Melaleuca Alternafolia Leaf Oil

Tea tree oil has been used for over 100 years in skincare, and has continued to increase in popularity in recent years.  However, there is a distinct difference in quality or purity of Melaleuca.  Its important to understand that Tee Tree’s (Melaleuca) are found in many parts of the world including New Zealand, New South Wales and Australia and that they all produce different types of tea tree oil, some species are even misidentified as Melaleuca, and used for extraction anyways.   

There is an international standard for Tea Tree Oil, however this regulatory body falls short in regulating what form of Melaleuca species must be used to produce oil for consumer use. 

Melaleuca Alternafilia Leaf Oil is one of the 230 species of Melaleuca trees found in Australia an essential oil.  Tea tree oils are known for their antiseptic and anti-inflammatory actions as well as their anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-parasitic properties. 

However the purity, potency, and species of Melaleuca where the oil is sourced effects the quality of the ingredient and should not be overlooked.  Over the counter Tea Tree oil can cause skin irritation, itching, stinging, Burning and redness.  Where the Melaleuca that is used in Top Layer Skincare will actually sooth irritations of the skin and reduce redness.  It has also been found that Melaleuca Alternafolia is as effective as benzoylperoxide in the treatment of acne with fewer side effects and less irritation.

The take away, not all Melaleuca is from the same source and not all have the same effect on the skin.