Essential Oil of the Month for February - Melaleuca (commonly known as Tea Tree Oil)

I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t know what Tea Tree oil is or smells like, and most people have tried a version of Tea Tree at one time or another (I remember trying a Body Shop face wash in my teens!). I have had a few bottles of Tea Tree over the years but never have I found one as powerful as the Doterra version!

Steam distilled from the leaf of the plant, and known as Melaleuca, this special species of the Mertaceae or Tea Tree plant is a truly wonderful oil. A necessity for early natives of Australia, Aborigines have known the many benefits of Melaleuca for many years. This oil is traditionally known for its skin cleansing healing and rejuvenating properties, but, here are some more lesser known facts and uses of this wonderful oil:

1.  Melaleuca has immune boosting properties and can safely be used internally. Best taken in veggie caps and swallowed with water, or added to citrus drinks
2. Brilliant for cleaning surfaces – I add a few drops alongside On Guard and Lemon Oils to make my own toxic free cleaning products for the bathroom and kitchen
3. Tea Tree is often used for hair care because of its cleansing and purifying properties. It offers a soft and gentle aid to your hair care routine and is a great way of warding off head lice from children’s heads!
4. Of course, you can’t forget to mention Melaleuca’s skin benefits… I find it particularly helpful to apply neat if I get a pimple! But you can also add it to our daily cleanser for its ongoing skin health benefits. 

Looking for other great uses of Melaleuca?
Check out some of these from DoTERRA:

• Yoga Mat Spray
• Nappy Rash Cream
• After Sun Soothing Spray
• Shaving Cream