# How to make Tea Tree Oil Soap



## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

Hello.


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## galaxyMLP (Jan 2, 2016)

Hi qwertops, it is very unlikely that this soap contains terpinin-4-ol at a minimum of 38%. What that probably refers to is that the essential oil itself is a minimum of 38% terpinin-4-ol. The reason is because that soap would be 100% tea tree oil, since terpinin-4-ol is present at 40% in tea tree itself. 

That soap is already a very minimalistic soap. It contains palm oil, palm kernel oil, tea tree oil, glycerin, titanium dioxide, tetrasodium edta, tetrasodium ediontrinate. Sodium hydroxide would be somewhere in that mix. 

Sodium palmitate is the sodium salt of Palm oil. It is made by reacting Palm oil is sodium hydroxide (making soap)

Sodium Palm kernelate is the sodium salt of Palm kernel oil.

Tea trea oil probably sits at a maximum of 6%

Glycerin is a natural by-product of soap making and would exist even if you don't physically add it in.

Titanium dioxide- the white colorant in almost everything. Very very few people are allergic to it. That's the string of numbers on your list. 

Tetrasodium edta is a chelator to reduce soap scum. Same with tetrasodium ediontrinate. You're going to want a chelator if you have hard water. Otherwise the soap scum gets really out of hand. You could use sodium citrate (the sodium salt of citric acid) instead. 

Depending on what percentage of Palm kernel oil they use, this soap could be drying. If you can only use coconut oil there are very few options you can do. With the list you gave it reminds me of people posting here with salycilates allergies. High coconut oil makes a very drying soap. However, many people have great luck with 20% super fat soap. It can counteract some of the cleansing.

The thing is that soap will get you clean and kill bacteria without the use of tea tree oil. That a very very strong essential oil and may be causing some of that dry irritated feeling you have. Why do you want an "antibacterial" soap?


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## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

Thank you for your post.


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## houseofwool (Jan 2, 2016)

I would start by making a soap with palm, olive, and approximately 10-15% coconut oil. This will give a soap that is very gentle. 

Super fat is the amount of extra fat left in the soap that does not react with the lye. 

Can you find a true Castile (made only with olive oil) with tea tree oil?

As Galaxy said, it is highly unlikely that the soap actually has 40% TTO in it.
Also, do you know what triggers your contact dermatitis?


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## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

So would this soap dry out the skin?

https://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/product/OLTT02.html

Ingredients
Water, Organic Coconut Oil*, Potassium Hydroxide**, Organic Palm Kernel Oil*, Organic Olive Oil*, Tea Tree Extract, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Citric Acid, Tocopherol 
*CERTIFIED FAIR TRADE INGREDIENTS 
** None remains after saponifying oils into soap & glycerin.


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## kchaystack (Jan 2, 2016)

Normally essential oils are not able to be saponified.  Ar least not much of ot is.  So i would worry that much eo would just make an oily mess.

And you keep talking about the acid mantle.  All soap is alkaline.   pH in the 9 to 11 range.  The only way to have a pH neutral 'soap' is using synthetic detergents.


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## Susie (Jan 2, 2016)

I am not quite sure where to start, so please bear with me.

1.  Handmade soap (true soap, not synthetic detergent bars) is naturally alkaline.  While it temporarily disrupts the acid mantle, it returns to the normal pH of skin within an hour or two.  This is unlikely to be the source of the blepharitis stimulation.

2.  The soap you are currently using is drying.  That is more likely to be the source of the irritation that gives the bacteria a chance to overgrow and trigger the blepharitis episodes.  Dr. Bronner's is one of the most drying liquid soaps I have ever had the misfortune to use.

3.  You are not going to be able to have 40% TTO in a true soap, as essential oils are not saponifiable.  Only oils with fatty acid chains saponify.  The most you will be able to use is about 6% (as galaxy said above), and this is unwise, as TTO is a known irritant.  It is more likely they are saying that the TTO is a minimum 38% Terpninen-4-ol.  Adding TTO to Dr. Bronners in a 40% concentration is a recipe for disaster between the drying of Dr. B's, and the irritation of the TTO.


