Tea Tree - Australia

Tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, is a shrub native to New South Wales, Australia. It is called the "tea tree" although it is not related to tea, whose Latin name is Camelia sinensis. Traditionally used by the aborigines, its leaves are narrow and have pockets containing their precious aromatic molecules. When distilled, they produce an essential oil with fresh, fine, woody notes.

Aromatherapy

External use:

• Respiratory tract :
  Gentle olfaction +++
  Inhalation +++
  Diffusion +++
• Skin use: +++
• Bathing: ++ +++

Cosmetic

External use

• Face +++
• Body +++
• Hair +++

Essential oil characterised by a good balance between monoterpenols and monoterpenes: it is rich in terpinene-4-ol, the molecule to which it owes a large part of its activity, and in terpinenes. A touch of 1.8 cineole completes the picture. The terroir will define the olfactory difference between the two essential oils proposed, that of Australia or South Africa, whose biochemical compositions are however very close.

Aromatherapy

External use

• Supports the body's natural defences, particularly in winter.
• Invigorating, brings energy and resistance in case of temporary fatigue.
• Strengthens balance and vitality.
• When diffused with other essential oils, helps to clean the air and repel insects.
• Helps to purify young and problematic skin.
• Helps to care for red, irritated and damaged skin and scalps.
• Helps to care for the mouth and teeth.

Cosmetic

External use

• Invigorating, participates in the care of problem skins and scalps.

Essential oil with earthy and penetrating notes, which rarely seduces at first, but becomes irreplaceable in a second time. It is intimately linked to the concrete aspects of life. It restores balance, provides a foundation, dispels mental confusion and combats nervous fatigue. For fine notes, choose the one from Australia, for "raw" fragrances, prefer the one from South Africa.

The information provided in this Guide to Essential Oils is for information purposes only: it is a synthesis of the properties described in recognised aromatherapy books and/or in accordance with ancestral and popular traditions. The properties presented are extracted from the works cited in the bibliography below. This is in no way a medical information or a list of indications.

• Not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy and for children under 3 years of age.
• Preferably used for short periods.
• Caution for people with sensitive skin: do not use purely by the skin.
• Risk of allergy (limonene, linalool): take care not to overdose in mixtures. An elbow test is recommended prior to any skin application (at least 48 hours before use).
• Keep out of reach of young children.
• Avoid contact with the eyes.
• Keep away from sources of heat and light.