Tea Tree Oil can be an awesome spot treatment for speeding up healing of pimples and breakouts. One study showed it can be as effective as benzoyl peroxide for treating acne.
Very promising, especially for a natural ingredient.
But, Tea Tree Oil is very strong. Based on my personal experience, if misused or overused, you can really hurt and damage your skin.
Even though it’s natural, you still need to be careful. It’s a concentrate.
It’s the kind of product you only want to use on pimples as a spot treatment, never all over your face.
I cringe when I see diy recipes floating around telling people to sprinkle tea tree oil into their moisturizer or toner. Don’t do that. Using Tea Tree Oil all over your face, day after day, can lead to redness, and raw irritate skin.
To safely use Tea Tree Oil, best to dilute it, dab a tiny amount just on pimples, and only use it where you need it.
When used properly, Tea Tree Oil can be a fantastic spot treatment that can help speed up healing of blemishes and pimples. For full instructions how to use Tea Tree Oil for acne, and get all the pimple vanishing benefits; check out the rest of this article and video demo.
IMPORTANT: If it’s your first time using Tea Tree Oil, do a patch test first on your arm to make sure you don’t have a sensitivity or allergy.
At night, wash your face with a mild cleanser, followed by using the rest of the products in your routine (serum, moisturizer, etc).
Some people have allergies to essential oils. So it’s important to do a patch test on your arm first, before applying it to your face.
If you are just starting to use Tea Tree Oil, or you have dry or sensitive skin – it’s best to dilute it with a carrier oil.
In a small bowl mix 1 drop of pure Tea Tree Essential Oil with 10-12 drops of a carrier oil.
In a small bowl mix 1 drop of pure Tea Tree Essential Oil with 6-8 drops of a carrier oil.
If you have oily skin and your skin tolerates it well (you’ve been using it regularly for a while), you can even try using it undiluted as a spot treatment.
The skin on your face is one of the most delicate areas of skin on your body.
It’s the only part of your body that is constantly exposed to the elements.
The skin under and around your eyes is very thin (and gets thinner as you age).
Tea Tree Oil is a concentrate. It’s an essential oil that comes from steam distilling massive quantities of Tea Tree leaves.
When you open a bottle, you can smell the distinctive strong camphor-like odour. It’s so strong, it can make your eyes water! And if ingested, it’s a poison.
If you are going to put something this strong and concentrated on your face, you’ve got to be strategic and careful.
The first few times using it might not cause a bad reaction, but longterm daily use all over your face can cause dryness, redness and irritation.
There’s no benefit applying it on areas of your face that are already clear and healthy. It’s much safer to use as a spot treatment just on pimples and breakouts, and avoid applying it anywhere that doesn’t need treatment.
In general I find commercial skincare products to be safer than the DIY recipes floating around. They tend to use a lot less Tea Tree Oil in their formulas than what you see being sprinkled into homemade products.
If you want to buy a commercial product that contains Tea Tree Oil, to be on the safe side, I would use a product that washes off like a mask or cleanser. If you have leave-on products like a moisturizer, serum, or toner that contains Tea Tree Oil, be cautious using it. You may just want to use it on areas of your face that have breakouts, and not all over your face.
Some brands have a Tea Tree Oil skincare range which includes a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, mask, spot treatment, makeup wipes, etc., all containing Tea Tree Oil.
This can add up to a lot of tea tree oil, especially for daily or twice daily use.
Remember, acne is an inflammatory skin condition. Your skin is sensitive and irritated. You don’t want to be using layer after layer of products containing strong ingredients like Tea Tree Oil.
It may be a natural ingredient, but it’s still very strong.
If you are going to use a commercial skincare product containing Tea Tree Oil, just use one product like a cleanser or spot treatment.
If you are just starting to use retinol, tretinoin, adapalene in your skin care routine, I don’t recommend using Tea Tree Oil until your skin has completely adjusted to it.
It’s common to become sensitive to essential oils when using retinol, retinoids, retinoic acid.
I would wait until at least 6 months of regular use of retinol or tretinoin before trying Tea Tree Oil (and only use it as a spot treatment, and make sure you dilute it with a carrier oil).
Always apply it at the very last step of your skincare routine.
Meaning, apply it after moisturizer, never before.
The reason why is because you don’t want other products to move it around. For example, if you apply it on pimples on your chin, you don’t want to put moisturizer on top which could move it up to your mouth, cheeks, or even eye area.
Applying it at the very last step of your skincare routine ensures it stays put, and it’s only applied where it needs to be.
Best to start with using it every other night. After a week or two, you can increase frequency to every night.
If you want, you can go ahead and use a Q-Tip or cotton bud to apply the Tea Tree Oil as a spot treatment.
But, I will warn you that the cotton bud absorbs a lot of the product.
Because it absorbs so much, many times we end up pressing the cotton bud on pimples with too much pressure which can cause added redness and irritation. So make sure your application is light and gentle.
If you are having a bad reaction (your skin is red, swollen, itchy, has a rash, or burning); you need to rinse it off with cold water immediately.
Never rinse irritating products off with warm or hot water (the heat will drive the product into your skin more causing increased sensitivity).
Also, don’t use soap or a cleanser to remove it, and no wash cloth or flannel. Too much product or rubbing of your skin can make it worse. Instead, splash plenty of cold water to gently rinse it off.
After rinsing your face with cold water, I would avoid moisturizers, facial oils, or any other products or makeup. You don’t want to coat your skin with anything that could seal in residues. Instead, after rinsing it off, leave your skin be. I would even be careful with how you dry your face. Best to use a very soft micro fiber cloth and gently dab off any excess water left on your face.
