Tea Tree Oil on Skin: How to Use It Safely (and When to Skip It)

By Mark from Outback, The Outback Series customer care6 min read

The short answer

For most adults, tea tree oil on the skin is fine once it is diluted. Pure tea tree essential oil should never go on your skin straight from the bottle. A gentle starting point is about 1 drop in a teaspoon of carrier oil, such as olive, almond or jojoba oil.
Patch test first: put it on a quarter-sized spot on the inside of your arm twice a day for 7 to 10 days. Any redness, itching or swelling means stop.
Never swallow it. Keep it away from your eyes, children and pets, and store it cool, dark and tightly capped. Old oil that has been exposed to air, light or heat is more likely to irritate skin.

What tea tree oil is

Tea tree oil is steam-distilled from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia, a small tree native to the coast of New South Wales, Australia. It has a fresh, sharp, slightly camphor-like smell that most people recognize from shampoos, soaps and skin-care products.

You will see plenty of big claims about it online. This guide sticks to the practical part: using it safely, and when to leave it in the cupboard.

Is tea tree oil safe on skin?

For most people, yes. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says most people can use topical products containing tea tree oil without problems, though some get redness or irritation. Mayo Clinic adds itching, stinging and dryness. The risk goes up with undiluted oil, and with oil that is old or has been exposed to heat, light or air.

The one hard rule: never swallow it. NCCIH warns that taking it by mouth can cause confusion, unsteadiness and even coma, so keep it away from the mouth and out of reach of children.

Pure oil or a finished product?

What you have	What it is	How to use it on skin
Pure tea tree essential oil	Concentrated oil in a small dropper bottle	Always dilute in a carrier oil first
A ready-made blend (body oil, roll-on, lotion)	Tea tree already mixed into a base	Use as the label directs, no extra dilution
Shampoo, soap or body wash	A rinse-off product	Use as directed, rinse well, keep out of eyes

How to use tea tree oil on your skin safely

Check the label. Look for the botanical name Melaleuca alternifolia and a dark glass bottle with a tight cap.
Dilute it. Start with about 1 drop of tea tree oil in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil. Stronger is not better on skin.
Patch test for 7 to 10 days. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests a quarter-sized spot on the inside of your arm or the bend of your elbow, twice a day. No redness, itching or swelling? You are good to go.
Apply to clean, dry, unbroken skin, away from your eyes, nose, ears and lips. Massage it in, then wash your hands.
Stop at the first sign of trouble. If your skin turns red, itches, stings or swells, wash it gently with mild soap and water.

Mark's tipAlmost every time someone tells me tea tree oil "burned" their skin, they used it straight from a little dropper bottle. One drop in a teaspoon of olive oil is plenty. And if a bottle has been open in the bathroom cabinet for years, or it smells different than it used to, replace it.

When to skip tea tree oil

On broken, cracked or very irritated skin.
If you have very sensitive skin or a skin condition, or you have reacted to tea tree before. Ask your doctor or dermatologist first.
Near your eyes, inside your nose or ears, or in your mouth.
On babies and young children, unless their doctor says so. Keep every bottle locked away from them.
On cats and dogs. Pet Poison Helpline warns that even a few drops of concentrated tea tree oil, on the skin or swallowed, can seriously poison a pet.
If you are pregnant or nursing, or take several medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist before trying any essential oil.

If anyone swallows tea tree oil, call Poison Control right away at 1-800-222-1222. For a pet, call your vet or Pet Poison Helpline at 855-764-7661.

How to store tea tree oil so it stays gentle

Dark glass, cap on tight, somewhere cool, away from the window, the stove and a steamy shower.
Write the date you opened it on the label, and buy sizes you will finish.
In its original bottle, up high or locked away from children and pets.

The tea tree in Outback

Outback Original Oil Roll-On

Four ingredients: Australian tea tree, Blue Mallee eucalyptus, olive oil and vanilla. The tea tree is already blended into the olive oil base, so it is ready to use as it is, with no measuring or mixing. No menthol, so nothing burns or freezes, and it rubs in in about 30 seconds. Covered by our 365-Day Returnless Refund.

See the roll-on

New to it? Patch test it on the inside of your arm first, like any new product. See every ingredient and where it comes from on what is in Outback Original Oil, or read about its other Australian oil in blue mallee vs regular eucalyptus oil. Trying Outback for the first time? Our roll-on bundles come with a free 7-Day Pack of single-use sachets, an easy way to test a spot.

Try Outback for a full year

Four Australian plant ingredients, nothing that burns or freezes. Every order is covered by our 365-Day Returnless Refund, ships the same business day when you order by 2pm ET, and ships free on orders of $40 or more.

Shop Outback

Frequently asked questions

Can you put tea tree oil directly on your skin?

Not pure tea tree essential oil. Dilute it in a carrier oil first, about 1 drop per teaspoon, and patch test before using it on a larger area. Ready-made products that already contain tea tree are used as their label directs.

How do you dilute tea tree oil for skin?

Mix about 1 drop of tea tree oil into 1 teaspoon of a carrier oil such as olive, almond or jojoba oil. That is a gentle place to start.

Who should not use tea tree oil?

Skip it on broken or very irritated skin, near the eyes, on young children unless their doctor agrees, and on pets. With very sensitive skin or a skin condition, ask your doctor first.

Does tea tree oil go bad?

It changes over time when exposed to air, light and heat, and older oil is more likely to irritate skin. Keep it capped in dark glass somewhere cool, note the date you opened it, and replace it if it smells different.

More Outback guides

Sources: NCCIH: Tea Tree Oil: Usefulness and Safety; Mayo Clinic: Tea tree oil; American Academy of Dermatology: How to test skin care products; Essential Oils: Aromatherapy Safety (Mayo Clinic patient education); Poison Control: Tea Tree Oil; Pet Poison Helpline: Tea Tree Oil.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Tea tree oil is for external use only. If you have sensitive skin, a skin condition, are pregnant or nursing, or take medications, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using essential oils. Use any product as its label directs.