Tea Tree Magic

  In my previous post I mentioned the miracle that is Tea Tree Oil. It’s one of those things, like Coconut Oil, that seems to be able to fix everything! Yes-relationships included. But, really.

Last year while studying abroad in France I decided to go on a makeup detox. I committed to taking good care of my skin while I was there and by the time I was leaving, my face glowed like never before. Talk about glo-up. I went there. Of course this was attributed to allowing my skin to breathe without foundation oftentimes clogging my pores and the glorious South Of France sunshine, but I can’t deny that I had a LOT of help from this magical potion my friend introduced me to: tea tree oil. Except this magical potion is available to everyone who is willing to try it. I live for natural remedies and so it didn’t take much convincing to get me to try it. I did and it was amazing! Initially I would dab a little tea tree oil on my dark spots but then I decided to test the tea tree waters and tried a range of products from The Body Shop. I thought, like everything else you have to commit to using it regularly for an extended time (months) in order to see any results. Simple discipline, right? Well, after a few applications of the toner, I began to see results within a couple of days. Magic. Except not really magic, nature. Thanks, God. My skin was visibly clearer and brighter.

There are several uses of tea tree oil and I mean several! From blister care to hair care and way beyond. Seriously, get into it. Anyway, in this post I am going to focus on the skin benefits it provides and why it is worth trying.  

Let me begin by being responsible and say that there are some important things to note when it comes to using tea tree oil:

• It is only meant to be used topically and can be toxic if ingested.
• Different people react differently to tea tree oil so as a first timer, use a diluted form. For instance, The Body Shop Tea Tree toner which includes tea tree extracts.
• It’s probably a good idea to determine whether you are allergic to tree oil by putting a small amount on your inner arm to test. If you react, you probably want to keep it away from your face!

Now with that said, let’s get into the awesomeness.

It is sometimes referred to as the Wonder from Down Under because it is derived from the Australian tea tree. It has such great healing power for the skin because of its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal and antiseptic properties. Some studies have shown that tea tree oil is in fact as effective as benzoyl peroxide in treating acne without the negative effects like redness and peeling.  When used in toners, it deeply cleanses the skin to reveal bright, glowing skin. When used in face masks, it leaves your skin feeling smooth and soft. Thankfully, The Body Shop has a whole range of tea tree products that I think work like a charm:

http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/tea-tree-oil-clear-skin-regimen/

  
If you would like to try the products without making the financial commitment, they offer $1 face-wash samples so you can try those first. I particularly love the toner and face mask but feel free to try the other products too! Of course, if you do try the products, let me know how they are working for you, I love hearing feedback.

~Rekia