For the next 8-12 hours I recommend avoiding any heat near your skin. Don’t take hot showers or hot baths, and don’t exercise. You need to let your skin settle after it’s had a bad reaction to a product.
You can also use Tea Tree Oil for back acne. And the skin on your back is a lot more resilient than the skin on your face, so you can be slightly more aggressive with treatment.
No.
Many people get fabulous results using Tea Tree Oil for acne, other people notice absolutely no difference at all.
If you’ve been using it regularly for at least a month, and it’s done absolutely nothing for your pimples and breakouts, stop using it.
If it hasn’t worked up until now, it’ll probably never work.
I don’t believe in giving up on anything too soon, but I also don’t believe in needlessly putting something on your skin unless it’s really helping.
So what’s the best Tea Tree Oil for acne?
This is actually a really important detail.
Not all Tea Tree Oils are pure or processed the same way. Some are much better than others.
If the product you are using isn’t 100% pure or it’s old; it’s not going to work.
I’ve had subscribers tell me they’ve noticed a huge difference between Tea Tree Oils from different brands. Not all essential oils are made the same. Unfortunately some are diluted or made with low quality ingredients.
There’s no set standards or regulations how essential oils are made or packaged. Some are purer, fresher, and made better than others.
It’s very important you buy it from a reputable source.
If Tea Tree Oil is old, or exposed to light or air, it can change in chemical composition and become harmful to your skin.
Some essential oils are diluted with oils and alcohol.
You don’t want to use anything that is oxidized or unknowingly mixed with other ingredients on your face.
I recommend buying Tea Tree Oil only from reputable brands that are committed to sourcing the best quality ingredients. These brands must have high standards in the freshness, sustainability, quality distillation, purity, and protective packaging.
To ensure freshness of the product, buy small vials (5-10ml) and discard 6 months after opening.
Always check the ingredients label to make sure it’s 100% pure. Essential oils should NOT have added ingredients.
Tea Tree Oil should always be packaged in dark or opaque glass vials that are dark amber, brown, black, or miron violet glass. Avoid essential oils packaged in clear bottles because light can degrade the product.
Harsimran Kaur Malhi, Jenny Tu, Thomas V Riley, Sujith Prasad Kumarasinghe and Katherine A Hammer, Tea tree oil gel for mild to moderate acne; a 12 week uncontrolled, open-label phase II pilot study. Australasian Journal of Dermatology (2017) 58, 205–210
Sinha P, Srivastava S, Mishra N, Yadav NP. New perspectives on antiacne plant drugs: contribution to modern therapeutics. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:301304. doi:10.1155/2014/301304
Enshaieh S1, Jooya A, Siadat AH, Iraji F., The efficacy of 5% topical tea tree oil gel in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2007 Jan-Feb;73(1):22-5.
Carson CF, Hammer KA, Riley TV. Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2006;19(1):50–62. doi:10.1128/CMR.19.1.50-62.2006
Bassett IB, Pannowitz DL, Barnetson RS, A comparative study of tea-tree oil versus benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne. The Medical Journal of Australia, 01 Oct 1990, 153(8):455-458
Hi, I’m Natasha St. Michael, founder of Inspire Beauty. I’m also a Certified Holistic Health Coach and Natural Health Educator accredited by the Institute For Integrative Nutrition. I’m obsessed with all things skin care and self-care. I’m 49 years old, struggled with adult acne until I was 30, and now I’m all about preserving the youthfulness of my skin (and sharing all my tips and tricks). If you have a question about a product or need a recommendation, feel free to contact me anytime.
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126 Responses
I tried using Trader Joe’s tea tree oil face wash and it was VERY harsh on my skin. I tried it for a month and toward the end my skin looked very unhealthy, like it aged a few decades. I think this has to do with the fact that your rubbing/massaging the face wash with tea tree oil onto your face, instead of dabbing like you’re supposed to with pure tea tree oil. A few months later I tried pure tea tree oil on my pimples by adding 3 drops to a cotton ball and then dabbing it on my pimples at night time after I moisturized. Within a few days, I noticed an improvement. I never had acne growing up, but suddenly at age 26 horrible cystic acne popped out of nowhere. It has been one whole year of me dealing with this and pure tea tree oil has been the first thing that has helped. I’m going to try putting the few drops directly on my palm and then using my finger to apply it to my pimples next (instead of the cotton ball). Thanks for this article, it was an interesting read!
Hi Megan,
I’m happy to hear it’s working for you! And do try to applying it directly to your pimples without the cotton ball, you’ll use much less and the bottle will last longer.
Hi
Omg, I miss-type this thing.. I started using Tea
Tree oil 2 days ago, I’ve being having MRSA outbreaks.. three so far in a couple of months. It doesn’t matter how much I clean or through out contaminated stuff, this infection still appears if I stop taking antibiotics.. 34 days now per my dermatologist indication.. 🙁 so I decided to give tea tree oil a try.. it’s working in one of my lesions, the other one I haven’t try because it is quite “open” now.. i have bullous impetigo by the way.. i don’t think I mentioned it. Well the thing is I have to cover my lesions as indicated so they don’t spread in the rest of my body, but I want to try tea tree oil in the worse lesion I got (which is covered) because since tea tree oil worked in my other lesion ( i have 2 so far, currently on bactrim), maybe I got a chance of healing the other one. I have an important exam I have to take in less than a month and I need to get rid of this nasty infection. What would you recommend me to do?
I would be careful because if you use something on the lesions that is too strong and irritating, you risk getting scars and marks. My recommend is to follow the medication prescribed by your doctor and eat a super healthy diet to boost your immune system which will help your skin heal so much faster (and can even help your skin heal better to avoid scars and marks). Also if you are taking antibiotics, very important to follow it by taking probiotics and eating a fiber-rich diet to repopulate the good bacteria that was wiped out by the antibiotics. All of this will help.
