Tea tree lavender: two essential oils with so many uses!

Tea tree oil

Like almost everyone, I occasionally suffer from spots.  Until a few years ago, I used a remedy from the chemist that had the consistency of toothpaste and dried in much the same way as toothpaste on my skin.  Not only that, but it contained sulphur, so it smelled horrible!   Then I discovered tea tree oil.  Just place a couple of spots of tea tree oil on a cotton bud, and gently dab it on the affected area.  Repeat every few hours as necessary.  Much more effective and quicker-acting than the commercial spot cream, and much, much pleasanter to use.  The oil itself has an astringent, antiseptic sort of smell but is quite pleasant and the smell disappears after a while anyway.  Since then, I've always had a bottle of tea tree essential oil in my bathroom cupboard. 

Tea tree oil (sometimes known as ti tree oil) is obtained by steam distillation of leaves from the tree Melaleuca alternifolia, which is native to Australia. It has been used for centuries by the Aborigines and as well as being a general immunostimulant, it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and helps combat dandruff and itchy scalp. I use it for this purpose myself, by melting coconut oil (45-60 seconds on high in the microwave will do the trick), and adding a couple of drops of tea tree oil before massaging it on my scalp. I then leave it for half an hour before washing my hair in the normal way. For me it doesn't replace anti-dandruff shampoos, but it does cut down even further on itching/flaking.

IMO it's worth buying tea tree oil (or indeed any essential oil) in larger quantities than just 10 ml bottles as this will save on postage costs, but if you've never tried it before, give the 10 ml bottle a try to see if tea tree oil is for you.

Do bear in mind that tea tree oil is not suitable for internal use, and in a small number of people may cause an allergic reaction. (Use with caution if you've got sensitive skin.)

scroll on down for the section on lavender essential oil!

Lavender oil

Lavender essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the plant Lavandula angustifolia (although there are other varieties too). The name "lavender" originates from the Latin word "lavera", which means "to wash", and its name is eminently suitable, given its lovely clean scent! It is useful for treating e.g. headaches/migraines, sunburn, scars, pain and insomnia. I find that a couple of drops of lavender oil on my pillow really helps me to get off to sleep.

You can also apply a few drops of lavender essential oil to cedar wood chips or balls and put them in your clothes drawers - not only does this smell good, it also helps to repel moths.  Lavender essential oil can even be used in cooking, for example in lavender flavoured cakes.  Make sure you buy food grade lavender oil though!

As with tea tree oil there are a couple of caveats, namely do not use lavender essential oil if you're pregnant, breastfeeding or diabetic.

How to apply these oils

I've already mentioned a couple of ways to use the neat oil - dabbing neat tree oil onto spots, or placing a couple of drops of lavender oil onto a pillow. Unlike many essential oils, both tea tree and lavender essential oils are safe to use neat on your skin (not all of them are, so do check this out if you're planning to use other varieties of essential oil). For example, you can massage lavender oil onto your temples if you have a headache, or rub it directly into a scar. However, you can also mix tea tree and lavender essential oils with scentless massage oil or add a couple of drops to your normal shampoo or conditioner.

You can also add your oils to an aromatherapy diffuser - as well has having therapeutic benefits, it makes a great alternative to chemical-based air fresheners!

© Empress Felicity February 2010

PS: If you enjoyed this article, check out my hub on the medicinal uses of rosemary: http://hubpages.com/hub/medicinal-uses-of-rosemary

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