Tea Tree Oil Shampoo

Use Tea tree oil shampoo for a natural clean

If you're looking for a natural way to fight dandruff and keep your hair and scalp squeaky-clean, tea tree oil shampoo may be just what you're looking for.

Using these specially formulated shampoos is a great way to keep your hair and scalp clean without using man-made chemicals and detergents.

This healthy oil has potent anti-microbial properties. Studies show tea tree oil is effective against bacteria, fungi and yeasts.

In fact, researchers have recently discovered that tea tree oil is effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria such as the deadly Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Areus (MRSA).

Tea tree oil can provide calming relief for improved scalp health and help reduce itching and dry scalp conditions.

I've used tea tree oil to treat dandruff and you can also buy specially-formulated kits to treat head lice.

How to Use Tea Tree Oil for Improved Hair and Scalp Health

I found the best way to use tea tree oil for your hair is mix it with your shampoo.

Here's a simple way to wash your hair using this healthy oil:

1. Wet your hair and then pour a small amount of shampoo in your palm.
2. Add a few drops of tea tree oil to the shampoo, rub your palms together to mix and then apply to your hair.
3. Massage the shampoo/tea tree oil mixture through your hair. Make sure not to get any in your eyes as it may sting.
4. Rinse thoroughly and then apply hair conditioner if you use one.

5. Healthy Oil Tip: You can also use coconut oil for hair conditioning. Apply virgin coconut oil to your hair after the tea tree oil treatment for extra deep oil conditioning and hair moisturizing. I found coconut oil is an excellent hair conditioner. You can read many more testimonials from others who've used coconut oil for hair conditioning right here.

While you can mix your own shampoo and tea tree oil combinations at home, you can also buy them premixed. These specially-formulated products have tea tree oil added into the shampoo.

There are a number of brands available and you can also try looking in your local health food store for tea tree oil shampoos.

If you're going to buy these shampoos you should look at how much tea tree oil is in the shampoo.

Paul Mitchell tea tree oil shampoo © Paul Mitchell

Some shampoo manufacturers don't have to list the dosage amounts of ingredients in their products. If they do, you should know that most ingredient labels are listed showing the highest ingredient amount first in the list; followed by ingredients of lesser amounts.

If your shampoo claims to contain tea tree oil and has an ingredient label, look where tea tree oil is listed. If you find tea tree oil is listed at the bottom of the ingredient list, this may tell you that you're not getting very much tea tree oil in that particular product.

Using a shampoo that has tea tree oil listed higher up on the ingredient list may provide more of this healthy oil for your hair.

Beware of Man-made Chemicals in your Shampoos

If you have sensitive skin or scalp, you may be aggravating your skin if you use shampoos that contain certain cleansers or detergents.

One common ingredient found in many shampoos and cleansers is a chemical called sodium laurel sulphate (SLS).

SLS is a surfactant used in many cleaning operations for removing oily residues and stains. It's original purpose was to make cleansers more effective in commercial industries such as removing grease from engines and industrial strength cleansers. SLS is also added to shampoos and soaps to make them more sudsy and foamy.

Sodium laurel sulfate is also commonly found in toothpaste, soaps, facial cleansers and shampoos.

One of the dangers with SLS is that prolonged exposure to the skin may cause irritation; if used in toothpaste it may cause mouth ulcers and it may irritate the skin or scalp if not rinsed off completely.

Another common chemical found in shampoos is called methylisothia-zoline or MIT, for short.

What is MIT? This chemical is added to water-based solutions, like your shampoo, to prevent bacteria from growing.

Recent animal studies show MIT may cause allergies and nerve cell death.

If you suffer from eczema, dry irritated scalp or skin, there could be a possibility you're having a reaction to SLS or MIT in your soaps or shampoo. How can you know for sure? You could try switching to a chemical-free shampoo or soap for a few weeks and see if there's any improvement in your skin.

One of the benefits of using a tea tree oil shampoo is the oil is a natural anti-microbial so this eliminates the need for MIT in your shampoo. The SLS may help your shampoo cut grease, but you could also use a few drops of tea tree oil to cut through the grease and reduce your exposure to this known skin irritant.

Photo of tea tree oil shampoo courtesy of Mezza Luna Bodycare | © Flickr

You can find all-natural shampoos and soaps at your local health food store. Due to the growing demand for these types of products, there are more and more online retailers that sell chemical-free shampoos and soaps.

Another place you may find home-made organic bodycare products is at flea markets and craft sales; many people make their own soaps and shampoos and these can be great places to source out these types of products.

For your convenience, I've listed a few of these shampoos available from Amazon.com. There are a number of brands to choose from and I hope you'll find one that works well for you.

Ready to Use Tea Tree Oil for a Healthier Hair and Scalp?

Only the best tea tree oils contain high concentrations of Terpenin 4-ol, the active ingredient in tea tree oil.

Search for the best "Tea Tree Oil Shampoo" at Amazon.com for scalp and hair health.

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