Hi,
Im recently using tree tea oil to my face on acne. It is causing burning effects but still with some hope of clearing it im continuing it. Pls suggest me whethet i should stop at this stage.
If it’s burning your skin, best to stop using it. Have you taken my free email course, it’s full of tips on what to do with your diet and skincare routine to clear up your skin. This would be a much better approach. Here’s the link to sign-up, it free: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/
Omg. I tried this same wash and it burned so bad. Was afraid of tea trea oil for a while after trying it. Just recently got a bottle along to dilute a lot as I was scared to even attempt it again.
I’m currently trying it and so far I love that it takes the soreness out instantly. I’m guilty of adding it to my toner but use it more at a spot treatment dabbing it on my breakouts. Since I do have dry spin I make sure to us a hydrating mask to make sure my skin doesn’t get overly dry.
That’s great it’s working for you!
I used tea tree oil wrongly! My skin has tiny bumps that’s why i put tea tree oil to that and covered it with cotton pads. My face got burned and i don’t know what to do. Please send help 🙁
Oh no! Best to leave your skin alone to heal. Use very minimal skincare products, if you need to cleanse your skin use something very mild, and maybe a little oil to moisturize. That’s it, don’t put too much skincare on your skin, it needs to heal.
Made an almond oil with tree tea for forehead for skin fungal contracted from cat. I read it helped skin fungal but now I read you say not to put on face. Please help me understand.
Tea tree oil is a wonderful remedy for acne. It really makes me feel good on my face… All my acne on my face vanished and my skin looks healthy now. Tea tree oil contains many active ingredients which deal with the bacteria causing acne. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Tagband,
Thank you for sharing, I’m so happy to hear the tea tree oil is working great for your skin 🙂
how you used tea tree oil for curing acne
I started using body shop tea tree foaming cleanser and the tea tree oil.
I used to wash my face 4 times a day and usually it’s fine. But after using the TT foaming cleanser for 4 days, my acne got worse. Today is day 8, and I am still continuing my tea tree oil but it doesn’t like that it has effect on my face.
Is it because of purging effect? the white heads still keep popping tho.
Hi Ricky,
I think the cleanser is too strong, and best not to wash your face more than twice a day (it will just irritate and dry out your skin, making breakouts worse). I recommend washing your face with a smooth honey. It might sound strange, but honey is great for soothing and exfoliating acne prone skin, and it’s antibacterial. It can really help. Here’s a blog post all about washing your face with honey and how to do it: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/honey-cleansing-acne-prone-skin/
Hey love!! Not sure if you’ll see this but washing your face four times a day is a no no. Wash it two times at the most! Also, the cleanser you have what are the other ingredients? You want to make sure it contains other natural products and not harsh products that will exacerbate you acne. Also, pimples don’t just appear overnight, they can take 2 weeks to 2 months to form, so expecting an overnight fix is unrealistic.
is it okay to use tea tree oil before during and after blue and red light therapy for acne?
i have a appointment next week and have been using tea tree oil lately, will it be a problem?
i am very stressed about this so pleas let me know.
Hi Lulu,
I answered your question in a Q&A video, you can check it out here: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/clear-skin-qa-sept2017/
I’ve been using The Bodyshop Tea Tree Oil line for 2 weeks now and my acne get worse. I think its time to stop?
Yes, stop using it. The Body Shop’s Tea Tree products are way too harsh. Check out my recent video, I talk about it in there –> click here.
I have been using tea tree oil for like 5 days straight and after reading this article, I found out that tea tree oil should not be used all over the face but rather on the spots that needs healing or any kind. I didn’t have that much acne on my face but now I have been getting severe breakouts to the point where my friends and family are asking if i’m experiencing some kind of skin disease or what :—-(( what I usually do every morning and night is use a cotton ball and let the diluted tea tree oil be absorbed and then gently scrub it on my whole face :—-(( now I know why
Sorry to hear you had such a bad reaction to the tea tree oil, I hope your skin is healing. Definitely stop using it, and I recommend avoiding skincare products that contain it, because you might have a sensitivity to the tea tree oil, even in small amounts.
Hi Natasha. I am planning to use tea tree oil for acne treatment, but first decided to research about it so I’ll be able to use it correctly. Lucky for me i found your blog. Hehe. Thanks! 😉 I have a few questions though. (1) Can I apply tea tree oil after I use toner on my face?; (2) I have, like, a lot of acne marks on my cheek area.. does that mean I can apply tea tree oil directly to them as well? Or just the areas where there is swelling?; (3) How does tea trea oil works? Does it make the affected area of your face peel after a few days? Thanks and more power!
Hi Thalia,
The tea tree oil will help to reduce swelling and is anti-bacterial, so it will help heal pimples quicker. It shouldn’t dry out your skin or make it peel.
Best to dab it on pimples at the very end of your skin care routine, at night. Here’s a video how to use a spot treatment correctly to get the best results: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/how-to-use-a-spot-treatment/
Hi, I read this to see if what I’ve been doing is safe. Sometimes my hormones get whacky and my skin gets super oily. I tried adding one small drop of tea tree oil to my moisturizer every other night, and my skin is SO much better, less oily, and all redness is gone. Is there any inherent harm in doing this if it works for me? I’ve tried so many other things that didn’t work. If I’m careful about wearing hats outside/using sunblock, is this something that might work for a select few?
