Don’t be fooled by the tiny bottles that carry tea tree oil, this stuff is strong and it has amazing benefits. Weirdly enough, tea tree oil has nothing to do with tea but it does come from a tree.
The oil is extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant which is commonly found in Australia. The color of tea tree oil ranges from clear to a pale yellow and it has an intense camphoraceous smell that is sure to wake you up.
The main thing about tea tree oil is that it provides cure-all care to endless hair and skin issues. It is a natural disinfectant, antibacterial, antiseptic, stimulant, fungicide, acne treatment and it’s great for aromatherapy and seborrheic dermatitis.
The majority of tea tree oil is composed of the chemical Terpinen-4-ol, which seems to be the main reason behind the wonders of tea tree oil. As you can tell, this oil has strong effects so a little goes a long way–like, a super tiny amount.
Unlike every other oil, tea tree oil doesn’t have a viscous consistency, it’s extremely watery and it should not be applied liberally like you would with coconut oil. When you use tea tree oil make sure it is diluted with either water in a spray bottle or with a carrier oil such as olive oil. For optimal and safe use pour in a couple drops of the oil into the solvent because if you use this directly you may experience redness, itchiness and dryness. And although this oil is natural it has been found to be extremely toxic if taken orally, so it will be safer to use this on your hair and skin.
Now that you know the basics of this awesome oil, let’s get into some of the uses.
Acne treatment
There have been trials to see the effectiveness of tea tree oil as an acne treatment and it has been found to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide. The terpinen-4-ol in the oil will help dry out the pimple while disinfecting it to reduce swelling and redness.
For safest results, dilute 1 drop of oil with a tablespoon of water in a small container and use a q-tip to apply the solution to your problem area.
Athlete’s foot
We all have had those moments, we come home from the gym and as soon as the shoes come off our eyebrows almost burn off from the smell of our feet. No worries, the antifungal properties of tea tree oil will help prevent any growth of fungus and it will immediately get rid of that smell. Just fill a spray bottle with water to the brim and pour in 4 drops of tea tree oil and bam, an all-natural athletes foot spray that will leave your feet cool, fresh and stench free.
Aromatherapy
If you find yourself coming home from work drowsy and fatigued you should give tea tree oil aromatherapy a try. Tea tree oil has a sharp, intense, camphoraceous smell that will be sure to help you wake up and feel energized all the while helping to freshen your home.
Household cleaning
The room in the house that is most likely saturated in microorganisms is the bathroom. The sink, the bathtub, the shower walls and of course the toilet are appliances that we use every single day to keep our bodies fresh and clean, so make sure you keep these appliances fresh and clean with tea tree oil.
Fill a spray bottle with water to the brim and pour in 5-10 drops of tea tree oil, depending on the size of the bottle and spray it into the sink, bathtub, and toilet to keep it smelling fresh. Its antibacterial properties will help kill weak microbes while also inhibiting further growth.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Being a natural and having seborrheic dermatitis can be tough because doctors are most likely prescribing you chemical products rather than giving you natural alternatives. Lucky for you, tea tree oil has great disinfecting properties that can help clean the scalp from infections as well as help to remove excess flakes.
Just pour a couple of drops into your shampoo and conditioner, try to rinse carefully to avoid it from getting into your eyes. After a few weeks of use you should see the inflammation on your scalp go down as well as the itchiness and flakes.
Stimulating scalp massage
One of the key practices that will help you get longer, healthier hair is scalp massages. Stimulating your scalp will help promote blood flow and the blood cells can help deliver nutrients to the follicle while carrying away wastes. Make your weekly scalp massage even more stimulating with some tea tree oil.
Fill a bottle with any carrier oil, such as olive oil, and pour in 5 drops of tea tree oil and apply it to your scalp and massage. The oil’s intense disinfecting action will become apparent to you once you feel your scalp tingling, which is both refreshing and soothing.
