GET TO KNOW YOUR OILS
Tea Tree Premium
Melaleuca alternifolia
Chemotype: terpinen-4-ol type
- PLANT PART
- leaf-branch
- EXTRACTION
- steam distilled
- AROMA NOTE
- mid
LEARN AS YOU COMPARE
What’s inside this oil?
Constituents are the natural chemicals that give an oil its character. See the main ones, learn what they do, and explore differences between batches.
Meet the main constituents, then select one to see what makes it interesting.
FOLLOW YOUR SENSES
Aroma & character
A closer look at this oil's scent, strength, and staying power.
- Aroma intensity
- 60 / 100
- Note layer
- mid
If you like this scent, explore
A LITTLE CARE GOES A LONG WAY
Using it thoughtfully
Read the full safety context before bringing this oil into your routine.
- Cited dermal maximum · leave-on
- 55%
- Phototoxicity
- Not flagged in this profile
- Oxidation risk
- high
A cited maximum is a limit, not a suggested dilution. Missing restrictions do not establish safety.
No furocoumarin-based phototoxic restriction was identified in the consulted public sources for tea tree premium oil.
Contraindications & cautions
- severeToxic if swallowed; there is no established safe oral dose. Oral ingestion can cause CNS depression with confusion, ataxia (inability to walk), and coma, and has caused fatalities in accidental pediatric poisonings.
- moderateDue to a lack of pediatric safety data, use is contraindicated in children under 12; avoid entirely under age 6 unless directed by a pediatrician, and use only at half-adult concentration with medical guidance for ages 6-12.
- moderateOld or oxidized tea tree oil (exposed to heat, light, or air) has increased skin-sensitization/irritation potential compared to fresh oil.
- severeToxic to pets (e.g. cats, dogs, birds) via topical exposure, ingestion, or diffusion; documented poisoning cases include severe reactions from only a few drops applied topically. Do not apply to animals or diffuse around them.
Explore measured chemistry from supplier batches
A supplier report describes a particular sample. Open this workspace to investigate measured constituents and their original documents.
THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SCENT
Inside the oil
An oil's character comes from its natural chemical composition. Explore each constituent to understand the connections.
About this composition
This premium tea-tree record is anchored to a public premium COA for Australian Melaleuca alternifolia. The profile remains ISO-style terpinen-4-ol chemotype tea tree, with terpinen-4-ol dominant and gamma-terpinene plus alpha-terpinene as the next principal constituents. Closure was raised from 85.5% to 89.6% by adding alpha-terpineol (3.0%) and ledene/viridiflorene (1.1%), the two remaining lines from the same premium COA's full 15-component Analysis Specifications table. 89.6% is the complete documented total of this certificate's typical-value column; the source COA itself does not sum to 100%, so closure cannot be raised further without introducing undocumented figures.
| Constituent | Typical amount | Reported range | Chemical family | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| terpinen-4-ol | 41.3% | 41.3–41.3% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 20 |
| gamma-terpinene | 19.9% | 19.9–19.9% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 18 |
| alpha-terpinene | 8.9% | 8.9–8.9% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 14 |
| p-cymene | 3% | 3–3% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 15 |
| 1,8-cineole | 2.5% | 2.5–2.5% | monoterpene oxide | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 17 |
| terpinolene | 3.4% | 3.4–3.4% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 19 |
| alpha-pinene | 2.5% | 2.5–2.5% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 12 |
| limonene | 0.9% | 0.9–0.9% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 16 |
| sabinene | 0.1% | 0.1–0.1% | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 13 |
| aromadendrene | 1.4% | 1.4–1.4% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 22 |
| delta-cadinene | 1.2% | 1.2–1.2% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 24 |
| globulol | 0.3% | 0.3–0.3% | sesquiterpene alcohol | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 25 |
| viridiflorol | 0.1% | 0.1–0.1% | sesquiterpene alcohol | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA line 26 |
| alpha-terpineol | 3% | 3–3% | monoterpene alcohol | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA https://www.18thstreetsoap.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/COA-TeaTreeMelaleuca-alternifolia-.pdf (Analysis Specifications, line 10: alpha-terpineol 2.9 / 3.0, spec range 1.5-8) |
| ledene | 1.1% | 1.1–1.1% | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View sourceCertificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA https://www.18thstreetsoap.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/COA-TeaTreeMelaleuca-alternifolia-.pdf (Analysis Specifications, line 12: ledene 1.1 / 1.1, spec range trace-3; footnote: 'Ledene is synonymous with viridiflorene') |
