For many years, the leaves of the tea tree have been used for their medicinal properties, often brewed into a soothing tea to combat colds and other discomforts, but there are many more uses for the essential oil.
From wound care to mental fatigue relief, tea tree provides us with a wide range of benefits, making it one of my recommended oils for your essential oil toolkit.
Tea tree essential oil comes to us from the steam distillation of the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia plant. It is native to Australia, where it grows in marsh areas with a lot of water. Belonging to the family of paperbark trees, tea tree has green leaves and white or yellow flowers.
It’s botanical name, melaleuca alternifolia, comes from the Greek roots melas (black) and leukos (white), eloquently capturing the look of the tree, contrasting the dark leaves against the pale looking bark.
Tea tree is a clean scented top-middle note, but don’t let that fool you. When using this in your recipes, it’s scent can take over the blend. Be sure to use it in small amounts until you reach the scent profile that you desire in your recipes.
Tea tree is a thin oil in viscosity. If you are using a small essential oil bottle with orifice reducer, tip the bottle gently or use a dropper / pipette to avoid spilling a large amount of tea tree out of the botte.
Research Into Tea Tree Efficacy
An Australian chemist, Dr. Arthur Penfold, studied tea tree in the 1920’s, finding it to be a very strong antibacterial and disinfectant, after the publication of his study with F.R. Morrison, “Australian Tea Trees of Economic Value” the Australian government issued tea tree oil to their armed forces in first aid kits. Tea tree was considered so important that growers and those involved in its production were exempt from military service during WWII. Since that time, quite a bit of research has been done with tea tree oil.
Skincare
Tea tree oil is an excellent addition to your skincare toolbox. Not only is tea tree a wound healer, it is a cooling oil which makes beneficial for hot, inflammation conditions. Mix it with your favourite carrier oil at 1% to calm itchy skin and insect bites.
It can be helpful for people looking for a solution for oily or acne-prone skin. It can provide relief from conditions like impetigo and calming for sunburned skin.
Its antifungal properties make it a smart addition to foot lotions, offering preventive measures against fungal infections, while its antibacterial and antiseptic attributes promote wound healing; not to mention that it combats cold sores, especially when paired with melissa essential oil. From soothing irritated skin to nurturing healthy foot care practices, tea tree oil can provide a number of benefits for various skin concerns.
Check out our Charcoal and Rose Clay face and body bar with tea tree!
Haircare
You’ll find tea tree oil in many over the counter recipes for lice, however, without having to go that far you can still use in haircare effectively. Use tea tree in recipes for the scalp, in particular to help with dandruff. Essential oils tend to cleanse and stimulate the scalp which can help to encourage hair growth.
Respiratory system
Very generally, in aromatherapy, oils that come to us from leaves can be helpful for the respiratory system and tea tree is no exception. This oil can act as an expectorant. Use it in combination with eucalyptus when a chest cold is near. During cold and flu season, gargling with tea tree oil in water may provide help for a sore throat, or prevention if someone close to you is unwell.
Travel Buddy
Tea tree is an excellent choice to bring with you while travelling. Dilute it in jojoba oil and rub it on your neck to help with sore throat as mentioned above. It’s antiviral properties can help if you are prone to getting colds after travelling. Make sure that you check current travel regulations so that you know how to travel with essential oils safely. Only bring as much as you need for your trip.
Mental Fatigue
Sometimes we all need to combat mental fatigue. Turn to tea tree for support. It can help to uplift the spirit, and to bolster confidence. Tea Tree encourages a more positive outlook. It can help to improve focus, and promotes patience during difficult situations.
Oral Hygiene
Add one drop of tea tree oil to toothpaste to help diminish bacteria in the mouth. Tea tree can also be useful for the gums. Add one drop of tea tree oil to 10 grams of extra virgin coconut oil. Use this as a mouth rinse to help with oral health.
Floral Water
When steam distilling tea tree, a hydrosol can be produced. You may enjoy this as a toner, especially for oily skin. Store your tea tree hydrosol in the fridge in an amber glass bottle. When you are looking to use a toner, spritz the hydrosol onto a cotton cosmetic pad and use it on the face for a fresh looking complexion.
House cleaning
You can create beautiful recipes for cleaning your house using essential oils. For a room deodorizer, add 2 drops of tea tree essential oil and 3 drops lemon essential oil to a nebulizing diffuser, and diffuse in the room for 30-60 minutes. Make sure you are using a diffuser with an automatic shut off so that you are not diffusing essential oils for too long a time frame.
To create a sink cleaner, add one cup of baking soda to a glass bowl. (Make sure that you have gloves on for this recipe.) Begin with one tablespoon of warm water and make a paste. Add 10 drops of tea tree essential oil and 10 drops of lavender essential oil and mix together. Add more water slowly if needed. I use a spray bottle to help get the desired consistency. Add a small amount of the baking soda to the sink and scrub with a face cloth or soft sponge so as to not scratch the sink. Rinse well with warm water until all of the baking soda mixture is gone.
Be cautious of the surface you are cleaning as essential oils can ruin some surfaces, especially porous surfaces and countertops.
Cautions
Tea tree is a very well known and popular oil that is easy to use and incorporate into your day. Overuse of any essential oil can cause sensitivities and skin irritation. With essential oils, less is more, so make sure to use tea tree is smaller amounts. Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Ensure that you are storing tea tree oil in an amber glass bottle, in a cool dark place. Do not use with children under 8 without guidance from a professional aromatherapist. Do not use in recipes over 1%. Do not use undiluted on the skin.
