Skinfare Skin Care Blog

Of all the organic skin care products to help with blemishes, tea tree oil has been shown to be one of the most effective. Tea tree oil works as an antibacterial and antimicrobe against the bacteria that causes acne and other blemishes. Some studies have shown that by using a 5% tea tree oil solution can be as effective as the same potency in a benzoyl peroxide version.

One thing to note with this comparison is that the same study has shown benzoyl peroxide to be much more effective in reducing the overall oiliness of the skin. However, it also had a much greater impact on skin irritation and dryness. Where tea tree oil maintained the skin’s balance in terms of oil, benzoyl peroxide use resulted in overly dry skin, stinging and irritation almost 2 to 1.

The main issue so far with using tea tree oil is that it needs to be used in a high enough concentration (5%) and few, if any products currently on the market contain this level. Nonetheless, if benzoyl peroxide is not right for your skin, tea tree oil can be a sound alternative.