| beta-pinene | 1.2% | — | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View source'Chemical and Biological Characterization of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil' (PMC8880210) Table 1, terpinen-4-ol chemotype (terpinen-4-ol 40.3, gamma-terpinene 11.7): non-ISO-4730 minors beta-pinene 1.2, beta-myrcene 0.8, bicyclogermacrene 0.8, (E)-caryophyllene 0.7, alpha-thujene 0.6, alpha-phellandrene 0.2; alpha-thujene/myrcene/alpha-phellandrene corroborated by Brophy et al. 1989 (J.Agric.Food Chem., >800 M.alternifolia samples) |
| beta-myrcene | 0.8% | — | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View source'Chemical and Biological Characterization of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil' (PMC8880210) Table 1, terpinen-4-ol chemotype (terpinen-4-ol 40.3, gamma-terpinene 11.7): non-ISO-4730 minors beta-pinene 1.2, beta-myrcene 0.8, bicyclogermacrene 0.8, (E)-caryophyllene 0.7, alpha-thujene 0.6, alpha-phellandrene 0.2; alpha-thujene/myrcene/alpha-phellandrene corroborated by Brophy et al. 1989 (J.Agric.Food Chem., >800 M.alternifolia samples) |
| bicyclogermacrene | 0.8% | — | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View source'Chemical and Biological Characterization of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil' (PMC8880210) Table 1, terpinen-4-ol chemotype (terpinen-4-ol 40.3, gamma-terpinene 11.7): non-ISO-4730 minors beta-pinene 1.2, beta-myrcene 0.8, bicyclogermacrene 0.8, (E)-caryophyllene 0.7, alpha-thujene 0.6, alpha-phellandrene 0.2; alpha-thujene/myrcene/alpha-phellandrene corroborated by Brophy et al. 1989 (J.Agric.Food Chem., >800 M.alternifolia samples) |
| (E)-caryophyllene | 0.7% | — | sesquiterpene hydrocarbon | View source'Chemical and Biological Characterization of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil' (PMC8880210) Table 1, terpinen-4-ol chemotype (terpinen-4-ol 40.3, gamma-terpinene 11.7): non-ISO-4730 minors beta-pinene 1.2, beta-myrcene 0.8, bicyclogermacrene 0.8, (E)-caryophyllene 0.7, alpha-thujene 0.6, alpha-phellandrene 0.2; alpha-thujene/myrcene/alpha-phellandrene corroborated by Brophy et al. 1989 (J.Agric.Food Chem., >800 M.alternifolia samples) |
| alpha-thujene | 0.6% | — | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View source'Chemical and Biological Characterization of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil' (PMC8880210) Table 1, terpinen-4-ol chemotype (terpinen-4-ol 40.3, gamma-terpinene 11.7): non-ISO-4730 minors beta-pinene 1.2, beta-myrcene 0.8, bicyclogermacrene 0.8, (E)-caryophyllene 0.7, alpha-thujene 0.6, alpha-phellandrene 0.2; alpha-thujene/myrcene/alpha-phellandrene corroborated by Brophy et al. 1989 (J.Agric.Food Chem., >800 M.alternifolia samples) |
| alpha-phellandrene | 0.2% | — | monoterpene hydrocarbon | View source'Chemical and Biological Characterization of Melaleuca alternifolia Essential Oil' (PMC8880210) Table 1, terpinen-4-ol chemotype (terpinen-4-ol 40.3, gamma-terpinene 11.7): non-ISO-4730 minors beta-pinene 1.2, beta-myrcene 0.8, bicyclogermacrene 0.8, (E)-caryophyllene 0.7, alpha-thujene 0.6, alpha-phellandrene 0.2; alpha-thujene/myrcene/alpha-phellandrene corroborated by Brophy et al. 1989 (J.Agric.Food Chem., >800 M.alternifolia samples) |
Profile source: Certificate Of Analysis - Tea Tree Premium MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA; IFRA 51 Conformity Certificate Organic Tea Tree Essential Oil · https://www.18thstreetsoap.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/COA-TeaTreeMelaleuca-alternifolia-.pdf ; https://www.nhrorganicoils.com/uploads/20250306134847e_Tea_Tree_IFRA_51.pdf
A TRADITION OF BOTANICAL CURIOSITY
Traditional & reported uses
These uses reflect the profile's reported traditions and literature. They are not established treatment recommendations.
- widely reported in traditional use for skin-care support, especially for blemish-prone skin
- traditionally used in aromatherapy for its cleansing, purifying reputation
- used in topical blends traditionally associated with minor skin irritation comfort
- reported to support scalp and hair-care routines in traditional use
- used in household blends for its fresh, medicinal-camphoraceous scent
For aromatherapy and wellness use only — not medical advice. Effect statements are traditional/reported associations, not treatment claims. The Synergy Rating scores blend craft, harmony and safety, not medical efficacy. Read the safety framework.
What we're still learning · 3 data gaps
Good decisions start with knowing what is — and isn't — in the evidence.
- The `max_dermal_pct` value reflects IFRA Category 4 from a current public conformity certificate rather than the lower Tisserand and Young dermal maximum often cited for oxidized tea tree oil in aromatherapy safety texts.
- Odor intensity 60 is an archive normalization from AromaWeb's public 'Strength of Initial Aroma: Medium' language rather than a native published 0-100 sensory measurement.
- Closure is capped at 89.6% (below the 0.90 target) because this is the full sum of all 15 constituents reported on the source Certificate of Analysis (18thstreetsoap.com COA-TeaTreeMelaleuca-alternifolia, lot 3018P-88); the certificate's own typical-value column totals 89.6%, and no further real, cited constituents were identified to close the remaining gap.