An Australian classic, and one of the most frequently reached-for oils in skincare and around the house. It has a distinctive smell that not everyone takes to at first — but its versatility means it usually stays on the shelf.
This one is also available as a pre-diluted roll-on. For getting started and for carrying in a bag that is the simplest form: there is no carrier oil to mix, and it cannot spill.
Where it comes from
Plant part used: leaf. Extraction method: steam distillation. Typical origin: Australia.
Steam distillation means that hot steam passing through the plant carries the volatile compounds with it. The steam is cooled, and the water and the oil separate on their own — the oil floats on top.
What it smells like
Aroma notes: fresh, green, distinctly medicinal.
If you are meeting it for the first time, do not sniff straight into the bottle. Hold it a few centimetres from your nose and waft the aroma towards you — that way the stronger oils will not hit you, and you will pick up the finer notes too.
How people use it
- Diluted in carrier oil, dabbed onto the skin.
- A few drops in a hair mask, for a scalp massage.
- Diluted with water for wiping down bathroom surfaces.
- One drop on an insole, alongside airing them out.
Recipes
The ratios are worked out, and one drop is roughly five hundredths of a millilitre. Where a companion oil is listed, feel free to swap it for whatever you have at home — the drop counts stay the same.
Evening face oil
What you get: 30 ml, one to two months.
- Measure jojoba or sweet almond oil into a 30 ml dark glass bottle.
- Add 6 drops of Tea Tree (Melaleuca) — one per cent, which is the sensible amount for a face.
- After cleansing in the evening, put 3–4 drops in your palm.
- Press it onto slightly damp skin rather than rubbing it in.
Patch test a new blend behind your ear or on your inner arm first, and wait a day.
Hair mask with scalp massage
What you get: one application, medium-length hair.
- Melt two tablespoons of coconut oil in your palms or in lukewarm water.
- Stir in 5 drops of Tea Tree (Melaleuca).
- Massage it into your scalp in circles for at least three minutes, then work it through the lengths.
- Leave it for half an hour, then wash your hair — shampoo first, water only after.
If you wet it first, the oil will not come out. That is the most common mistake on a first attempt.
Surface spray
What you get: 300 ml.
- Put 60 ml of vinegar into a 500 ml spray bottle.
- Add 20 drops of Tea Tree (Melaleuca) and swirl to combine.
- Top up with 250 ml of water.
- Shake before use, and wipe down the kitchen counter or the bathroom with it.
Do not use it on natural stone — marble or limestone — as vinegar etches it. There, use water and the oil only.
What to pair it with
These suit the same situations, so they sit well together in a blend:
- Yarrow | Pom — shared topic: Skin and face care
- Patchouli — shared topic: Skin and face care
- Air-X — shared topic: A clean home
Safety and storage
External use only. Do not diffuse around pets, cats in particular.
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
Questions
How much should I use?
For adults, daily whole-body use usually works out at around two per cent: that is roughly twelve drops in thirty millilitres of carrier oil. For sensitive skin and for children, considerably less. The dilution helper on the home page works out the number of drops for your bottle.
What should I dilute it with?
Fractionated coconut oil is the easiest, because it stays liquid, has no scent of its own and does not go rancid. Sweet almond, jojoba and grapeseed oil are good choices too. Essential oil does not mix with water, so for a bath always disperse it in something fatty or in salt first.
What should I watch out for with this oil?
External use only. Do not diffuse around pets, cats in particular.
How long does it keep?
In dark glass, somewhere cool, tightly closed. Heat, light and air all age it: citrus oils keep for roughly one to two years, woods and resins for years. It does not need to go in the fridge, but the bathroom windowsill is the worst place for it.