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## galaxyMLP (Jan 2, 2016)

Have you tried just cleaning with water for a while? It sounds like you are very easily irritated. I often wash my face with no soap at all. Almost all soap is too drying to my face and I find a very warm shower in a steamy room will help my face immensely. 

Personally, I wouldn't use any tea tree product directly around or near my eyes. It's very strong and known to irritate.

I would invest in a steamer or just try boiling a pot of water and placing your head over it with a towel. Most steamers only allow you to use distilled water but if you use a pot of boiling water, you could add one or two drops of tea tree. Maybe the heat from the steam and the tiny amount of tea tree will be enough to counter to bacterial infections.


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## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks for the responses.


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## Obsidian (Jan 2, 2016)

Have you asked your doctor what soap you should be using? Has he done testing to determine what you are reacting to? Are you currently on medication to help with the bacterial infection? TTO is great but it can only do so much.

What is the reason for avoiding oleic acid? Oils are very different once made into soaps. Coconut oil is great for the skin but makes for a very drying soap so should be used in low quantities.

I know lard can be difficult to find in AUS but I wonder if a 100% lard soap with 6% TTO would be agreeable with your skin.

You could mix you TTO in shea but I would make sure you don't have a issue with shea first, some people are allergic to it, same with the lavender oil in the ointment you asked about.

Do you have open wounds on your skin? I ask because I wonder about a salt bar? Salt is pretty good at killing bacteria/fungus but it would hurt to use on any raw spots.


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## galaxyMLP (Jan 2, 2016)

Considering terpinin-4-ol is the first ingredient in those wipes, that means it is in the highest concentration. The rest of the ingredients are solubleizers probably so that the solution won't stay in your eyes if it does get in. Maybe you are allergic to the terpinin-4-ol itself? 

I would probably ask your doctor about this to see if she/he can come up with something that works. I don't have any more recommendations.


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## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks for the response.


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## doriettefarm (Jan 2, 2016)

You mentioned wanting to try a modified version of the Cliradex wipes.  How about mixing some TTO (2-5%) in vegetable glycerin to see how that performs?  It should definitely be less oily than using MCT or shea butter as a base.  

Cliradex ingredients: terpinen-4-ol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Triethanolamine.


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## Obsidian (Jan 2, 2016)

Thanks for the explanation, it really does help us try to help you. One more question, what kind of soap were you using before toe TTO soap?
Can you find fractionated coconut oil over there? Its a very thin dry oil, it absorbs into your skin quite quickly. It would probably be a very good carrier oil for your TTO. Shea contains a fair amount of oleic so you should probably stay away from it too.

I have SD on my scalp so I know all about flares from oil. That being said, I was able to get mine under control using a shampoo bar that was mostly OO and avocado. The fatty acids in oils change so much once saponified, they just don't have the same effect on the skin that the straight oil does.

I still think a lard based soap would be a good option for you to try. It shouldn't trigger any allergies and makes a very nice creamy, gentle soap.

I googled those wipes, seems Triethanolamine is very often a trigger for allergies. If I was you, I would google every single ingredient in a product before trying it.


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## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

doriettefarm said:


> You mentioned wanting to try a modified version of the Cliradex wipes.  How about mixing some TTO (2-5%) in vegetable glycerin to see how that performs?  It should definitely be less oily than using MCT or shea butter as a base.
> 
> Cliradex ingredients: terpinen-4-ol, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Triethanolamine.



What are you saying exactly? Mixing 1 part TTO and 20 part vegetable glycerin to get a 5% final TTO solution? I can only mix 100% TTO.

What if I melted the TTO soap that I'm using and added some shea butter or something else. Would this make it less drying to the skin?


