I was a bit skeptical about essential oils when I first heard of them. I mean, I’m all for natural products but I thought it was just that, a nice thing to use. I didn’t really know that they had such a good effect and would actually help me with little niggles and illnesses. After trying them, I have found them to work so well for me.
There are a lot of uses for essential oils, particularly tea tree (or melaleuca). So I’m just sharing the ways that I have used them and who they worked for me. (Point to note is that tea tree oils should never be ingested, it is only to be used topically).
Coldsores
I have suffered with these on and off my whole life. Mine are very much triggered by the weather and I usually get them on holiday if my lips get a lot of sun, or in extreme temperatures, so winter time. I dread when I get one because it is just such a pain and they take over a week to get rid off. I always have to see a doctor for mine as over the counter treatment is never strong enough. Sad times.
As anyone that gets them will know, you just know when it is coming. There is a bit of a spot brewing under your lip, if that makes sense. And you get the tingly feeling. This started for me a few weeks ago. I was just thinking, oh great, I’ll have to try and get a doctors appointment in the morning. I then remembered I have essential oils in the house. So I looked up what to use and saw tea tree. I applied 3 drops into little dish with some fractionated coconut oil (using a carrier oil juts dilutes it slightly). I then dabbed a cotton bud in it and rubbed it onto my lip. It didn’t sting or anything but the tingly feeling instantly went. I applied it every few hours and put a lot on overnight. In the morning it hadn’t developed int anything. There was still a little spot under my lip but after the second day of applying tea tree, it was gone.
I avoided getting a coldsore! If anyone that knows me will testify, this is a big deal. My coldsores get massive really quickly (there are some attractive pictures of me at my sisters wedding after coming back from the US a few days before, with a massive coldsore)!
Spots & Blemishes
I still get spots from time to time, mainly due to hormones. Tea tree is amazing to use on your skin. It is basically an anti-fungal and a infection reducing oil so it works miracles on spots. I’ve applied it a few times a day and they completely go down.
Mouth Ulcers
Around the same time I was getting a coldsore, I had a mouth ulcer. I must have been run down or stressed! Anyway, I used the same thing, a few drops in coconut oil and dabbed it onto the cold sore. I kind of held my lip out until it had ‘dried’ so not to ingest any. It did sting a little but I noticed it going down after a few hours. It also stopped it being ‘itchy’, you know when you can’t leave an ulcer alone (or is that just me)?!
Head Lice
The joys of having a child at nursery school means they will occasionally get things like this. There had been reports of it so the nursery teachers said for us to check. Sure enough, he had them 🙁 After washing his hair, I applied tea tree oil to it and combed through. I did this twice, on separate days and they had gone. We got rid of the lice without having to use harsh chemicals on my son’s head. I was so pleased, and amazed.
These are just some of the ways I have seen them work in my everyday life. I’m now convinced!
Have you used essential oils before? If not and are interested in trying tea tree oil (or any others), you can visit my online shop here.
I use tea tree oil for spots but I have never thought of using it for lice. Great tip. Thank you!
Catherine recently posted…Sophie’s Tom / Sophie Hits Six / Sophie is Seven by Dick King- Smith & Hannah Shaw
it works so well for it! Thanks for stopping by Catherine
Rebecca U recently posted…Why I Love Shopping Online
Unfortunately for me I have tried it for head lice. Like you say it was very effective, I hope I don’t have to use it for it again anytime soon…
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I love essential oils and use them for all sorts of things. I find them really effective. I have made a mouthwash recently with tea tree oil (along with peppermint, water and bicarb) and it works really well 🙂 #TheList
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Oh wow i never knew Tea Tree oil could be used for different things other than spots! Thanks for the tips! #TheList
Oh I love this, I had no idea tea tree oil was so useful. Thanks for linking up to #thelist x
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