Ok, someone needs to tell me: HOW THE HELL DID I EVER LIVE WITHOUT THIS STUFF!?

This shit is amazing. It's good for EVERYTHING. I originally picked it up after I got my industrial piercing and I was experiencing some hypertrophic scarring (basically, a very uncute bump formed around the hole). I searched to see what could get rid of the ugly bump, and quickly discovered tea tree oil was a commonly used, non-invasive and effective solution. Just dab some on once or twice a day and you're good to go! It totally worked. But then... I've got this bottle of oil that I had no idea what to do with. This, of course, means research was required. Tea tree oil is a very concentrated essential oil with natural antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial properties - huzzah! This means it is amazing for use on scratches, cuts and minor abrasions. My favourite use of late, however, is for my face: dreaded acne, beware!

My personal experience has shown tea tree oil to be extremely effective in helping to combat acne and blackheads. I use full strength, but do NOT recommend this for everyone, as it is drying and can cause skin irritation. This helps with acne because it disinfects and eases up the pain of big, hurty zits (HURRAY!). I've been using this over my affected areas for a few days now, and have demolished blackheads as well as reducing the size and redness of pimples present. Before my tea tree action, I had a number of under-the-skin bumps that had developed; those are now completely gone. This leaves a tingle I personally find satisfying. Something to note is that the smell is rather strong - you might not mind it (I kind of like it), but some people hate it. My acne has been wickedly itchy lately, and the tea tree oil is the only thing I've tried that has soothed it.

Generally, I would recommend using a cotton swab and applying this as a spot treatment, initially trying it on one spot and giving it 24 hours to see if you react. If it's too intense, don't be afraid to dilute it! It's still going to do you good. Right now, I'm swearing by this stuff as my skin has been indifferent to everything else I've slapped on.

Tea tree oil is also very handy for use on the fingernails - it can help to buff out stains and heal ragged, torn cuticles. The list of uses for tea tree is pretty phenomenal, making it a supremely handy thing to have in one's home. I found my bottle in the first aid section of a local drug store, and it was by no means expensive. Please note that this is for EXTERNAL USE ONLY (no drinking it!). If you're interested in more uses, check out TeaTreeOilUses.com for their insane list.