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Short description: Tea tree essential oil
Commonly known as:
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil (I.N.C.I.), Tea tree, Melaleuca essential oil.
Botanical name:
Melaleuca alternifolia.
Extraction process:
Steam distillation of tea tree leaves.
Family:
Myrtaceae.
Part of the plant extracted:
Leaves.
Location:
Native to Australia, now widespread in the United States, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, China and South Africa.
Flowering:
From July to August.
Provenance, origin:
Australia, South Africa.
Phytochemical composition:
Monoterpenols (linalol, geranil, terpinene-1-ol-4, terpineol), monoterpenes (gamma-terpinene, p-cymene, paracymene, limonene, terpinolene, sabinene, alpha-pinene, alpha-terpinene), sesquiterpenes (aromadendrene), terpene aldehydes (neral, geranial), terpene oxides (1,8 cineole).
Sensorial properties:
Appearance : Clear mobile liquid ; Color : Colorless to greenish yellow ; Odor : Woody, aromatic, terpenic.
Physical characteristics:
Density : 0,885 - 0,906 g/cm3 ; Refractive index : 1,4750 - 1,4820 ; Soluble in water and absolute alcohol.
Benefits:
Photoprotective, fragrant, purifying, antifungal, soothing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, sanitizing, decongesting.
Concerns:
All skin types and particularly blemished and acne-prone skin.
Details
Use
Face care (creams, serums, exfoliants, cleansing gels, masks, make-up removing oils, mists);
Body care (oils, milks, scrubs, hand and foot creams) ;
Hair care (shampoos, conditioners, masks, oils, lotions);
Hygiene (deodorants, solid soaps, shower gels, toothpastes, intimate toilets).
Preservation
Store at room temperature, in a dry place, away from light and heat.
Contra-Indications and Precautions
Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Do not use for children. With a low to moderate risk of irritation, Tea Tree Oil is generally used pure for greater effectiveness. However, for sensitive skin, it is best used diluted.
Note: It is best to test the essential oil before using it (two drops in the crook of the elbow for at least 24 hours to ensure there is no reaction).
Find out more
The tea tree owes its name to the navigator James COOK who made a kind of tea from the leaves when he arrived in Australia. The tea tree and the tea plant are often considered to be the same: the tea plant belongs to the Theaceae family and comes from Asia, while the tea tree belongs to the Myrtaceae family and is native to Australia. The aborigines have been using the leaves of the tea tree for thousands of years to treat various everyday ailments such as sore throats, colds, fevers, as well as their wounds, either by inhaling the essence or by infusing the leaves to drink the tea. Because of its antiseptic effectiveness, tea tree was reserved for wounded soldiers in the 1940s. Also, the men in charge of harvesting its leaves were exempted from military service.