 Can we start by admitting that going home for winter break can get boring? Finishing The Crown on Netflix only takes so long before it’s time to turn to Pinterest. Between the stocking stuffers and grad cap inspo, one thing that kept popping up was tea tree oil. Versatile and affordable, it seems to be the beauty holy grail. So, I tried five of the most buzzed about uses so you don’t have to:
1. HairÂ
I would definitely recommend this one! After about a week I saw improvements in shine and softness. You can either mix the oil in your shampoo, or put it directly on your hair. To use directly, towel-dry your hair until it’s damp, rub the oil between your hands, spread it through your hair, then let it dry as usual. I have waist-length hair and found 6-8 drops to be the perfect amount.  The only drawback for me was that the scent lingers in your hair for a while, so be prepared for that.Â
2. Ear piercings
We’ve all been there: you’re rockin’ an adorable new piercing, styling your hair to show it off, and then it gets irritated and those annoying bumps start to form. Enter tea tree oil. Known to generally soothe irritation, tea tree oil can be used to soak piercings. I tried it on my cartilage piercing, and it had about the same effect as a sea salt soak, making it a good option to add to the cleaning rolodex.
3. Bug bites
The jury is still out on this one. I recruited my mosquito bite prone roomie who said it didn’t make much a difference either way.
4. CuticlesÂ
As someone who can’t remember the last time she had a professional manicure, I was especially excited about this one. It worked like lotion, smoothing and softening them out. I felt super pampered!
5.Kitchen cleaner
Distilled with water, this was good for a quick, surface clean on the kitchen counters. But, I really had to scrub for bigger spots. If you’re in the market for a deep-clean (read: your parents are coming to visit), I’d recommend using a traditional cleaner instead.
These are just a few of the uses of tea tree oil! There are so many fun things to experiment with, so get exploring!Â