Hi Sam,
For some people the tea tree oil works great, so if it’s working for you, please continue! If at any time your skin starts looking red or irritated, then take a break or decrease how often you are using it (instead of every night, use it a couple of times a week). Whats most important is always keeping an eye on your skin, and if ever your skin starts appearing irritated or stressed, make the necessary adjustments to your skincare routine.
I wanted to know when the best time to put tea tree oil on was and this is what first popped up when I looked it up. Unfortunalty I didn’t get an answer… but I learned some new things. But I’ve been putting tea tree oil straight on my whole face for weeks and it’s been helping, and my friend has been doing the same and her acne pretty much disappeared. Some people react to tea tree oil, but others might not. We’ve been drinking only water and putting tea tree oil on our faces once a day. People have been telling me whatever I’ve been doing is working
That’s great it’s working for you! As for your question, I recommend only using tea tree oil at night to ensure the tea tree oil doesn’t cause any skin reaction to the sun (essentials oils and sunlight aren’t always the safest mix).
Hi, I began using tea tree oil months ago. I was oblivious of how to use the treatment. And just started to realize that I have permanent redness all over where I use the TTO. Could I have slightly burned my skin? If so what steps should I take to heal my skin? Thanks!!
Hi Mags,
Sorry to hear you got a reaction to the tea tree oil. Yes, it sounds like you kind of burned or irritated your skin. This can happen with tea tree oil, and other essential oils as well. I recommend simplifying your skincare routine to just washing your face with a very gentle cleanser (I like using honey as a cleanser or oil cleansing, and if you need a moisturizer, just use a few drops of plain oil (like grapeseed oil, jojoba oil or hemp seed oil) as a moisturizer. At this point, make sure not to use any products with essential oils or added fragrance (they could irritate your skin more) until your skin is completely back to normal.
Hello.. I’ve started using tea tree oil on my face as moisture since last night.i dilute it with carrier oil and putit on my face… but i wanted to ask you…can i use toner before applying tea tree oil on my face?????
If you have breakouts or acne, I wouldn’t use a toner, and I would avoid putting tea tree oil all over your face. You can use tea tree oil just on your blemishes as a spot treatment, but not all over your face.
Why would you not want to use toner if you have breakouts/acne?
Hi Reem,
When our skin is broken out with acne, our skin is irritated and inflamed. The more products and ingredients you apply on your skin, the more likely it will irritate your skin more. Most toners contain added fragrance and alcohol that are known irritants.
Natasha,
I did a spot treatment tonight but, I diluted the tea tree oil with a mixture of oil I had already made up ( jojoba,vitamin e,& ev olive oil) does diluting it defeat the purpose of spot treating with the tea tree oil? Should I have used just the pure tea tree oil by itself?
Hi Kenya,
Diluting the tea tree oil will just make it gentler on your skin, but you can in the future try it on it’s own.
I’ve read an article online for the treatment of acne scars. The article states to mix two drops of tea tree oil with raw honey. Then to apply it to clean skin and massage it in for several minutes. Allow it to remain for about 20 minutes, or until thoroughly dry. Afterward, rinse with cool water and gently pat dry. Would you know if this method actually works? and would you recommend this method for acne scars?
Hi Rodson,
You can definitely use honey to treat acne scars, but I wouldn’t use the tea tree oil. The exfoliating enzymes in the honey is what will help resurface your skin. You can follow the instruction in the article you found online without using the tea tree oil, or you can even just wash you face with smooth honey twice a day instead of your regular cleanser.
Click here for a blog article and video demo on how to wash acne prone skin with honey.
Plus, click here for another article/video on how to fade acne scars naturally.
Hi, I recently wanted to try making my own facial cleanser that contains TTO. Will that be okay to be used twice daily?
Also, I read somewhere on a blog that recommends to add a teaspoon of witch hazel to 10 drops of TTO to be used on acne scars.
I wanted to give those 2 a try then I read your article and now I’m having a doubt wether I should carry on or not.
Before this I was using The Face Shop’s Tea Tree Cleanser, Toner, Moisturiser & Spot Treatment and they worked perfectly on my skin. In just a month my acnes were all cleared up. But they were all pricey hence I wanted to try making my own with tea tree oil 😀
Hi Ummu,
I personally wouldn’t make a cleanser with the tea tree oil and witch hazel, but if you want to try it, you can. Just be cautious, use small amounts (1/2 or 1/4 of what the recipe calls for), and if you notice any signs of irritation, stop using it.
Plzz help me to suggest how to get rid of pimples marks and spots on cheeks area
I have been using tea tree oil from past 1 week
How much time it will take to get clear cheeks
Plzz suggest me
Hi Daniel,
I recommend working on your diet to clear up your skin. Skincare products can sometimes help a little, but to get real results, acne is usually coming from the inside and you need to get healthy, and eat healthy to really get rid of it. Start with taking all dairy out of your diet, and reducing sugar as much as possible.
It has been one week for me using tea tree oil and there are good results….but my skin gets dry out….can i use it with coconut oil with 4:1 ratio or continue with my regular moisturiser..
Thankyou
Use grapeseed oil, jojoba oil or argan oil instead. (Coconut oil can give some people breakouts).
I am 25 years male. Had very severe dark spots all over my face. Never given the card my skin needs. And I felt kinda embarrassed with these black spots. Tried few skin cared products, never worked rather got negative side effects (Skin lite, benzol peroxide). So I stopped using that. I wanted to go for nature rememedies. I tried with lemon, turmeric and honey. My body loved that. I found these three are very effective in fighting the tan. But for dark spots, I felt it’s taking too long or I can say no results.
