Olive + tea tree oil: what else can I do with it?

August 14, 2017 5:43 PM

A while ago I mixed a little tea tree oil into maybe a cup and a half of olive oil (non-extra-virgin). You were supposed to wash your face with it. I tried that and didn't like it, and now I've had this bottle of oil sitting in my shower for months. What else can I do with it, especially without putting it on my body? (The googlenets say to put it on my hair... *shrug*?)
posted by Alioth to Grab Bag (7 answers total)

Give it to a friend who likes that kind of thing. "Hey, I tried this tea-tree and olive oil moisturizer but I didn't care for it, do you want it?"
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:52 PM on August 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

this mix actually is really good for the hair. tea tree oil usually helps w/ scalp issues that involve symptoms of flaking and itching. olive oil helps to moisturize, as you can imagine. you could also use it as a spot treatment (you might need to put more tea tree oil but you still want it to be diluted.
posted by thischarmingirl at 5:57 PM on August 14, 2017

Best answer: Rub it on your feet. Or, have a friend do it.
posted by Bee'sWing at 6:12 PM on August 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Toss it. Sometimes you need to cut your losses and chalk it up to a failed experiment.

BTW, if you wanted to try the oil cleansing method with different oils (olive oil can be pretty pore-clogging), I'd suggest jojoba oil ($8 for 4oz at Trader Joe's) for the base oil because it's much more pore-friendly. For the second oil, I've used castor oil (also good for hair), tamanu oil (very nice for skin), and almond oil (also good for skin and frequently used as a massage oil). Both jojoba and almond oil are fine as moisturizers on their own, so you might find more uses for them than the olive oil/tea tree combination.
posted by Autumnheart at 6:16 PM on August 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

Best answer: This is exactly what I use on my hair. (Well, watered down quite a bit.) I give my hair a super light spritz with it after a shower instead of conditioner while my hair is still wet.
posted by Vaike at 6:16 PM on August 14, 2017

Add some brown sugar and scrub your feet. Great for exfoliating and mitigating any potential fungal outbreaks!
posted by Hermione Granger at 6:44 PM on August 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

Best answer: If it's been sitting in your shower (a warm, damp environment) for months, it may be rancid. I know olive oil is expensive, but I don't think it's worth it to try to find a use. A fresh batch would be a nice present for a friend though.
posted by DSime at 6:54 PM on August 14, 2017 [2 favorites]