Lit from Within: The Wonder Oil - Apothecary Extracts Tea Tree Oil Review
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Monday, September 29, 2014

The Wonder Oil - Apothecary Extracts Tea Tree Oil Review

Hello, Fireflies!

Have you heard of Tea Tree Oil? I first heard of it as an ingredient in my dogs' Hot Spot spray, a topical treatment for sores on their skin.  I also started buying an ear cleanser for my pups that included Tea Tree Oil, and then, I wouldn't buy either of these types of products UNLESS it had Tea Tree Oil.  Why? It worked.  Their sores would heal up because the oil kills bacteria AND the dogs didn't want to lick it off! Their ears smelled better.

Then I heard it was good for a plethora of human issues, too, and that got me a little excited!


Turns out, Tea Tree is one of the most versatile essential oils! It fights all kinds of nasties like lice, yeast infections, cold sores, dandruff, warts, psoriasis, eczema, and my fave - acne! 

Apothecary Extracts was founded in 2013 because they wanted a brand of oils that was transparent about what was in them, and where it came from.  Their Tea Tree oil is as protected as much as possible from pesticides, and tested by gas chromatography for purity.  Their oil is free from preservatives, artificial color, fragrance, chemical solvents, petroleum, mineral oil, and parabens.

Check out the monster bottle you get when you order (exclusively from Amazon.com) - 4 fluid ounces! Most bottles of oil are either 2 oz or less (nail polish bottle is just for comparison - not included!) You're going to want a huge bottle, though, because they also send you an e-book full of recipes.


The bottle has one of those slow dropper applicators.  It's handy if you want to put some on a cotton ball, but I found it frustrating to use to count drops for recipes, and I had to take it out all together for measuring anything more than a few drops.


The e-book has lots and lots of recipes - everything from skincare to household cleaners.

I made a few of them over a weekend. First tip: unless you really, really, really love Tea Tree Oil, don't try to make all the recipes in one weekend.  I was getting a little sick of the smell.  It's strong and medicinal.

My first recipe was a hair treatment made with the Tea Tree Oil and Coconut Oil.


After melting about a Tablespoon of Coconut oil, you simply mix in a few drops of the Tea Tree Oil and then apply it to your scalp.  You then can leave it on for 20 minutes, or all night, and then shampoo your hair normally in the morning.

Here's the problem.  My hair was already dirty, which meant that my scalp was a little itchy.  Then, I put more oil on it.

Then, I scratched my head.  Usually, absentmindedly.

Then, I would touch my eyes.

Bad move.  The oil, it burns.  So, if you're going to do this, try not to scratch your head.  Or, don't touch your eyes, or both.  Seems pretty simple, doesn't it?

The next morning, I made a batch of their Tea Tree Oil shampoo, with castile soap, a few drops of jojoba, the Tea Tree Oil, and water.  It lathered nicely, and made my hair nice and clean.  It was actually a good cleanser so that I could do a nice deep conditioning masque and not worry about buildup.

I also made an eczema scrub for my husband to use in the shower.


This was only a little more complicated, and required using a little food chopper to dice up the fresh rosemary and mix it with the salt and lemon rind.  Tea Tree Oil and lemon juice were added afterwards.  I only made enough for one application.  It did seem to dry out my husband's eczema patch on his shoulder.

The last treatment I did was a doozy.  It was for a face masque made with clay, Tea Tree Oil, and water.  I can't recommend it.  The original recipe called for 4 Tablespoons of Tea Tree Oil to 2 Tablespoons of clay (I used Bentonite, which I'd used before) and then enough water to loosen the paste.  I only used one teaspoon of each, and then when I added some water, the whole mixture separated into a clumpy mess that I could never quite get integrated again.  I could only leave the masque on for about 10 minutes instead of the recommended 15, because my face started *burning*.  When I removed it, it looked like I had a bad sunburn.  Luckily, we have an Aloe Vera plant, and it was just the thing for cooling down my face.

So, if you're going to use it in a masque, I would recommend starting off with a blend in a carrier oil, or adding a few drops to a store-bought masque or even to a DIY masque.  There's no denying that Tea Tree Oil is great for acne, but if you're not used to it, it's a little strong. 

I am definitely looking forward to trying this oil for cleaning, and I understand it's great for removing skin tags.  I'm going to look for some recipes to make my own doggie products, too, because I know it's great for their skin issues.  And now I know that I can get pure, tested Tea Tree Oil from Apothecary Extracts, so why get anything else?