Some where I read about Tea Tree oil and Aloe vera for oily skin people. I thought lemme give a try. After all its natural so won’t be a problem. So bought 10 ml pure tea tree oil ( just buy the smaller one first) and bought aloe vera gel with Green tea extracts and Vitamin E oil mixed. I mixed a tea spoon of aloe vera gel and 3 drops of tea tree oil and applied all over my face (avoid eyes and mouth). It was bit boring at first (because that was the first my skin exposed to tea tree oil and Aloe vera somehow soothened it). So here is what I found.
Day 1: cleaned my face with warm water (opens pores), applied 30 mins before sleeping at night. Morning washed with cold and hot water. Applied aloe vera gel and Lemon or aloe vera gel and honey on alternative days. This is my morning routine. I keep this about 40 mins. Then bath and then apply rose water as a toner. That’s it. My skin started loving it. Day 1 didn’t notice any results.
Day 2: No results. Thought, is it one more useless thing am doing.
Day 3: No results. I thought, am not gonna give up. Let’s try few more days and see. Patted my back and said nothing to lose.
Day 4: Results. Yes. I started noticing my black spots disappearing. A big motivation for me.
Day 5: Yay. Thinking my self…yay seems like am gonna be most handsome person now.
Day 9: my skin absolutely loves it. All most all dark spots disappeared. Will continue using till I get spot free skin and will use to treat the pimple. I highly recommend you give a try. For 90% peopleit will work. If it doesn’t work, look for other things. There is a solution for everything.
3 drops of tea tree oil is enough. Please dilute it with aloe gel. Wash face with warm water before applying. Wash it properly so that you get rid off all the dirt. Apply at night. You can carry this little product any where you travel. Once spots have disappeared continue using aloe vera gel and honey on regular basis.
Please pay attention to your skin for first few days, if it’s irritating or burning, reduce tea tree oil to 2 drops. Maximum you should use 3 drops. And only once a day. After few days you will get to the right combination. Don’t expect the results overnight. Give time. It will definitely work. Thank you.
Rashid are you available. Wondering where you purchased the aloe Vera oil from
Thank you Rashid for sharing your routine and the results you are getting! You are using a lot of my favourite ingredients! (I especially love honey & aloe vera – this is what I used while I was clearing up adult acne).
This is such a great write up…. thanks for sharing
Would you recommend rotating tea tree oil and lavender to treat cystic acne? One night spot with TTO then the next w/ Lavender? Ive read that those 2 oils are the top 2 to spot treat.
Thank you for all your information!
Hi Sara,
You can certainly try rotating them, of you can do an experiment and just use one of them at night for two weeks to see if it’s helping your skin, and then try the other for another two weeks. This way you can know for sure if the essential oils are working for you, and if one works better than the other. The reason I recommend this is because Lavender and Tea Tree Oil aren’t the same. Both are known to be good spot treatments, but they work for some people, and not for others. I always like doing isolated experiments to really know for sure what worth using and what to pass on.
I’ve started getting cystic acne on my cheeks every once in a while. I did research on how tea tree oil is great as a spot treatment but can be very harsh on the skin. I have fairly sensitive skin that gets dry in some areas. Should I be using tea tree oil? If so, what should I use to dilute it so it’s not as harsh? I’ve heard the best things would be either water or aloe vera. I just bought some so I want to know before I use it and potentially make things worse.
Hi Lilly,
You can try diluting the tea tree oil with either jojoba oil or grapeseed oil and see how that goes. Also for cystic acne, here’s a blog post of things you can do with your diet to get rid of it: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/cystic-acne-hormonal-breakouts/
Hi! I just had a question. You said not to use tea tree oil in conjunction with another spot treatment. So what if i wanted to use clean & clear acne spot treatment (its active ingredient is sacilic acid) in the mornings and tea tree oil at night? Is that considered using both in conjunction or is that allowed?
I would just use one or the other. Salicylic acid is quite drying, so I wouldn’t be using essential oils on the spots while you’re using it.
Obviously no one thing works for everyone, but I am one of the people that adds tea tree oil into a face lotion. I’ve been doing this for over a year, just make sure I do a good moisturizing treatment once a week. It’s the only thing that keeps my face clear. I’ve tried prescription treatments, topical, pills. I’m already on medication to control my hormones (PCOS), my diet is extremely clean, but just a tiny bit of this oil in my lotion helps treat breakouts and prevents them really well.
Great that the tea tree oil is working for you! Agreed, everyone is different. I’m happy to hear you found something that works for you, that’s what’s most important.
Unfortunately I read this after I burnt my face off. It itches like crazy and I’m swollen. I’ve taken Benadryl and it barely helps. I stopped by Citymd and they gave me hydrocortisone for the irritation and just told me to wait it out. Helpppp me. I’m scared but tempted to put other things on my face like honey, turmeric, coconut oil. What do you suggest?
Sorry to hear about your reaction. In the future, better to spot test products on the inside of your arm to make sure your skin doesn’t have a reaction. You have sensitive skin, so if ever you have another reaction to an ingredient or product, best to wash it off and leave it be. I know the temptation can be strong to put other products on top of it, but it will just make it worse.
My skin is too oily Does tea tree facial scrub 250ml gonna work on cystic pimples..
Hi Mohammad,
Best to work on your diet to get rid of the acne. Tea tree oil can treat it, but better to get rid of the cause. I recommend avoiding dairy products (milk, cream, cheese, etc), and all sugar for one month and see how your skin responds.
Daily I get get new pimple seriously I’m tired of them, I know that how I akward I feel in office I sit alone in free time and my colleagues keep asking meveryone why you sit alone what’s the problem..help me to get rid of them
Do you suggest switching from Benzoyl Peroxide to Tea Tree Oil? I’m thinking about buying the Trader Joes Tea Tree Oil Face Wash but I’m scared my skin will get worse since it has done so well with BP. I’m trying to switch to an all natural face routine.
