If we told you there was an essential oil with more therapeutic, beauty and wellness benefits than you could count on both hands, would you believe us? And what if we told you this oil can be used in household cleaning, aromatherapy, and skincare? Intrigued? Well, guess what, this magical potion is actually just tea tree oil! And this superstar ingredient is popular in everything from diffuser blends to topical treatment of certain skin conditions. The number of uses for tea tree oil will likely surprise you, so don’t be surprised if you’re adding it to your essential oil collection or wellness routine ASAP.
Before we start getting into fun ways to use it, it’s important to note that this is a very potent, effective and specific type of oil that requires some safety precautions. As with any essential oil, you should always do some homework to understand how to get the most out of your oil, and how to safely handle it or us it.
Tea tree oil (also called Melaleuca oil) is not one that you should ingest. The oil has really strong antifungal and antibacterial properties which make the oil toxic for ingestion. In fact, this oil is so great for its multiple healing properties, it’s often referred to as a “medicine cabinet in a bottle”. While many essential oils have really enjoyable fragrances such as floral lavender or citrusy bergamot, tea tree oil is a little different. It actually has a very potent smell which some people say smells like gasoline, it has an astringent-like scent. It’s sort of similar to the scent of eucalyptus oil, but almost has a stronger medicinal smell to it. When you’re ready to use tea tree anywhere on your body, do a quick patch test to make sure you don’t have a reaction. You always want to use a carrier oil if applying it topically as well to help protect yourself from any serious reaction.
Alright, now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get into the life-altering ways that you can use this oil!
Fight Moderate Acne
Tea tree oil is packed full of a powerful antibacterial and antifungal components that will reduce swelling and redness during an untimely breakout. It takes a bit longer than a typical treatment, but it doesn’t have all those harmful chemicals that will leave your skin damaged. The tea tree oil will do the trick and keep your skin safe and sound.
Kiss Foot Odor Goodbye
Alright we take that back, don’t kiss ANY stinky feet. But seriously, tea tree oil does an amazing job reducing foot oder. Want to test it out? Grab a pair of sneakers (those ones you only wear to work out in would be perfect). Mix it together with some cornstarch and baking soda and those smelly shoes will be good as new. Sprinkle the mixture in the shoes for a few days and the stink will fade away.
Soothe a Sore Throat
Sore throats are definitely on the top of the “not so fun” list. Tea tree oil can give you some relief. Dilute the oil in a cup of water and gargle the mixture. That antibacterial components we talked about will reduce and soothe the inflammation. Nip that sore throat in the butt and start the rinse as soon as you start feeling it. When cold and flu season hits, you’ll be glad you have it close by.
Relieve Bites + Stings
We’re headed into bonfire season, which also means, bug bite season. Tea tree oil will disinfect the bite or sting, bring down the swelling, and stop the itch. Mix it together with your choice of carrier oils and cover it up with a band-aid so they oil won’t evaporate. Repeat once or twice a day until it’s gone. You can even mix it up with some lavender oil and use it to help treat cuts or scrapes.
Reduce Scars
If your acne left you with some annoying scars, your tea tree oil can really help. Store bought scar creams have some harsh chemicals and they can be pretty pricey. The oil can help heal your skin and lighten. Add a drop of tea tree oil to about a 1 1/2 tsp. of honey. Massage over the scared areas and let it dry for at least 15-20 minutes. Rinse it off with some cool water. Do it once a day until you see the scarred spot lightening.