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## qwertops (Jan 2, 2016)

yes.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jan 2, 2016)

Not really. It contains some mct but not the real mct's, by all accounts. From google searching, so take it with a pinch of salt. 

I also think that the best option is an easily absorbed oil with 5% of your active ingredient applied sparingly with a cotton ball would be the best option. 

Soap, no matter how gentle, strips oils and messes with the acid mantle. All soap is alkaline, all soap binds with oils and away they go. 

Something synthetic might be an option, if you don't want oil, though


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## doriettefarm (Jan 2, 2016)

qwertops said:


> What are you saying exactly? Mixing 1 part TTO and 20 part vegetable glycerin to get a 5% final TTO solution? I can only mix 100% TTO.
> 
> What if I melted the TTO soap that I'm using and added some shea butter or something else. Would this make it less drying to the skin?



I would do 1ml TTO to 19ml glycerin (which should work out to a 5% solution of TTO).  It would be enough to test but you won't be wasting lots of supplies if it doesn't work.  I also wonder if your eyes are essentially producing soap on their own because of this condition . . . do you really need to wash them with more soap?  Just wondering if a hot washcloth applied to the eyes would remove enough buildup without stripping all the oils.


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## penelopejane (Jan 2, 2016)

So very sorry to hear about your condition. My DH has bad eczema and he can only use 100 % OO soap without side effects. He can't use any chemicals additives or fragrances except we are trialling Manuka honey. 

In Oz a product has to list ingredients in order of quantity. So that soap has more water than tea tree. They are referring to the percentage of active ingredient in the tiny amount of tea tree oil they use in the soap. 

You. Could try making a 100% OO soap and add 2% TTO and see how you go. Unfortunately it will take months of cure before it is usable.

We have 100% TTO (but as is typical in this house the bottle is sitting there completely empty!) on the kids we usually apply it on wet cotton wool so I've always assumed you can dilute it with water. I'd try that first before any other additives.


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## cmzaha (Jan 2, 2016)

qwertops said:


> Thanks for the response. Yes I have been to four doctors none of them were of any help. Medicine (antibiotics) dont work, I've tried them all. The reason I'm trying to avoid oleic acid is because I also have seborrheic dermatitis. In people with SD oleic acid induces flaking/dandruff and with it an inflammitory response. I have staphylococcous blephartis which may be mixed with seborrheic blepharitis. This is why I want to avoid oleic acid.
> 
> To sum up my conddition; I have bacterial overpopulation  of staph on the eyelids. The staph is eating up the oil inside my eye (meibomian) glands. This changes the composition of the oil and the alterted oil secretions react with proteins in the tears which results in saponification of lipids. I have soap forming in my eyes because of the staph. I can literally see bubbles inside my eyes and foam on the outside corners of my eyes. The saponifiaction is destroying the tear film resulting in dry eye, inflammation and burning. Imagine pouring a little  soap into your eyes. The feeling is the same. I need to kill the staph which is causing the cascade of dysfunction. If I don't kill it the meibomian glands which secrete oil onto my eyes and keep them lubricated, will eventually die off/atrophy due to chronic inflammation and I will be left with severe dry eye. Once they are gone they are gone. Doctors can't help me so please don't ask about them. I am on my own. I can't use products designed to treat blepharitis because I am allergic to all of them. This soap is the only thing that works and TTO is my last hope. I also have limited success with honey but honey doesn't kill the bacteria fast enough.
> 
> ...


I know you mentioned not asking about Doctors, and I do not want to beat a dead horse, but I will mention it took 4 Doctors to finally diagnose my Uveitis in my eye after cataract and 4 to diagnose my recurrent erosion in my other eye. Not all are created equal. It took me going 200 miles to my former Uveitis specialist to diagnose the erosion. Just saying.  I have had this condition on one eyelid and always did well with Cetaphil lotion, which is soap free and hot wash cloths for cleansing the eyelid and I do have severe Atopic Dermatitis and a few other forms of eczema.  Lavender and Tea Tree are irritants for me. Not knowing were you live or if you are in the US I would not give up without trying out a good specialist. Here we are fortunate to have wonderful eye medical centers such as the Doheny Eye Institiute. Hopefully you will eventually find some help.