Don’t use a tea tree oil face wash. Best only to use tea tree oil to spot treat pimples, not all over your face. You will hurt your skin. Tea tree oil is a better alternative to BP, but only use it as a spot treatment.
I used home remedies for acne scars that is tomato and lemon juice etc potato juice.
And doctors have prescribed me berberis aquifolium for acne scars.. So is it fine if I apply
TEA TREE OIL. AND YES I HAVE OILY SKIN WITH ACNE
Thank you so much for those advices! Xoxo from Brazil
My pleasure!
Fairly recently I’ve started to use tea tree oil as a spot treatment. However, after a while of using it in one particular area the certain spot continues to stay very red and the skin around it has broken out and it quite dry. Do you have suggestions for how to treat the post-tea tree oil use outbreak, particularly in a natural way? And any natural suggestions for treating redness? I’m not super happy with my various typical moisturizers. What about coconut oil?
Hi Erika,
I recommend stopping the tea tree oil and letting your skin balance itself out. You can apply some jojoba oil to the affected area, but really, your skin needs to heal and sometimes leaving it alone to heal is the best option.
I wouldn’t use the tea tree oil again either, it sounds to me it’s broken down your skin barrier and best to avoid it completely.
Hi
Tea tree oil works for scars too ?
No, not really. Exfoliation is the only thing that will help fade acne scars and marks. Here’s a blog post: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/exfoliation-fade-acne-scars-naturally/
I used the st. Ives with salicylic acid and tea tree oil the body shop after. What will happen?
I wouldn’t use it. It might be fine the first few times you use it but eventually it will dry out your face. Both those products are too strong to use all over your face, and combined would be even worse. You risk drying out your skin and irritating it.
can i dilute TTO with rose water?
can i dilute TTO with rose water? or maybe with green tea oil?
You can dilute it, but I would still only use it as a spot treatment and not all over your face.
Hi.
1)I used tea tree oil before moistuiser & only put the oil on pimples spot, i feel have burning effect or sting can still continue use it? Coz I thought just like peppermint we also feel those cooling N sting effect..
2)after few days application the Pimple drop off but left some remaining side surface of Pimple that drop off , is it normal? Mayb is dry effect of pimples? So it looks like a hole now hoping it will heal soon
Hi Tan,
If you are feeling any burning or stinging from a product, I would stop using it. That’s usually a sign it’s too strong for your skin and can cause an adverse reaction.
My personal experience with tea tree oil has actually been very well, not all throughout the process, however.
I started using it about 3 months ago, I started off with 100% oil and dabbed cotton swabs with it and rubed it all over my face. After about a week, I’m pretty sure it broke me out a bit instead of clearing anything, but I kept up with the same routine, eventually I ditched the cotton swab and started using my finger tips to apply it only at night time before bed, I still use it as an all over treatment (mainly because there isn’t a spot on my face that doesn’t need it, my acne was pretty severe) Applying it once a day, every day, for the last three months as an all over treatment, has been my holy grail. It burned very badly at first, but my skin got use to it and now it feels like nothing at all, directly after applying it I take a pea sized amount of 100% coconut oil and use it as a mostiurizer. I am trying to stick to a routine of natural products and although it may not work for everyone, it has cleared my acne. After probably thousands of dollars and an 8 year struggle with acne, I can’t believe this is all it took all this time.
Great to hear your routine worked for you. You must be thrilled! Everyone is different, some people can handle the tea tree oil, others can’t. Same with coconut oil, for many people with acne prone skin, coconut oil causes awful breakouts, but there’s always people it works great for. I’m just glad you found something that works for you and the struggle is over. Amazing how such a simple ingredient can do so much 🙂
hey i have got a bottle of TTO expecting to get. a clear face i m16 .
I have applied a little on my hand and its all fine .
so it means that its safe for my face too ?
Only use as a spot treatment, don’t use all over your face.
Hai, am having clear skin with little bit dark spots / acne . I tried lot of products but no use, so took break from everything since 1 month but I will massage everyday with olive oil. Recently I saw your YouTube video and stated using tea tree oil with olive oil (some time Ill use for massage or dub at night), after a week my face completely filled with small pimples and bit dry. I feel like why I started this and worried that what happened to my face.
Hi Pavi,
Best not to use tea tree oil all over your face, not good to massage with it. It’s very strong and can cause irritation.
I used Dr. Bronners Tea tree oil soap, I put it on my face in the shower at night and use it as a cleanser in place of my regular product a few times a week. I think it works fantastically and it says on the bottle you can use it on your face. It is diluted with other products and I only use a very small amount. Works very well.
That’s great it works for you. For most people tea tree and also soaps are too harsh. But if it works for you, continue. Just keep an eye out that it isn’t drying out your skin.
Hi I brought recently tea tree oil and skin clearing foaming cleanser also a tea tree product, I was wondering which to use first should I clean my face then put the oil or the opposite and the same thing for moisturizer when should I put it ??
Thank you
And can it be use for blackheads??
No, unfortunately tea tree oil won’t help blackheads. Here’s a blog post on how to get rid of blackheads: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/blackheads/
Hi Jude,
I don’t recommend using the tea tree cleanser, it’ll be too harsh. You can use tea tree oil as a spot treatment once a day at night.
I have a break out as a result of a soap I used… can I use a diluted tea tree oil to cure it?
You can try to use tea tree oil. Make sure just to use as a spot treatment, not all over your face. You can dilute it if you wish.
Hello! Good day to you,
I have a question
Am I allowed to put tea tree oil before going to school everyday and before going to sleep as well?
