Tea tree oil has long been a popular natural remedy for acne, ever since early European explorers reached the shores of Australia and were told the secret by the native Aborigines.
The truth? The old tales are completely correct. Tea tree oil reduces acne bacteria, propionibacterium acnes, more effectively than almost all essential oils. Tea tree oil can also reduce inflammation effectively, and possibly wipe out deadly yeasts on the skin.
The end result is that tea tree oil can slash acne as effectively as benzoyl peroxide, but without the side effects (study). Another study found that tea tree oil reduced acne 5.75 times more effectively than a placebo. Tea tree oil is among the best natural topical treatments for acne.
These powers can all be yours, if you discover what the greatest products are, so here’s 7 of them.
Firstly, a warning: always dilute your tea tree oil. Most brands are sold in 100% concentration, levels which will irritate your skin. For acne, you only need about a 5% concentration, achieved by adding several drops to a carrier oil like grapeseed oil. This will minimise side effects and enhance the penetration of tea tree oil’s acne-clearing compounds. For a shortcut, Plant Therapy and Eden’s Garden are the ultimate products here.
Let’s get started:
One – Rocky Mountain Oils
Our first top quality tea tree oil is from Rocky Mountain Oils, a stellar company for lavender oil and other natural oils.
Firstly, Rocky Mountain Oils is packaged in a glass amber bottle, to protect against UV radiation. The oil is in 100% concentration, and Melaleuca alternifolia oil, AKA tea tree oil, is the sole ingredient. There are no chemical preservatives, fragrances, or colorants added.
However, the best feature is Rocky Mountain Oil’s pharmaceutical grade strength. Specifically, this tea tree oil is very rich in terpinen-4-ol and low in 1,8,cineole.
Terpinen-4-ol is the most important natural compound in tea tree oil. It’s responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties, and much of its antibacterial powers. 1,8,cineole, meanwhile, is a perfectly natural compound, but can inflame human skin upon contact. The irritation is weaker than its reputation, but remains a threat nevertheless.
By law, tea tree essential oil must contain less than 10% cineole and more than 30% terpinen-4-ol. As for Rocky Mountain Oils, the most recent laboratory analysis (as of March 2024) revealed levels of 3.62% and 41.39% respectively, not the absolute strongest, but an excellent result.
Elsewhere, this tea tree oil uses the prime steam distillation method. Its aroma is described as “earthy” and “herbaceous”. Its properties are perfect, making Rocky Mountain Oils one of the greatest tea tree oil products for acne, and anyone. The reviews are reassuring, with no chemical scents to be found. This product is in a lower volume of 15ml, so scroll down if you want a larger bottle.
Amazon link: Rocky Mountain Oils Tea Tree Oil.
Two – Eden’s Garden
The official laboratory analysis reveals a terpinen-4-ol concentration of 41.39% and a cineole level of 3.16%. It’s very pure too, according to comments by the testers: “the analysis of this Tea Tree batch sample meets the expected chemical profile for authentic essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia. No contamination or adulteration was detected“.
Eden’s Garden has no flaws, as its other characteristics are perfect for acne. This tea tree oil is steam distilled, in amber glass bottles, and features the classic glass dropper. It also has a shelf life of 2 to 3 years if preserved properly. There’s a USDA organic certification too, but Eden’s Garden has such immaculate credentials that we’d recommend it even without.
According to Eden’s Garden, the earth is rich with natural healing power and there’s no better example than tea tree oil. It sounds extravagant, but if any tea tree oil will heal your acne, it’s this one.
Amazon link: Eden’s Garden Tea Tree Oil.
Three – Plant Therapy
The terpinen-4-ol of Plant Therapy is above average, pushing towards the 45% natural limit at 41.46%. The cineole is a mere 3.48%, and the laboratory analyst had this to say: “No adulterant, contaminant or diluent has been detected using this method. The oil complies with the ISO standard for tea tree oil“.
An added benefit of being organic is that organic plants are generally more nutritious, since without pesticides, they produce more of their own antioxidants and phytonutrients to defend themselves. Tea tree oil is no exception. Although terpinen-4-ol is the key compound, it’s possible that smaller, more obscure phytonutrients also have benefits for acne.
Plant Therapy has huge potential, and elsewhere, it has a shelf life of two to three years. It’s free from chemical additives, steam distilled, and sourced from the experts in Australia.
Plant Therapy’s website also has some secret advice for acne patients: combine a few drops with witch hazel. This is actually a great strategy, as witch hazel is very dense in antioxidants, not a power tea tree oil is renowned for. Follow that recipe, with an added carrier oil for penetration, and you’ll clear acne from two angles.
Plant Therapy tea tree oil is near unbeatable for acne, but settles for tied first with Eden’s Garden.
Amazon link: Plant Therapy Organic Tea Tree Oil.
Four – Earthroma
Earthroma is steam distilled, reportedly using only the very highest quality leaves. Growing the leaves properly is very important for acne. Since tea tree oil is produced by boiling the twigs and leaves, separating the dry matter and allowing the vapour to condense into the “oil”, the nutrition of the leaves corresponds closely to that of the final oil.
Earthroma features a built in dropper, and also has a 100%, no questions asked refund guarantee in case you’re not satisfied. It’s another pure product with no additives whatsoever. This brand originates from Australia, the home of tea tree oil, and is a clear pale yellow.
This product is currently unavailable on Amazon. You can purchase it on their website, where you can view the technical GC/MS lab results.
Five – Artisan Aromatics
The oil is designed to be 100% pure, and in 100% concentration, to dilute and attack acne in any manner you please. According to Artisan Aromatics, their oil has a fresh and pungent aroma, with hints of spice and lemon.
