Tea Tree Oil
A clarifying Australian essential oil for oily, blemish-prone skin; best used in a ready-made formula on individual blemishes, never neat.
tea tree oil, Melaleuca alternifolia leaf oil, melaleuca oil, terpinen-4-ol
Blemish-prone skin · Texture & large pores
What it does
Tea tree oil is a beneficial all-rounder which can help with oily and congested skin. Distilled from the leaves of the native Australian Melaleuca alternifolia, tea tree was traditionally used on the skin by First Nations people. Today, it is popular in clarifying products for blemish-prone skin.
How it works
Tea tree oil's main active compound, terpinen-4-ol, gives it a purifying, clarifying action that suits blemish-prone skin. Applied topically it can help reduce the appearance of oily skin and blemishes, and help minimise the look of redness around breakouts.
MG says
This all-round classic, native Australian ingredient is best applied to individual blemishes in a ready-made formula, such as ASAP's Clear Complexion Gel, rather than as a neat oil.
Cautions
Never apply the pure oil neat; use it in a finished product. Tea tree oil can irritate and, especially once it has oxidised, trigger allergic reactions, so patch test first, keep it away from the eyes and take care with sensitive skin. Keep it out of reach of children, as it is toxic if swallowed. If you're pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding, check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist before using tea tree products. ASAP's Clear Complexion Gel also contains glycolic and lactic acids (AHAs), which can make skin more sensitive to the sun, so wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily.
Regional notes
Australia: Neat tea tree oil is a Schedule 6 poison unless it is 25% or less, or in a small restricted-flow pack with warnings, so undiluted oils carry poison labelling.
United Kingdom: Rules on how much tea tree oil cosmetics may contain are changing in the EU, after its scientific committee found it safe only at low levels (for example 0.1% in face creams) in October 2025. In Great Britain, the HSE dropped the proposed reproductive-toxicity classification in August 2025; check current rules for UK products.
