same anti-fungal properties is why we want to use tea tree in care care. You can use it for alleviating nail fungus and athletes foot.

You have to remember that using tea tree is not going to work immediately. Rather, you need to apply the oil daily and wait a few week for results.

Homemade Recipes You Can Make Using Tea Tree

• Shampoo
• Face Wash
• Soap
• Foot Balm
• Foot Soak
• Cuticle and Nail Oil
• Face Cream