Tea Tree Therapy Liquid Soap with Tea Tree Oil, 8 fl oz

What Tea Tree Therapy tea tree soap is for

Tea Tree Therapy Antiseptic Liquid Soap is a liquid soap with tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), aloe vera, chamomile, calendula and elder flower, for face, hands and body. It comes in an 8 fl oz (236 mL) pump bottle. It costs $10.80. Free shipping in Puerto Rico on orders from $35, or pick it up at our store in Galería Paseos.

The front says «Antiseptic Liquid Soap with Tea Tree Oil for Face, Hands and Body». On the back, the brand describes it this way: «Tea Tree Therapy Liquid Soap antiseptically cleans hands, face, and body with antibacterial and anti-fungal action. Working gently without drying the skin, it leaves skin noticeably clean and feeling good.»

Its ingredients and what they do in the body

Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia). It is the ingredient the brand is named after and the one printed on the front. According to the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), in its “Tea Tree Oil” fact sheet, the oil comes from steam distillation of the leaves of the tea tree, a plant native to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia, and the Aboriginal people of Australia traditionally used its leaves on the skin. A review from the University of Western Australia (Carson, Hammer and Riley, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 2006) notes that the oil has been used in Australia for almost 100 years and is now sold pure or as a component of many other products. Here it is blended into this 8 fl oz (236 mL) bottle of soap, as «Tea Tree Oil (Oil of Melaleuca alternifolia)»: the label does not say how much it contains.

The cleansers: disodium cocoamphodiacetate, coco glucoside, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate and sodium hydroxypropylsulfonate/LG. They make the lather and carry dirt away when you rinse. According to the FDA, in its “Frequently Asked Questions on Soap” page (current as of August 20, 2024), most body cleansers, liquid or solid, are synthetic detergent products, and they are popular because they make suds easily in water and don't form gummy deposits. The same page explains that “true” soap is made by combining fats or oils with an alkali, such as lye.

Aloe vera (Aloe Vera Leaf Extract). It is aloe leaf extract. According to NCCIH, in its “Aloe Vera” fact sheet (updated February 2025), aloe is a cactus-like plant that grows in hot, dry climates, is grown in subtropical regions around the world, and was already used in ancient Greece, Rome, Babylonia and China; today it is used on the skin and also by mouth. In this soap it goes on the skin and is rinsed off.

Chamomile, calendula and elder flower. The label lists them together as extracts («Extracts of: Chamomile, Calendula, and Elder flower»), without saying how much. According to NCCIH, in its “Chamomile” fact sheet (updated November 2024), there are two types of chamomile, German and Roman; it was an important herb in ancient China, Egypt, Greece and Rome, and it is also used on the skin. The label does not say which of the two it contains.

The rest. Deionized water as the base; allantoin; citric acid; phenoxyethanol, and lemongrass oil, the last item on the list.

What sets it apart:

It is a mild detergent cleanser with the tea tree oil already blended in, ready to wash with. Carson et al. (2006) explain that tea tree is sold two ways: pure or as a component of other products, and this is the second. And, according to the FDA, detergent cleansers make suds easily in water and don't form gummy deposits, unlike soap made from fat and lye.

These explanations describe normal functions of the body and skin, and how these plants have been used according to NCCIH, Carson et al. and the FDA; they are not results measured with this product.

Label facts

• Ingredients, in label order: Deionized Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Sodium Hydroxypropylsulfonate/LG, Coco Glucoside, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Allantoin, Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Extracts of: Chamomile, Calendula, and Elder flower, Tea Tree Oil (Oil of Melaleuca alternifolia), Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Lemongrass Oil.
• Made by: made in USA with domestic and globally sourced components and ingredients. Distributed by Tea Tree Therapy Inc., Ventura, CA 93003, 1-800-990-4221, www.teatreetherapy.com. Barcode 637792603609.

How to use it

Wet hands and apply a small amount of soap. Work into a rich lather and gently cleanse hands and face. Avoid contact with the eyes.

Warnings

• Avoid contact with the eyes.
• For external use only.

Frequently asked questions

What is tea tree soap for?

It is for washing your face, hands and body: the front says «for Face, Hands and Body». It has tea tree oil, aloe vera, chamomile, calendula and elder flower, and the brand calls it an antiseptic soap.

How do you use it?

Wet hands and apply a small amount of soap, work into a rich lather and gently cleanse hands and face. Avoid contact with the eyes; it is for external use only.

Is it the same as pure tea tree oil?

No. This is a liquid soap with tea tree oil blended with cleansers and plant extracts, and it is rinsed off. The 1 fl oz pure oil is a different product.

How much does the bottle hold?

8 fl oz (236 mL), in a pump bottle.

Where can I buy tea tree soap in Puerto Rico and how much is it?

At Borinquen Natural, for $10.80 per 8 fl oz bottle. Free shipping in Puerto Rico on orders from $35, or pick it up at our store in Galería Paseos.

More soaps and the pure oil

If you are looking for the oil on its own, see NOW 100% Pure Tea Tree Essential Oil, 1 fl oz. More options in Natural Soaps.