As of this writing, this offer is only available through Amazon.com for $24.99.

Have you ever used Tea Tree Oil?  Did you have any idea how versatile it is?

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42 comments:

  1. This sounds nice. I know that a lot of people like tea tree oil too.

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  2. I use tea tree oil for mosquito bites and sometimes zits

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    Replies
    1. oooh, mosquito bites! I'll have to try that. The bugs find me to be quite tasty, and there are too many of them here in Florida.

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  3. I used to use tea tree oil when I got fake acrylic nails in my college years/early 20s, so I could prevent fungal infections! Great post, it has so much versatility!

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    1. Another use I never would have guessed! I'm sure some of my readers have acrylics - probably useful even if you use gel nails that you keep on for 2 weeks.

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  4. I love using tea tree oil. It has so many great uses, especially for cleaning/disinfecting. Also, if you're acne prone, it makes a good toner (diluted, of course).

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    1. Yeah, that diluted part is important! lol. I do want to try it again on my skin because I think it'll be great for my breakouts... but I think I'll wait just a little bit! lol.

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  5. I didn't know that tea tree oil was so great. Thanks for the tips.

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    1. It's so inexpensive, too - I think everyone should have a small bottle in their First Aid Kit, at least. And a large bottle in their Zombie Apocalypse kit.

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  6. I love the idea of using natural oils to create your own handmade beauty products.

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    1. I've never much been into DIY, but I'll make an exception for some beauty products. I feel better knowing what's in them, and some really expensive products are just combinations of things I have in my own kitchen!

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  7. Tea Tree is one oil I can't like. I tried but it just isn't for me. :)

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    1. It definitely has a particular scent, and after wearing it for hours, I wasn't so fond of it, either!

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  8. Sounds interesting. Those DIY recipes with tea tree oil are something I would love to try.

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    1. It's fun making something that is so useful.

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  9. I'm not fond of the smell, but when used in small doses, I'm good with it!

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  10. I don't use it but I know it can be helpful if you have dandruff

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    1. As red as my face was after the masque, with your rosacea, I think your face would have been eaten off.

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  11. Very interesting post, Nidia. I didn't apply for this promo because I have dry skin, and I didn't know what else to do with it other than treat acne. You certainly have found a lot to do with it!

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    1. I think I'm going to try a household product next.. but just one. ONE at a time.

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  12. I agree that it's a bit strong when you're not used to it, but there are so many amazing uses for it!

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    1. I really want it to help me with my acne, so I'll try again.. but I'll just add a few drops to a masque I already like.

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  13. I love natural, homemade beauty products!

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    1. YOu are the queen of DIY, though, for sure. I envy your crafty skillz

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  14. I'm actually sensitive to tea tree oil. It makes having spa treatments a little interesting because they always have to check all the ingredients of their products. Annoying!

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    1. I imagine it's in a lot of spa treatments, as a skin clearing agent. You're supposed to leave relaxed, not irritated!

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  15. I have been an addict of Tea Tree Oil (this one especially) the last month because it has been nice when my scalp is transitioning from summer to fall/winter and my scalp gets dry. I used to use one from Melaleuca years ago so it's nice to have a large bottole.

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    1. I'm surprised you can use it with your sensitive skin! or do you just use it on your scalp/hair?

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  16. Everyone (who isn't sensitive to it) should have a bottle in their medicine cabinet!

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    1. I have a small bottle in my doggie emergency kit, too.

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  17. I've never tried Tea Tree Oil but I hear about it all of the time. I feel like I should have one on hand..

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    1. Next time you're in a health food store, see if they have samples of their aromatic oils for you to sniff. It's a unique oil!

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  18. I tried tea tree oil before but it totally didn't work for me, but I wih it worked

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    1. I suspect some of the treatments take multiple applications. The eczema scrub didn't heal my husband's rash, but it did dry it up and smooth it out some.

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  19. Replies
    1. Just be careful if you're not used to Tea Tree Oil! It's strong!

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  20. I love tea tree oil for spot treatments!

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  21. i use tea tree oil in my natural hair mixes!

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    1. that's pretty cool! How does it help your natural hair?

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Thank you for your comments! They mean so much to me, and I read all of them, even if I don't always have a chance to respond.

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