A stinky miracle

Today’s oil of discussion is tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a very good oil for many reasons its smell not being one of them. This oil is great for the skin and hair as well as the household. I usually start off with the uses and benefits but today I am going start with the possible side effects and reactions. Tea tree oil is a powerful oil that can cause dryness and irritation if used to frequently or without a carrier oil. It is likely to be unsafe when taken by mouth and should only be used topically. Tea tree oil should not be used on babies younger than 6 months.

Tea tree oil for me is great, even though I struggle with the smell I can overlook it because of all its benefits. My favorite use for tea tree oil is in my hair, I have always had itch scalp syndrome. With or without dandruff my scalp is always itchy, no matter how much I was or moisturize my scalp itches. I try to use tea tree oil every time I wash my hair but that is not always possible and I notice the difference when I don’t use it. For instance, I washed my hair 2 days before I wrote this and my scalp has been itching like crazy whereas I washed my hair last week with the tea tree oil in my shampoo and conditioner and I went about 5 days without the itchy scalp. I never use the tea tree oil by itself, it’s always mixed in my African black soap shampoo that also has a carrier oil in it or in my rinse out and leave in conditioners and a scalp oil mixture (I’ll discuss that in another post). Tea tree oil is also good in the hair for lice when you put a few drops in your shampoo. When mixed with other essential oils like lavender or peppermint oil the lice were repelled. 

When it comes to skin usage tea tree oil can treat acne which I love using. Mixed with witch hazel it dries out pimples, but be careful not to use it too much because it can over dry the skin around the breakout. Tea tree oil has been said to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide on acne. With the antiseptic, anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties in tea tree oil it is great for cleaning and soothing sores, burns, and pesky insect bites. Tea tree oil is also good for eczema and psoriasis; I know personally about the eczema because I use it in the eczema salve I use one my little one. I have even used tea tree oil on skin tags on my neck it works the same way as it does on pimples drying it out. When I used it I used it 3 times a day for about 2 weeks and the tags fell off after a while. It works on boils from staph infections, toenail fungus, athletes foot, foot odors, warts, ring worms, rashes, sunburns and cold sores. Tea tree oil is also a great ingredient in natural deodorant and a natural makeup remover when added to a thin carrier oil. 

Tea tree oil can be used in a humidifier to help with breathing problems such as asthma (wish my mom had known this when I was younger battling asthma) as well as nasal congestion. It can be used in natural toothpaste and mouth wash and has been said the help fight halitosis. Mixed with some of the other essential oils tea tree oils can be great as a sore muscle rub or soak. It can even be used to help with earaches when mixed with warm water or olive oil rubbed on the back of the ear. It has been said that tea tree oil can draw a splinter out of your skin (I hate splinters, used to get them a lot as a kid). 

Tea tree oil can also be used on animals and around the house. To help the family pet the is suffering with fleas and God forbid ticks tea tree oil to the rescue. It not only prevents new fleas but also kills existing ones. Be sure to mix the oil with water before using it on your pet their skin can be irritated by it just like yours better yet use it in their shampoo. For use around the house tea tree oil can be used to freshen laundry, carpet and furniture. Make a tea tree oil spray to use around your pet’s around to further help with those pesky fleas. It can be used as all-purpose cleaner around the entire house, it also removes mold and mildew, cleans the washing machine and the dishwasher and outside the house tea tree oil can be used in the garden to keep it mildew free.

I am not a doctor, I recommend you talk with your doctor or do some research before using any essential oil because with everything there is a risk of interaction if you take prescription medicine. Know what you are using and putting in your body before you do it. Nothing is 100% safe. Thank you so much for takin the time to read my blog and a new post will be out next week!!