I make a facial bar that has 6% tea tree oil and no coconut oil or palm kernel oil, which are the bubbly, cleansing oils when saponified in soap. Have you tried any of the more exotic oils such as pomegranate, black cumin, black current seed or watermelon seed Oil? These are much dryer oils which absorb well, and some also have antibacterial properties. Here is a link that has a lot of info for the exotic oils. I happen to love Watermelon Seed oil in balms  http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/soap/VegetableOils.asp. Good luck to you, eye problems can be so frustrating.


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## DeeAnna (Jan 2, 2016)

Tea tree oil is immiscible in any water-soluble chemical, and that would include glycerin. The TTO would just float to the top of the glycerin. That's why the polysorbates are in the commercial product -- so the TTO and glycerin become miscible or at least emulsified.

***

I know this is about demodex not staph, but here's the best I could find regarding TTO use around the eyes -- from http://roberttisserand.com/2013/02/essential-oils-and-eye-safety/ ....

"...In a Chinese study, an ointment containing 5% tea tree oil was used by patients whose eyelash follicles were infested with “eyelash mites” (Demodex folliculorum). The ointment was applied to the lid margins with eyes closed, daily for 4 weeks after washing the face, and resulted in considerably less itching and fewer mites. Two of the 24 patients experienced slight irritation from the ointment. The 5% concentration was arrived at after preliminary testing using various dilutions on rabbit eyes (Gao et al 2012)...."

Gao YY, Xu DL, Huang IJ et al 2012 Treatment of ocular itching associated with ocular demodicosis by 5% tea tree oil ointment. Cornea 31:14-17. Read abstract...


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## penelopejane (Jan 2, 2016)

Thursday plantation is the original TTO producer and provides the most trusted and well recognised products in Oz. they have an organic soap that has the following ingredients:

Ingredients: Sodium Palmate*, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Glycerin, Water/Aqua, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil*, Limonene. *certfied organic ingredient – 97% certified organic / 100% naturally derived.

Their website lists other products. None of the usual chemical additives.
ThursdayPlantation.com


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## doriettefarm (Jan 2, 2016)

DeeAnna said:


> Tea tree oil is immiscible in any water-soluble chemical, and that would include glycerin. The TTO would just float to the top of the glycerin. That's why the polysorbates are in the commercial product -- so the TTO and glycerin become miscible or at least emulsified.



Well that explains why they used PS20 & PS80 in the wipes and I feel like a dummy for suggesting to mix w/straight glycerin


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## DeeAnna (Jan 2, 2016)

Don't feel like a dummy, Doriette. It's just all part of the learning process, and every one of us is always learning!


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## CaraBou (Jan 3, 2016)

I am wondering if you could dilute the TTO in jojoba oil.  It isn't really an oil, it's a wax ester that is liquid at room temp, and it easily absorbs into the skin.  It is similar to sebum produced by skin, so your eyelids might tolerate it without allergy.  It is also antibacterial, including against Staphylococcus aureus.  I can't find my bottle to see how runny it is to help judge whether it would carry the TTO into your eyes.  How would you apply it, with a q-tip?  It might be worth looking further into.  Best of luck to you, I hope you find relief very soon.


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## qwertops (Jan 3, 2016)

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas and suggestions. T


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## qwertops (Jan 3, 2016)

Here is a link to their other product TTO Wax:

http://www.teatreeoilproducts.co.uk/shop/consumer-products/tea-tree-creme-wax-metique.html


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## Obsidian (Jan 3, 2016)

That actually sounds like a pretty good product and with a PH of 4.5, its less likely to disrupt the acid mantle. The only thing I would be concerned with is the colophonium, it can be a allergen to some people. I still think it would be worth trying but I'd suggest trying it your arm or belly before using it on your face.

