Tea Tree Oil Review + Giveaway

*This post was sponsored by Brand Backer and Apothecary, but all opinions are my own*

Another day, another skin care product I was given the opportunity to review. Now I'm sure you've heard of tea tree oil or have used a product that had it as an ingredient. This could have been a facial cleanser, a shampoo or a lotion among other things. But most of those products probably only had traces of it and it most likely wasn't 100% pure tea tree oil. However, Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil is the real thing, with no extra additives to it. And it can be used in many other ways.

I was happy when I got the opportunity to try out this product once I read that it was 100% pure tea tree oil and that I would know exactly what I was applying to my skin and hair. It's tea tree oil -- that's it, no other additives like hydra-something acid or chemicals. And did you know using tea tree oil has so many benefits?

I'd used a tea tree oil spot treatment before so I knew it could be used to treat acne and I also knew it was great for dry flaky scalp and dandruff since I had used shampoos with tea tree oil in them when I was stressed, which causes my scalp to get dry. 

What I didn't know was that it was also good for lice (Moms know that dreaded phone call), psoriasis(which my dad has) and eczema (which my sister has). It is also good for household products (um I have allergies so this is a great thing for me) and even toothpaste. To prove this, Apothecary Extracts provides buyers with a recipe guide, which I took full advantage of. But first things first, the before pic, which I remembered to take this time LOL.

Before Picture. It may not seem like there is acne, but I actually had a huge pimple on my eyebrow.

The day I started using Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil, I'd actually gotten a huge pimple on my eyebrow and a new one was forming on my chin. My camera just decided to make it look like I didn't have it, but I clearly remember trying to ignore my eyebrow pimple and not being very successful LOL.

Anyway, the first few days I used it, I used it pure. No diluting it (I probably should have). No recipe. Just the tea tree oil on a cotton pad, then directly wiped on my face. At first, it just felt refreshing, then I felt a slight tingling and finally a bit of a sting. But it didn't last long, maybe a minute or 2 at the most. I didn't try to wash it off since I wanted it to soak into my skin and work it's magic. Well imagine my surprise when that big eyebrow pimple was significantly smaller and my skin softer. Like SERIOUSLY! Usually it will take almost a week for it to go away, but it was gone by the end of the third day of use. 

Clay mask powder, Tea Tree Oil, Water

That's when I decided maybe I should try some recipes, so I did. The first one I tried was the Tea Tree Oil Clay mask. I actually had the powdered clay on hand since I had used the mask by itself in the past. In case you are wondering, you can easily find it at a nearby Whole Foods or Sprouts, if they happen to be in your city. Anyway, this is the simplest recipe you can make, and both products will last you for many many masks. All you do is put 2 parts powdered clay to 4 parts tea tree oil, then add water as needed, and mix. Here are some pics so you get the idea of how it should look:

As you can see, you just mix it until you get the consistency you want. If it feels too dry, then add water and then try applying to your face again. Leave on for 20 minutes. Now I must warn you that it does sting a bit, so be careful. Water also helps in diluting it further, so add more water to avoid the sting. Another head of warning, if you tend to have sensitive skin, do it for no more than 10 minutes. I tend to have less sensitive skin, but even my skin got a little red afterwards, so do be careful.

Don't you think I'm ready for my Closeup? 

And here is my after pic: 

Don't mind the creepy smile LOL. 

This picture is right after the mask, so that is why my face is a little red. Also, I'll have you know that I did develop like 3 huge pimples on my skin, one of which you can kind of see. This is after about 5 days of use. I would say, not bad for a product that doesn't have additives or fancy chemicals. I am very satisfied with my results so far. I've never seen something work so fast and I'm excited to try out more of the recipes (I even have the ingredients already).

Doesn't this make you want to try it? Well lucky for you, Apothecary has agreed to giveaway a free bottle of Apothecary Extracts 100% Pure Australian Tea Tree Oil to one of my US (sorry to those outside the US) readers. This is a bottle that can last you up to a year, even with daily use. But even if you don't win, you can always get it here. And Don't forget to share this giveaway on FaceBook. 

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Contest ends October 21 11:59 pm.

Love, 

Astrid