Tea tree oil has made a significant spot for itself in the beauty world. It has shown incredible results when treating acne and excess sebum secretion. By now, we’ve seen almost every beauty brand include a tea tree product in some or the other range for all the right reasons. Let’s all explore this ingredient and how it benefits our skin.
Origins of tea tree oil
What if we told you tea tree oil has nothing to do with the tea you drink? That’s right! Tea tree oil actually comes from Melaleuca alternifolia, a small tree in New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. Although it’s known as ‘tea tree’, it is in no way related to tea.
Tea tree oil has been used for its medicinal values for centuries. Native Australians crushed tea tree leaves to extract oil and used it to treat cold, cough and wounds. Today, it is widely available with different saturation levels for multiple benefits. You can get 100% neat tea tree oil as well as formulas with 5-50% concentration for different skin concerns. The anti-fungal, germ-fighting properties in tea tree oil help to fight fungal skin conditions, heal wounds and combat skin infections. Here are some incredible ways tea tree oil works.
Seals wounds
Tea tree oil is chock full of healing agents. It is antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in nature which speeds up wounds and damaged skin. When applied on broken skin or touched acne, this oil can quickly repair the wound and aid the recovery process.
Fights acne
Acne is majorly caused by bacteria generated by dirt or clogged pores. Tea tree oil manages to kill the bacteria with its antibacterial qualities and vanishes. When applied directly on the pimple as spot treatment, tea tree oil can help reduce the pimple significantly in just a day or two.
Acne-prone skin can greatly benefit from a face wash infused with tea tree extracts for clearer skin. The Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash For Oily & Acne-prone Skin is gentle on the skin but helps banish acne gradually. It also contains salicylic acid, turmeric root extract, aloe extract, eucalyptus extract and more, to speed up a pimple’s lifespan on the surface of the skin and heal it faster.
Soothes inflammation
The native Australians used tea tree oil to beat cold due to its immensely relaxing quality. It has the ability to soothe the mind and skin when applied topically. Skincare infused with tea tree oil can calm down irritated skin in no time. Whether you’re struggling with redness, acne, itchiness or flakiness, this oil can take care of it all.
Bottom line – this is an elixir for every skin concern. However, you must keep in mind that pure tea tree oil should never be applied all over the face. Always mix it in with a carrier oil such as almond, coconut or argan oil to apply on big areas of the skin. Tea tree oil with high concentration can work well for spot treatment but always be careful when covering a big portion with this oil.
Written by Nida Sayyed on Mar 25, 2022
Known as the best meme supplier and beauty encyclopedia among friends. The only thing bigger than my love for cats is my love for beauty and fashion. Forever on a ‘no-buy’ with hands full of new makeup and skincare!