Au Naturel: Tea-Tree Totaller

There's a new trend on the horizon, and this one's a keeper! Many of us are beginning to take sustainability and natural health more seriously in our daily routines. Our awareness of what we put in and on our bodies is evolving, as is our understanding of the social and ecological impacts of the products we use. We're shifting our focus from fads and trends to long-term, ethical and natural solutions.

Does this mean our bathrooms need to become filled with individual, expensive natural products - one for each ailment, skin-zone and occasion? Absolutely not. Don't believe the marketing that targets your conscience as well as your wallet; the true beauty of most natural products is their multi-faceted and broad range of benefits.

In this series, we'll examine some of the key players in the natural beauty and hygiene game, from their effects to their myriad uses.

This week's product packs a punch, taking pride of place in your boudoir and your first aid kit: tea-tree oil.

What is Tea-Tree Oil?

This essential oil concentrate is steam-distilled from leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia plant, native to the coastal regions of northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland, Australia.

The plant itself has strong antiseptic and antibacterial qualities, thanks to several compounds it contains. One of these, terpinen-4-ol, has been shown to kill certain bacteria, virus and fungi and increase the activity of white blood cells. Tea tree has been used in traditional and folk medicine for centuries, especially in treating skin infections, conditions like acne and dandruff and insect bites or rashes. When inhaled, it can help treat coughs, colds and congestion.

How Can I Use It?

You can buy 100% pure tea-tree oil, or more diluted concentrates, at most natural health stores and some chemists. As its broad range of benefits and uses become more widely known, we can look forward to tea-tree oil being increasingly available around the world.

As always, it's all about deciding what company you choose to support with your purchase: is the product natural and organic? Is the producer environmentally and socially responsible?

One of the most significant issues with the sudden explosion in popularity of products like soy, coconut, manuka, almonds etc. is the correlated explosion in intensive cultivation and mass production. This reduces ecological diversity in the affected areas, puts a lot of pressure on land and water resources, usually involves the use of pesticides and other chemical aids to growth, and often entails cheap labour and long working hours. It's just important to check that the products you're purchasing come from a small socially ethical production, are natural and organic and support the workers, owners and their community.

If you opt for pure oil, you shouldn't apply it directly to your skin. Instead, combine it with a carrier oil like coconut, jojoba, almond or olive oil and apply it topically to the affected areas. If you're using the diluted oils, you can safely apply them directly where you need to. Most healthy skin types react well to tea-tree oil, so there should be no problem in adding this great product to your beauty and hygiene routines!

Skincare

Reduce Symptoms of Acne

Tea-tree oil's antifungal and antiseptic properties make it ideal for fighting off conditions like acne. It reduces the severity of the symptoms and limits spreading, as well as providing relief from possible itchiness, soreness and sensitivity. It's been shown to be as effective as traditional anti-acne medications, if not more so.

Add a few drops of tea tree oil to a small cup of warm water and apply the mixture to affected areas, twice daily if necessary.

Soothe itchiness, inflammation and irritation

Common skin irritations like contact dermatitis cause red, itchy and inflamed skin, but applying tea tree oil can reduce the severity of these symptoms. It has the same effect on conditions like psoriasis and other forms of rashes. Tea tree can also help to soothe immune reactions to insect bites, reducing inflammation and itchiness.

Combine a few drops of tea tree with a carrier oil and massage into affected areas.

Haircare

Fight off Head Lice

Tea tree oil is highly effective at killing lice. Combined with nerolidol, a natural compound found in some essential oils which is more effective at killing the eggs, it's a perfect, natural solution to this irritating issue.

Reduce Scalp Irritation

Adding tea tree oil to your shampoo, or massaging it directly into your scalp, can reduce itchiness and irritation in your skin. In turn, this will reduce the instance of dandruff in your hair.

Hygiene

Hand Sanitiser

Tea tree oil is effective against many common bacteria and viruses, including E. Coli, S. pneumoniae and H. influenzae. Combined with its soothing properties, this makes tea tree oil a fantastic hand sanitiser. Combine tea tree with other goodies like carrier oils, vitamin E, aloe vera, witch hazel or anything that tickles your fancy and make yourself a luscious sanitising cream.

Natural Deodorant

Sweat itself doesn't smell; it's the combination of secretions from your sweat glands and bacteria on your skin that causes body odour. Armpits contain a large concentration of these glands, so tea tree's natural antibacterial characteristics are an easy solution to excessive BO.

For a quick fix, apply a few drops directly to your armpits or massage in a coconut oil-tea tree concoction. If you want to go a step further, there are myriad recipes online for DIY natural tea-tree deodorants.

Oral Health

Applying tea tree oil to your gums can help soothe chronic gingivitis and fight the bacteria associated with bad breath, plaque and tooth decay. You could rub diluted oil directly into your gums or add a few drops of tea tree oil to warm water and swill it around your mouth for 30-or-so seconds. Just be careful not to swallow it, though!

First Aid

Antiseptic

Use tea tree oil to treat minor cuts, scrapes, abrasions and any broken skin to prevent infection. Simply massage a combination of tea tree and coconut oil into the open wound before applying a bandage or plaster. Repeat the process a few times a day until a scab is formed.

Enhance Wound Healing

As well as helping to disinfect wounds, tea tree reduces inflammation and promotes the activity of white blood cells, which are vital in the healing process. Just add a few drops to your wound dressing to help your body recover.

Treat Athlete's Foot

This contagious fungal infection can be treated using tea tree oil, thanks to the oil's antifungal properties. Apply a few drops of the oil topically, or combine it with arrowroot powder for a more powerful treatment.

Treat Nail Fungus

Apply tea tree oil directly to the affected areas, or combine it with coconut oil and massage it in, then let the antifungal oil do its thing.