(So I use it 2x a day)
I really appreciate how you are able to answer our questions!
Thank you very much!
Hi Seyra, only use it once a day as a spot treatment. Best to just use at night.
Hi,
I get moderate acne, a few pimple’s here and there and recently purchases tea tree and eucalyptus essential oil. I cleanse my skin with olive oil, and I was debating whether adding a few drops of both essential oils to my small container of olive oil that I use to cleanse my face. Do you think that should be fine in terms of enough dilution? I don’t want to make my acne worse. Thank you.
– Emma
HI Emma,
I don’t recommend using it in anything you apply all over your face. You can use it as a spot treatment, but don’t add it to your cleanser. It’s too harsh and it can hurt your skin.
Also, for some people with breakouts and acne, olive oil isn’t always the best oil to use (it’s high in oleic acid, which for acne prone skin, you might want to try an oil higher in lineolic acid). How about trying grapeseed oil, safflower oil or pumpkin seed oil? If you have oily skin, hemp seed oil can be good too.
Hi Natasha
I have few possibilities to try for clearing skin, wondering which one to start with for sensitive skin
1. 100% pure organic TTO 2-3 drops, diluted with 1 teaspoon of Pure Aloe farms Aloe vera gel and apply all over face
2.100% pure organic TTO 1-2 drops , diluted with 1 teaspoon of Pure Aloe farms Aloe vera gel and 2 drops of pure Jajoba oil and apply all over face
3. Dilute 2-3 drops of Jajoba oil with 1 teaspoon of Aloe vera gel and apply all over face
4. 2-3 drops of Jajoba oil diluted with Aloe vera and apply all over face and then apply TTO as spot treatment
Hi Jennifer, I don’t recommend using any product containing tea tree oil all over your face. It’s too strong, and we don’t want to hurt your skin. Only use it as a spot treatment (you can use it as it is, or dilute it with oil or aloe vera).
Hey,
I wanna ask you
Do u recommend using the body shop tea trea products if not where is the best place to find bes tea trea oil
Also, aloa vera and vitamin e are they good for acne brown spots
Because my chin and cheeks have brown spots and every pimple goes leaving a spots that wont leave
I don’t recommend the tea tree skincare range from the Body Shop (like the tea tree cleanser, moisturizer, mask, etc. – they’re too harsh). The only exception would maybe be the spot treatment.
How about washing you face with honey, this can help speed up healing of breakouts and fade marks left behind, here’s a blog post/video how to use honey to wash your face: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/honey-cleansing-acne-prone-skin/
Hello, which TTO brands would you recommend? I want to purchase some and try to reduce redness and acne scarring (hyper pigmentation maybe?) on my skin (perhaps by mixing with honey or aloe vera). I’ve read that 100% TTO is good but then I read articles saying I shouldn’t use TTO neat directly on skin and to dilute it first… Not sure where to start as different articles suggest different things.
Any help would be great, thanks!
I really like Living Libations Tea Tree Oil (and all their other essential oils as well).
The honey and aloe can help fade hyperpigmentation, the tea tree oil won’t help with dark marks (it’s better for its antibacterial properties).
Depending if your skin is sensitive or not, you can use it neat (only use as a spot treatment, not all over your face). If your skin is sensitive, you can dilute it, but again, only use as a spot treatment, not all over your face.
Hope this helps!
Hi Natasha. I have been enjoying this page. I have searched and searched, but cannot find anybody estimating how long before the redness from tea tree burn goes away.
I have used tea tree oil as a zit zapper for years, with good resolution and no bad effects, until recently when I had a row of little bumps at the top of each cheek. I applied tea tree only to the bumps, but I guess it was too close to the skin under my eyes, which has been bright red, dry and flaking for more than three weeks now. The look is weird, these two bright red swooshes on my face. Do you know how long until this redness will go away? I have been using a diaper rash ointment at night because it is the only thing that feels soothing. Otherwise, just washing daily and waiting to look normal again. I put on makeup when I go out, which helps the appearance nominally, but I work at home so I hardly ever have to do that.
Hi Mary,
It sounds like you got a burn. It might take some time for it to heal. I agree, continue using the diaper rash cream to protect it at night. If it’s not too sensitive, you can try dabbing a little vitamin e on it as well (maybe do that during the day?). I also recommend minimal skincare products, so the less products you use on your skin, the better. Make sure your cleanser is very gentle, and fragrance-free. I hope your skin heals soon.
Hello, I was wondering do I have to mix tea tree oil with moisturizer or can I just put it straight on the spot? Because on the bottle is says to mix with moisturizer but some people use it straight to their face so is there a difference? 🙂
Normally you can use directly on pimples as a spot treatment, but if the bottle says to dilute it, I would follow those instructions.
Hey Natasha,
I have started using Tea tree oil for my pimples. The thing is it is working but also making my skin dry (i am in 30’s and this is the first time, i have pimples and that too back to back in a row). Plus scars are there. Can you please help me in the same?
You can try applying 2-3 drops of rose hip seed oil on your face before applying the TTO on your spots. The Rose hip seed oil is very moisturizing and good for fading acne scars and marks.
Hi,
i have never had bad skin in my life ever since when i turned 18. I have gone through many home made masks and remedies for eg, cinnamon and egg white mask, honey,lemon and even mint leaves anything that might contain salicylic acid in it. Nothing worked hence why now i am on accutane and honestly i started breaking out very very less but once in a blue moon i did get one or wo pimple here and there. But i want was clear sin because i already scars on my face and more pimple meant more scars. Now finally i am using two topical creams, Acnes for fading up my scars and Duac for pimples. Its been 2 days and haven’t seen a drastic change but my question is can i use tea tree oil after i have removed the duac cream.
