REVIEW: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

I have experimented with a good number of brands before realizing that what works best for me are the gentle products. My skin hates and breaks out on products with too much chemicals that promise major results. That being said, one of my go-to places when I want to update my pampering and beauty regimen is The Body Shop. My usual purchase are their bath products which smell sooo good! I also get them to give as presents.

But just recently, I read up some good stuff about tea tree oil and its effects on skin and because I was having a little break out at that time I decided to get one. I already knew The Body Shop has it, so I went straight to the branch in SM Makati to buy one.

A few technical details: Tea Tree Oil is  extracted from the Tea Tree (apparently :P) which is different from  the tea plant used for making teas. It can be used for various purposes such as treatment for skin infections like acne and fungal infections, and may also be used to treat vaginal infections, sore throat, and toothache among others.

You have to be careful though when using it as it can have some side effects like drying, itching or even worsening of acne when you use it as treatment. Pure tea tree oil is strong so you have to either mix  it with other oils like lavender oil or water or use very little amount on just the affected areas of your face.

Luckily, The Body Shop's tea tree oil is a ready formulation. A 10 ml bottle is a mixture of 15% tea tree oil and the following: Aqua (Solvent/Diluent), Alcohol Denat. (Solvent/Diluent), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (Emulsifier), Polysorbate 20 (Emulsifier), Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil (Natural Additive), Limonene (Natural Additive), t-Butyl Alcohol (Denaturant), Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil (Skin Conditioning Agent), Citral (Natural Additive), Leptospermum Petersonii Oil (Natural Additive), Denatonium Benzoate (Denaturant), Tocopherol (Antioxidant). Click here for more details.

For the skin, it can be used as a toner or moisturizer, preferably morning and night. You can also use it as a steam regimen. Just put 3-4 drops on a bowl of hot water and steam away.

As for me, I used it as a moisturizer, applied with a cotton pad every night. At first it felt oily specially on my already oily skin and I was afraid that it would worsen the few pimples I was trying to cure. Since this is a natural cure, it takes longer for the effect to be seen and felt than other products.

After about 4 weeks of use, my skin became smoother and softer especially after applying my powder foundation. The few fine lines I have under my eyes also disappeared. Sadly, it did not work on my pimples. They looked just the same as before and some new additions even popped up. I would have stuck  to it if I was not breaking out but I needed an alternative that is not of oil which is already abundant on my face.

I used my tea tree oil instead as moisturizer for my whole body which also worked fine. I mix  it my lotion giving my skin a really nice minty lavender scent. I would probably go back to it once my face cleared up. :)