Read Annihilate Your Acne – get the ultimate diet for clear and glowing skin!
The oil is steam distilled, and extracted from the tea tree’s leaves and twigs, with no pesticides or additives deployed. You get a free dropper built into the lid, and the bottle’s glass is a dark amber colour. The oil is imported from Australia, the world experts on tea tree oil production.
This brand is available on their website in bottles ranging from 15ml to 4oz. Overall, it’s a more obscure brand, yet one of the greatest tea tree oils available on the internet today.
With no exceptions, every brand on this list contains a full gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) report on their website, conducted by independent labs.
If a tea tree oil brand mysteriously omits any mention of terpinen-4-ol, be suspicious. If you can’t find any mention even on their website, I recommend against purchasing.
Six – Lotus Garden Botanicals
Once more, the Lotus Garden Botanicals bottle is a dark amber to keep UV radiation away. Why are ultraviolet defences so vital? It’s important with nearly all skincare oils to prevent UV oxidation, whether it’s grapeseed oil or argan oil with its fragile vitamin E. However, tea tree oil is particularly vulnerable.
When oxidised, terpinen-4-ol is proven to turn from good to evil quickly, irritating human skin strongly. It helps that T4O is a very fragile compound to start with. The signature linalool of lavender oil is in a similar boat.
Dark tea tree oil bottles are vital for keeping UV radiation out. Red, amber or brown are particularly effective because of their higher wavelengths, which allow them to deflect more light frequencies than blue, and that’s why most essential oils are packaged in dark bottles, including Lotus Garden Botanicals.
You can buy Lotus Garden Botanicals from their website, in a large variety of sizes. The website has a technical GM/CS lab report in full display, for your viewing pleasure. The cineole content is on point at 3.01%, while the bacteria-slaying terpinen-4-ol is a healthy 42.54%. Lotus Garden Botanicals is a more obscure tea tree oil, but an excellent one for your acne woes.
Seven – Simply Earth
It’s not the absolute strongest of the eight brands, but it’s still significantly above the minimum T4O requirement, and with full disclosure, unlike many companies. The trustworthy Simply Earth company also sells numerous other great oils for acne, like their lavender oil, which has similarly accessible lab reports.
Important article – the top 6 vitamins and minerals for clearing acne
Simply Earth’s other characteristics are perfect. The tea tree oil is Australian, distilled from the finest leaves, and the bottle is a legitimate amber colour. The oil is also free from fillers and additives. Simply Earth describes their oil’s aroma as “medicinal & herbaceous”, but more simply, you could describe it as smelling like tea tree, because that’s the only thing it contains.
This product is not currently available on Amazon, and can be purchased through Simply Earth’s website.
Strategic tips for acne
Sometimes, acne doesn’t involve bacteria at all, as oxidised sebum (your skin’s oil) contains inflammatory by-products which stimulate red and angry pimples in the same way. However, p.acnes is overgrown in most people, and that’s where tea tree oil steps in.
P.acnes bacteria thrives on sebum; that’s how its numbers multiply originally. Clogged pores are full of sebum and thus a perfect place for bacteria to thrive. Therefore, you should mainly focus on reducing oily skin to starve p.acnes of a home, but tea tree oil is excellent for wiping out the colonies that already exist.
P.acnes will gradually die off as oiliness falls, but tea tree oil will accelerate the process. If you have genetically oily skin, which is stubborn even against dietary tricks, tea tree oil can ensure that p.acnes is suppressed.
Important article – the top 7 natural topical treatments for acne
When should you avoid tea tree oil? If your skin is extremely sensitive to essential oils. However, you can still dilute it further. Perform a patch test on your arm to establish any sensitivity. If your skin reacts to tea tree oil no matter how diluted it is, never fear, for natural, antibacterial topical treatments are everywhere: tamanu oil, rosemary extract, and raw honey. Tea tree oil’s anti-inflammatory powers can be replaced with aloe vera, witch hazel or rose water.
As for your wider strategy, tea tree oil is optimal as a targeted weapon, rather than daily prevention. For example, you can apply grapeseed oil every night before bed to flood your skin with vitamin E and actually prevent acne, with little problem. Tea tree oil, meanwhile, is more suited to soothing an inflamed area of acne when the opportunity arises.
Conclusion
For the most acne-friendly tea tree oil money can buy regardless of price, Eden’s Garden or Plant Therapy are your friends.
Buying any old tea tree oil brand on amazon is a very poor idea. Fraudulent brands are still leaving the smoggy industrial wastelands of China in droves as of 2024. Here you have 7 trustworthy brands which have been analysed by independent labs, and disclose their results to consumers. Tea tree oil has natural variety even when pure, so if you dislike the smell of one batch, or simply fancy another based on instinct or an enthusiast friend, you have several choices.
Overall, the quality of tea tree oil being sold is very low nowadays. This article was originally published in November 2017, and now updated in March 2024. Since then, there are significantly fewer brands which disclose a full terpinen-4-ol and 1,8-cineol breakdown on their websites.
See this article for a full discussion of tea tree oil fraud. One trick is to splice and dice tea tree oil with the degraded cast offs of eucalyptus oil.
NEXT: learn the root causes of acne, clear your skin permanently
Thanks for reading!
Nice summary Richard. I just wanted to throw out one more brand for your consideration. My favorite brand of tea tree oil (by a long shot) is Thursday Plantation. They’re pretty much the original tea tree oil company, having pioneered the modern tea tree oil industry over 40 years ago.
They produce some of the absolute highest quality tea tree oil on the market with minimum terpinen-4-ol levels of 36%.
It has a much smoother, sweeter smell than many other tea tree oils, another sign of purity and high quality.
It also conforms to all the quality standards set by the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association.
I’ve used it personally and can attest to its high quality.