Can it be used for body – the tea tree oil??
Can it be used for acne???
I’m getting this bad acne so I was wondering if I could use it
Natasha thank you very much for this amazing article that contains a load of useful information. Can we use tea tree oil in conjuction with a hyaluronic acid based lotion?
Thank you
Hi Giorgia,
It should be ok. Just make sure to only use it as a spot treatment once a day, at night.
Hey! There, I’ve tested tree tea oil as a spot treatment Right now and it got me burning irritation on my acnes. Kindly do tell me what should I’ve to do now.
Hi Annie, it sounds to me you are having a bad reaction. I would stop using it.
guys you might not believe any of these but i’m a 15 yo that’s been suffering from acne since grade five. i tried out so many products i swear it’s not even normal how much i was trying to get rid of the marks on my face. it started out as acne on my forehead then it spread to my cheeks with the occasional pimples on my forehead after i do my eyebrows. it became so bad that i went to a dermatologist and started to take a less severe version of accutane. i honestly gave up after the pimples came back. i used something with tea tree oil and witch hazel that worked wonders but i’d only seen it at berlington ( yeah that discount store i go to check out some weird stuff ) and it cleared my skin within a week. i literally cried because i had been working to get rid of acne for years. the bottle finished and acne came back ( how fun! ) so i got a bottle of pure tea tree oil and tried to put it. worked for awhile but my lazy a** didn’t want to put it on for more than 2 days. it’s now a few months later and i have scars ( yay? ) and i used the tea tree oil again and my skin is now clear. i can’t believe how much this helped and i have oily/combo sensitive skin. SUNSCREEN IS A MUST IF YOU HAVE ACNE
Hello! I have had a really serious reaction from tea tree oil, on my face. I haven’t used it for 2 years now and I never will. I was researching how much warnings are there about tea tree oil; unfortunately not enough and judging by these replies as well as on other sites, it’s very alarming because its use is on the rise and many people burn themselves badly, like I did. Turned out I had rosacea, and just thought I had acne before getting a diagnosis. And when you have rosacea on your face, applying tea tree oil on it is dangerous. People rarely know whether a pimple is infected or not. It might not be so obvious. If it is already infected, treating it with tea tree oil is a big mistake. While I love natural remedies, people should always see a dermatologist first to make sure they don’t have an infection or other skin diseases.
Also, you should tell how much TTO should be diluted. I recommend starting with 1:50. Stored at room temperature, tea tree oil can become even stronger so it should be used with extreme caution. Heck, I get less irritated by acetone on my skin than tea tree oil, that should tell you something. In my opinion people shouldn’t be adviced to use it every day, not even every other day.
You, just like everyone recommending and giving advice, have a responsibility to take into consideration that majority of people are looking for a quick fix and don’t take subtle warnings seriously I have a feeling you don’t realize how badly TTO can damage the skin. Not wanting to sound rude.. The burn and your skin peeling off on its own is incredibly painful, and just because someone doesn’t get a reaction now, it can suddenly happen tomorrow. That’s what happened to me. I got sensitized to it, my body reached its limit and suddenly I reacted, very badly. And that can happen to anyone. TTO is causing awful skin reactions to so many people, Use on yeast infections is on the rise, too. People recommend to apply it onto your genital area and that infuriates me.
By saying only use it as a spot treatment you are not realizing that many who seek help have those spots all over the face, let’s say a hundred. So they WILL put it all over their face, even if they dab it on just the pimples. Now that’s a lot to take in all at the same time; your body will most likely react. TTO shouldn’t be a part of a daily routine; the more you use it the more sensitized you will get. It IS a toxin, basically.
I hope I didn’t come off rude or disrespectful. Just that, having to look your facial skin crawl and curl off on its own is like from a horror movie. That felt surreal and it was incredibly painful. That was my body responding with full-blown alert: get off with this poison, NOW! And now I have to warn others every chance I get.
Hi Verushka,
Sorry to hear your terrible experience. Good that you caught it before it did further harm. I appreciate you sharing your experience using it. There’s a lot of natural remedies floating around the internet, and its important people know the risks. I’m curious if you had done a patch test before using it? Sometimes the sensitivity appears, sometimes not.
I had to add as a comparison a certain chemical that is widely used in cosmetics. Alpha-isomethylionone. I get less reactions to it as do other people apparently, although I am still sensitized to it and I get serious respiratory symptoms. It has been officially listed as harmful to the environment, may cause irritation to skin and eyes. Yet it is allowed, but carefully regulated. Now then, we have an unregulated natural oil causing more serious reactions to more people. That is becoming a problem, because people don’t realize just how strong it is. Also, it has originally been used by aboriginals. Asian and especially caucasian skin is much thinner and more sensitive.
Hi,
I wanted to make a diy/natural toner a few days ago, so I found a recipe online that has about 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 water, and about 5 drops of TTO. So far, in the 3 or so days I’ve been using it after cleansing morning and night, I think it’s been working well. My skin doesn’t seem red or feel burned. However, while doing further research on TTO, I stumbled across this website and your tips and suggestions, one of them being not to use TTO on your entire face. I was just wondering if I would have had a reaction by now while using the toner all over my face, or if I should stop using the toner either way (or maybe just in the mornings?). Your help and advice is much appreciated!
Hi Caroline,
I personally would be careful with using the toner. Maybe just use it a few nights a week. I wouldn’t use it during the day because of risk of sun exposure with the TTO and vinegar.
Keep an eye on your skin, if you see any redness, dryness or irritation, best to discontinue.
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Thank you for the info I learned the hard way some of these
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