tea tree oil smell

[Word Nerd]

I've read a lot about the benefits of using tea tree oil in various homemade cleaning and skin/hair care products, so I bought some. But I find the strong scent so unpleasant and overpowering--even just opening up the bottle--that it makes me feel nauseated. Did I get an "off" or rancid bottle, or does it smell nice to other people? I think I'm going to chuck it, as I don't want to smell it ever again.

[justLisa]

I hate the smell of it.

[momtoamiracle]

Can't stand it.

[happi duck]

Hated it but got used to it!

[Scarlett]

I've read a lot about the benefits of using tea tree oil in various homemade cleaning and skin/hair care products, so I bought some. But I find the strong scent so unpleasant and overpowering--even just opening up the bottle--that it makes me feel nauseated. Did I get an "off" or rancid bottle, or does it smell nice to other people? I think I'm going to chuck it, as I don't want to smell it ever again.

 

I hate it too. I wouldn't use it for normal cleaning and skin/hair products...I do keep it on hand for fever blisters and other skin ouches....minor burns and bites etc.

[kesmom]

It can take some getting used to. I kind of enjoy the scent now and we even use a tea tree bar soap in the shower.

[Hoot]

It doesn't bother me at all, though I've been using it for years so that could be it. :tongue_smilie: Even if I didn't like the smell, there's no way I would chuck it. It's just too useful to waste.

[Sarah CB]

I don't mind it but dh hates the smell.

[Rosie_0801]

It's supposed to smell that way. :p

 

I like it, but I was brought up with the stuff. How can anyone not like it? :lol:

 

 

Rosie

[justamouse]

I hated it, but I hated fleas, and lice more. ;)

[Belacqua]

I love the smell, but I also like the scents of gasoline, oil refineries, and cigarette smoke...so what do I know?

 

Is there another kind of oil with similar antimicrobial properties?

[Laurie4b]

Smells like turpentine. I find it moderately unpleasant. My kids can't stand it. I doubt if you got an "off" bottle. The name sounds much more pleasant than the smell.

 

However, it does work really well on itchy/inflamed skin. I once had chigger bites all over my abdomen, so I experimented and put cortisone cream on one side and tea tree oil on the other. The tea tree oil side definitely did better.

[JessReplanted]

I just bought some and I don't have a problem with the smell, but my husband said it's horrible. Oh well... :tongue_smilie:

[Pixjen]

Check the label carefully. Many oils bought off the shelf are stretched with synthetics to make them more "affordable." They can smell off, and many times they will say not to use on skin, take internally, etc. I use Young Living oils because they are pure. Having said that though, sometimes even pure oils don't smell good to different people.

[LaxMom]

Yep. Smells like kerosene, dissolves plastics. It doesn't bother me too much, but I do usually mix it with lemon grass or something else in personal products. Who wants to go around smelling flammable?

 

Maybe that would help?

 

Oregano oil is also antimicrobial, but iirc, sort of spendy. Thyme is, too.

 

@Jen: with few exceptions, it is always recommended that essential oils not be used straight on the skin. They should always be in a carrier oil, or "stretched" by mixing in another product (like creams).

Edited November 4, 2012 by MyCrazyHouse

[Laurie4b]

Who wants to go around smelling flammable?

 

.

 

:lol:

[Pixjen]

@Jen: with few exceptions, it is always recommended that essential oils not be used straight on the skin. They should always be in a carrier oil, or "stretched" by mixing in another product (like creams).

 

What I meant is that some bottles of oil will say explicitly on them not to use topically, which can mean they are blended with a synthetic. That's different than saying to use a carrier.

[joannqn]

It can take some getting used to. I kind of enjoy the scent now and we even use a tea tree bar soap in the shower.

 

:iagree:

 

Except I don't use tea tree soap in the shower.

[Word Nerd]

Everyone in the family seems to have the same "What is that horrible SMELL!?" reaction to it, so I don't think it's a good fit for us. :tongue_smilie:

[Melissa in Australia]

It's supposed to smell that way. :p

 

I like it, but I was brought up with the stuff. How can anyone not like it? :lol:

 

 

Rosie

:iagree::iagree:

 

Tea tree grow all around me.

[Lucy in Australia]

I don't particularly like the smell but I am constantly astonished at how quickly it can heal infected cuts & the like, so I do use it in my homemade cleaners in very small proportions & put in heaps of lavender oil to counteract the smell. It mostly works :)

[amy g.]

I used to hate the smell, but now, I've come to love it. I like to mix it with grapefruit for soap and scrubs. I blend it with lemon for laundry soap and cleaning.

 

For viruses, I put a few drops of tea tree and eucalyptus in the bath and soak.

