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Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) leaf oil
AKA “tea tree leaf oil”
Oil
Ingredient Facts
Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) leaf oil
AKA: Tea tree leaf oil
Oil · Antioxidant · EWG: 6
Plant-Derived
Antioxidant
Fragrance
Australian Native
Not Clean
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil is a cosmetic ingredient used as antioxidant, perfuming. Rated moderate hazard by EWG. Assessed as safe by the CIR.
Family
Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)
Plant Part
Leaf
Lifeform
Shrub
Climate
Subtropical
CAS #
85085-48-9 / 8022-72-8 / 68647-73-4
Form
Oil
See origin →
Functions
Antioxidant
Fights free radicals — the unstable molecules from UV, pollution, and stress that break down collagen and cause premature aging.
Perfuming
Added for scent. Can be natural or synthetic. Common irritant and allergen — one of the top reasons people react to products.
Fights acne
Causing bacteria
Controls excess oil
Quells irritation
Traditional Use
Used for centuries by Aboriginal Australians to treat wounds and skin infections. Tea tree oil gained widespread popularity in Western skincare in the 1980s-1990s after scientific validation of its antimicrobial properties.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Acne
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Caution
EWG
6
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Caution
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
ewg-6
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
Dermal absorption: 3%. Source: CIR Safety Assessment (CIR Seq 823).
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) oil: a review of antimicrobial and other medicinal properties.
Carson CF, Hammer KA, Riley TV
Clinical microbiology reviews, 2006
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Final Report: Safety Assessment of <I>Melaleuca alternifolia</I> (Tea Tree)-Derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
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Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
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Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
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Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Powder
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
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Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Water
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
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Tea tree oil: cutaneous effects of the extracted oil of Melaleuca alternifolia.
Crawford GH, Sciacca JR, James WD
Dermatitis : contact, atopic, occupational, drug, 2004
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Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) leaf oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Powder
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Water
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Efficacy and safety of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil for human health-A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Kairey L, Agnew T, Bowles EJ, Barkla BJ, Wardle J et al.
Frontiers in pharmacology, 2023
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Can the tea tree oil (Australian native plant: Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel) be an alternative treatment for human demodicosis on skin?
Lam NSK, Long XX, Griffin RC, Chen MK, Doery JC
Parasitology, 2018
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A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology.
Nader Pazyar, Reza Yaghoobi, Nooshin Bagherani, Afshin Kazerouni
International journal of dermatology, 2013
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A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology.
Nader Pazyar, Reza Yaghoobi, Nooshin Bagherani, Afshin Kazerouni
International journal of dermatology, 2013
→
A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology.
Nader Pazyar, Reza Yaghoobi, Nooshin Bagherani, Afshin Kazerouni
International journal of dermatology, 2013
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Scientific Opinion on Tea Tree Oil (CAS/EC No. 68647-73-4 /285-377-1)
Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)
European Commission — SCCS
→
Verified Jun 2026
Data: Kew POWO · CosIng · EWG · CIR