Have you tried eye drops or any kind of eye rinse to use between product application? It might help wash away some of the irritation.


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## qwertops (Jan 3, 2016)

I will be ordering the product


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## cmzaha (Jan 3, 2016)

I am so sorry to hear you cannot find doctors where you live. Sometimes in the US we forget how lucky we are. If it were me I would go for the wash you listed and stay away from a wax. Waxes literally rip of including any find hairs and if it gets on your eyelashes it is very possible it will pull them out. I am wondering if mixing some Tea tree oil in some polysorbate then apply a few drops to a very well squeezed out wash hot wash cloth if it will help. As Obsidian mentioned do or can you use just wetting type eyedrops? I have to use wetting drops every 30 minutes when my Uveitis decides to raise it's ugly head and cause a flare. My specialist told me if I use preservative free drop they will not hurt to use them no matter how often you use them. So many do not realize how bad eye problems can be. My main eye problem can cause blindness if not treated properly and originated from Cataract surgery and was the doctors fault, whom is well known in the city I live in. As I mentioned there are bad ophthalmologists.  I feel for you, these are horrible problems that are so hard to control. Do wish you some relief


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## qwertops (Jan 4, 2016)

Hello, I hope your eye problems get better. I can relate to what are you going through. 

I have figured out a way to solve my problem. I cannot believe that I didn't come up with this earlier. The Kelual DS cream that I'm using for my seb derm is based on caprylic acid and is hypoallergenic. Probably the best product I've ever used. I'll just mix it with tea tree oil to get a 5% concentration and carefully use it on my eyelids. The cream has good consistency and is not very oily. Not as much as if I were to dilute the TTO with MCT oil.

I will report back.


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## Susie (Jan 4, 2016)

Never trust anything that says, "clinically proven AND used in trials against MRSA".  Note it very carefully did not say used AND proven.  You can use anything in a trial.  And it could be clinically proven against nothing.  The order of words is very important.  Also, only certain antibiotics kill MRSA.  Tea Tree Oil and other "natural" remedies are not on that list.  I am a nurse, and have been on the front line of that battle.


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## qwertops (Jan 4, 2016)

Thanks for the heads up. I don't have MRSA but s. aureus or s. epidermis owergrowth. TTO does kill both.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1360273/pdf/0029-05.pdf

I found another TTO cream that doesn't seem to contain allergens. It's Healthaid TTO Creame.

http://www.auravita.com/OriginalImages/phar/phar12530_9_OI.jpg

Who should use HealthAid Tea Tree cream?

HealthAid Tea Tree cream MAY be of benefit to;

•People who have very dry skin
•Those who experience itchy skin caused by skin allergies and irritation
•Those who experience psoriasis
•Those with skin conditions such as eczema
Free from:

•Free from parabens, sulphates, propylene glycols, PEGS, TEA
•Free from artificial colours or fragrances
•No animal based products or animal testing
•Vegetarian friendly & Eco-friendly

Aqua (water), Cetearyl Alcohol (emulsifier from palm oil), Prunus dulcis (sweet almond oil), Stearic Acid (emulsifier from palm), Glyceryl Stearate (conditioning agent from coconut oil), Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree), Phenoxyethanol (antimicrobial preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (natural preservative), Sodium Hydroxide (pH regulator), Limonene*. 

* From natural essential oils


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## qwertops (Jan 14, 2016)

Just a little update on my end.  I am allergic to Metique soap but not to Healthaid Tea Tree Cream which is very good news. However the concentration of TTO in the cream is only 0.05%. The cream is based on almond oil and completely natural. It definitely works as an antiseptic but I think that the concentration is not high enough to have a significant effect on staph. I will mix a little TTO with it and see if I get better results. I applied the cream about every two hours yesterday and it does dry out the skin but not nearly as much as bar soap.


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