EO percentage for spot treatment gel?

[Anstarx]

I want to make a spot treatment gel for my acne and I plan to use tea tree oil in it. I've made a trial sample before and I like it, but unfornatunately lost the notes afterwards so I can't remember the exact percentages. However, I'm pretty sure the tea tree eo in there is over 10%.

I was told that tea tree oil can used directly for spot treatment and that's what I did for years before I got into soaping. The company I purchased from also said it can be applied directly to skin.
The label↓

However, I just checked WSP for usage guidelines and it stated 5% is the max for lotion.

I understand that it's a bad idea to use too much eo in skin care products but would spot treatment different from overall product like lotion or body butter?

 

[Misschief]

I used to make what I called a Zit Zapper for my daughter and a young friend; both swore by it. It's from Valerie Ann Worwood's book, "The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy".

1 part Camphor EO
1 part Lemon EO
1 part Lavender EO
6 parts Evening Primrose Oil

 

[DeeAnna]

A product used for healing and limited to occasional medicinal use is different than a product like an all purpose lotion that you might use everyday all over your skin.

Essential Oil Safety by Tisserand and Young has a max dermal use level of 15% for tea tree. I might start with 10% tea tree in your "zit zapper" (great name, Misschief#!) and see how your skin tolerates it. More is not necessarily better -- play around with the dosage to see what works best for your skin.

To give an example, I make a beeswax-based healing salve as an alternative to Neosporin and other antimicrobial salves for minor wounds and skin irritations. I originally used 10% total EOs in this salve, but over time, I've learned a 3% total EO dosage works every bit as well.

I definitely don't recommend using TT neat (undiluted) on the skin, no matter what they say on the label. The risk of sensitization goes up a lot for any EO, no matter how safe people think the EO is. Even lavender EO, which "everybody knows is safe to use undiluted," has triggered life threatening allergic reactions when used neat.

 

[Anstarx]

A product used for healing and limited to occasional medicinal use is different than a product like an all purpose lotion that you might use everyday all over your skin.

Essential Oil Safety by Tisserand and Young has a max dermal use level of 15% for tea tree. I might start with 10% tea tree in your "zit zapper" (great name, Misschief#!) and see how your skin tolerates it. More is not necessarily better -- play around with the dosage to see what works best for your skin.

To give an example, I make a beeswax-based healing salve as an alternative to Neosporin and other antimicrobial salves for minor wounds and skin irritations. I originally used 10% total EOs in this salve, but over time, I've learned a 3% total EO dosage works every bit as well.

I definitely don't recommend using TT neat (undiluted) on the skin, no matter what they say on the label. The risk of sensitization goes up a lot for any EO, no matter how safe people think the EO is. Even lavender EO, which "everybody knows is safe to use undiluted," has triggered life threatening allergic reactions when used neat.

Looks like I'm lucky that I don't have any reaction to tea tree oil so far. The trial sample I made before probably has 10-15% tea tree in it and it's been doing well with me. I think I will start with 10% this time and see.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I use 1% lavender in jojoba oil for all kinds of treatment... it's especially good for burns. Soothing and heals with no scarring. I'm amazed that so low a % would have that much of a positive effect. IMHO, the type of oil you put the Tea Tree in is more important than the amount of EO used for acne.

 

[Anstarx]

I use 1% lavender in jojoba oil for all kinds of treatment... it's especially good for burns. Soothing and heals with no scarring. I'm amazed that so low a % would have that much of a positive effect. IMHO, the type of oil you put the Tea Tree in is more important than the amount of EO used for acne.

I don't use any carrier oil in my gel. One reason I used to use tea tree oil neat (aside from the fact I'm too lazy to mix it) is that I don't like the feeling of any oil on my face.
For my spot treatment gel, I dissolve menthol crystal in ethanol, mix in tea tree oil, add in perserved aloe vera gel and polysorbate 80. This way it gives me a white lotion-y gel without any greasy feeling.
Besides, good oils like jojoba are quite expensive while I can get aloe vera much cheaper and get to spend the rest on good EOs