I feel like I caught the coconut oil train pretty early; I wasa freshman in college, and I wanted to downsize the basket of half-empty, cheap, garbage lotion Iwas putting on my body. After picking some up from a lady selling it at a mallkiosk (question: why was there a lady selling face oil in an empty mall inAlaska in ‘01?), I was sold.
No more phthalate- and paraben-laden products thatneed other products with alcohol and acid to remove. I was done. I threw out myClean & Clear toner... only to fish it out of the trash days later when I gota new crop of zits. But THEN it was toast.
Then I heard about tea tree oil.
Tea tree oil is the oil of the Melaleuca alternifolia tree, found primarily in Australia andOceania. It’s in the myrtle family, and the resin of the tree has been used forhundreds of years by people in the region for itsantiseptic properties,and has been used in the medical field in Australia and New Zealand for years.
It changed how I dealt with skin issues, and I’ve since started using it forkind of everything: spot-treatment for skin, mouthwash, and I even used it to keep my face burns clean this summer.
It has a sharp,camphorous scent that is strangely alluring, and I even put it in my DIYcleaning products (just kidding, they aren’t "products"-- it’s vinegar andDr. Bronner’s).
I use tea tree every day, but if you’ve never used a productwith it, you should try a skin patch test before dousing yourself. It’s apowerful essential oil, and some people have allergic reactions to it. (To do apatch test, apply a teensy-weensy drop of it to the inside of your elbow--theskin is thin here, and it isn’t close to your chest/face area if there is anyswelling, it won’t affect your breathing--and monitor it for a day or so.Honestly, this is a good idea before using any essential oil, because some ofthem can cause nasty side effects.)
Mouthwash
The FDA says it’spoison, but judging from its use all over the world, including the US, inmouthwashes and toothpastes, they might need to reassess that claim. I usuallyreserve tea tree gargling for when I’m sick, but it’s a proven antibacterial andcould be a great everyday mouthwash.
To use, fill a jar with 16oz of water, 3TB of sea salt, and 2 drops of each tea tree, peppermint and lavender oils. Justremember to shake it like a Polaroid picture before use.
Acne Spot Treatment
Now that I’ve leveled out hormonally post-pregnancy and fixed my diet, I don’thave zits very often, but when I do, they are horrific--think the beastiesfrom Tremors.
Applying some tea tree oil with a clean cotton swab can dry out, disinfect and deflate some of themost vicious zits, and the numbing sensation is a good reminder to STOPtouching your goddamn face. Seriously. Stoptouching. But don’t worry, if you picked, it’s a greatdisinfectant for minor skin lesions as well.
Dandruff Treatment
Desert Essence and Jason both make really lovely dandrufftreatment shampoos using tea tree oil, which is fine, but if you want your favourite shampoo to help withdander, add 1 drop of tea tree oil per 4 ounces.
Tea tree is a great fungicide, andcan help with fungus-caused (the most common!) dandruff. Alternatively, you canjust dilute it with water and spray it on your scalp.
All-Over Toner
This is my favorite way to use tea tree oil; it smells so ridiculouslyrefreshing, my face feels so clean after using it, and I swear it got rid of myblackheads. I don’t wash my face at all (I’ve always used oil to cleanse), sothis is another deep, filthy secret for nice skin. It’s lightly exfoliant, anddoesn’t make your skin feel weird and tight.
I keep mine in the fridge forextra oomph. In a clean jar, dump in 1 cup witch hazel, ½ cup rosewater, and ½plain water, 1 drop peppermint, 1 drop patchouli, 1 drop clary sage, and 4 drops tea tree oil. It smells like absoluteheaven, and will make you feel all earthy.
I used the words “tea tree oil" so many times it’s lostmeaning. Can we just call it "TTO"? Do you use TTO? More importantly, didanyone else see Crystal Fairy yet? Because I thought about it thw whole time I worked on this, and it’sseriously amazing. Also hippies.