 

For skin issues, I mix tea tree, lavender and Roman chamomile. I hate how the chamomile smells, but I keep using it because it really calms irritation. I agree with not using it straight. I usually mix mine with Shea, but Jonoba oil or fractionated coconut oil would also be nice.

[Rosie_0801]

:iagree::iagree:

 

Tea tree grow all around me.

 

 

It'd almost be like an American not liking the smell of pumpkin pie, wouldn't it?

 

:lol:

[Word Nerd]

It'd almost be like an American not liking the smell of pumpkin pie, wouldn't it?

 

:lol:

 

I like the smell of the trees in Oz and somehow never encountered the smell of TTO when I lived there for a year. I like the smell of pine trees but not turpentine.

[lailasmum]

I have grown to really like the smell, it's comforting. I don't use it mega regularly but the smell doesn't bother me. It is very strong though so I can understand why people don't like it.

[Rosie_0801]

I like the smell of the trees in Oz and somehow never encountered the smell of TTO when I lived there for a year. I like the smell of pine trees but not turpentine.

 

That's funny to me. I can't even work out how find a similarity between turps and tea tree oil. And tea tree oil doesn't smell like pine. But never mind. There are other things you tea tree oil haters can slosh about. :)

[Slartibartfast]

What I meant is that some bottles of oil will say explicitly on them not to use topically, which can mean they are blended with a synthetic. That's different than saying to use a carrier.

 

All essential oils say not to use topically. That is a rule from the FDA. To be labeled as "safe for internal use" then they must be "food grade" oils, which requires they be redistilled. Most essential oils intended to be use for aromatherapy are not redistilled. I would consider an EO labeled as "safe for internal use" as an inferior essential oil.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Sis

[Word Nerd]

That's funny to me. I can't even work out how find a similarity between turps and tea tree oil. And tea tree oil doesn't smell like pine. But never mind. There are other things you tea tree oil haters can slosh about. :)

 

You mean other than that they both smell disgusting and are distilled from trees? ;)

 

(No, tea tree oil doesn't smell like pine. I didn't say that it did.)

[KungFuPanda]

I'm not in love with the smell, but I don't find it unpleasant. After reading other reactions, I'm surprised because strong smells usually really annoy me.

[Leanna76]

I use tea tree oil in my cloth wipes solution in my wipes warmer....3 Tbs Castile soap, 1 Tbs olive oil, 1 drop tea tree oil, 2 drops lavender oil, 8 cups of water...smells great, works great, love it! Before I started using it in my wipes, they had a mildew smell after a few days...now they never mildew!

[NotSoObvious]

Ooh. I love it. Trader Joe's has a shampoo and conditioner. Heavenly.

[Pixjen]

All essential oils say not to use topically. That is a rule from the FDA. To be labeled as "safe for internal use" then they must be "food grade" oils, which requires they be redistilled. Most essential oils intended to be use for aromatherapy are not redistilled. I would consider an EO labeled as "safe for internal use" as an inferior essential oil.

 

I respectfully disagree. The Young Living essential oils are thereputic grade, and can all be used topically, and say so on their labels. They are also safe for inhalation, and many of them are considered and labeled GRAS (generally regarded as safe) for internal use as defined by the FDA. They are pure essential oils and are never adulterated with synthetics. There are currently over 50 hospitals that use YL oils exclusively such as The Cleveland Clinic in OH, and The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NY.

 

It appears, however, that you and I feel very strongly about our positions and may have to agree to disagree on this particular issue.

[Slartibartfast]

I respectfully disagree. The Young Living essential oils are thereputic grade, and can all be used topically, and say so on their labels. They are also safe for inhalation, and many of them are considered and labeled GRAS (generally regarded as safe) for internal use as defined by the FDA. They are pure essential oils and are never adulterated with synthetics. There are currently over 50 hospitals that use YL oils exclusively such as The Cleveland Clinic in OH, and The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NY.

 

It appears, however, that you and I feel very strongly about our positions and may have to agree to disagree on this particular issue.

 

"Therapeutic grade" and "aromatherapy grade" are just terms the companies make up. It doesn't mean anything.

 

For a label to say "internal use" the oil MUST be food grade and thus, redistilled according to the FDA. Does the bottle say "internal use" on it?

 

Peel your label back and look for an FDA food label. Is it there?

 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodIngredientsPackaging/GenerallyRecognizedasSafeGRAS/default.htm

 

GRAS" is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Sis

[kesmom]

Ooh. I love it. Trader Joe's has a shampoo and conditioner. Heavenly.

 

That is where we get the soap that we love. It's cheap too - only 1.99 for 2 bars. Unfortunately their shampoo didn't work well for me at all.

[amy g.]

Oh, I agree that "therapeutic grade" is just a made up marketing term. YL has very nice ( if overpriced) high quality essential oils. To imply that their EOs are somehow more pure than other unadulterated EOs is just not true.