The Scentual Life: Why you need to own tea tree oil
- by Debra McDuffee on May 20th 2008 10:00AM
- Filed under household hacks, soap-making, cleaning, health and wellness, beauty and skin care, Scentual Life
Join me each week as I explore the naturally aromatic side of DIY. Helpful recipes for your "scentual" pleasure: from essential oils, herbs, and other botanicals to soap-making, body care products and other useful blends.
I know what you are thinking: Why, oh why, would I want to own that smelly tea tree oil? I certainly can't make something aromatic with it, so what aromatherapeutic good is it to me?
It's true, tea tree oil doesn't smell as pretty as some of the essential oils (it sure doesn't stink like some oils -- neem, for example), but it can enhance some blends, especially mints. For all of the following reasons, you'll want to have some tea tree oil around:
- Blend tea tree oil with peppermint and spearmint for a refreshing soap scent or foot rub (dilute 15-30 drops essential oils in one ounce of carrier oil) with antifungal and antibacterial properties. This is a good choice for anything from Athlete's foot to oily skin.
- Got a cold sore? Dilute tea tree oil in a bit of jojoba and dab it on regularly.
- Ditto for warts.
- Tea tree oil may help relieve the itch and sting of bug bites. Use diluted as you would for a cold sore.
- Sniff tea tree oil to help relieve sinus inflammation, or better yet, add a few drops to hot water and steam your sinuses.
- Use a similar tea tree steam bath to calm a cough, or diffuse. You can also blend ravensara, thyme, chamomile and lavender with tea tree. Use about 30-60 drops in four ounces of distilled water, and mist the room or area around the coughing person, especially before bed.
- If breakouts plague you, try diluting ten drops in a tablespoon of rose hip seed oil, and dabbing onto affected areas.
- An equal parts blend of tea tree and lavender actually smells good and helps repel ticks on your dog when used in distilled water. The same blend can be added to dish soap for very clean dishes and a very relaxed dishwasher!
- In a blend with pine and lavender, tea tree works wonders as a bathroom cleaner, deodorizer, and disinfectant.
- Tea tree oil is my favorite "goop" remover. I use it to get the glue from labels and price tags off things like glass picture frames and vases.
- Add a drop of tea tree oil to your facial mask before you apply it, to help with oily skin and acne.
- Applied diluted to your toe nails and nail beds, tea tree oil can help combat nail fungus.
- It is very affordable and versatile, making it a good choice for your wallet!
- Tea tree oil is an all-natural solution for all of the above issues, so it is good for the environment.
What is your favorite way to use tea tree oil?
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_thumbnail.jpg "Making and using a facial mask")
