Summary
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What are essential oils?
Essential oils are oils that give a plant its "essence," i.e., its specific odor and flavor and are made from specific parts plants using steam distillation. However, essential oils are not essential for human health (unlike essential minerals and vitamins). Adulteration of essential oils has been reported in the marketplace with less expensive or synthetic oils, but authentic lavender and tea tree essential oils can be identified by chemical analysis. (See What It Is)
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What are the benefits of lavender and tea tree essential oil?
Lavender oil appears to be effective at reducing anxiety when used as aromatherapy or orally (at a small dose), although it is not clear if it is effective in massage therapy. Tea tree oil is primarily used topically in treating mild skin ailments or their symptoms. (See What It Does)
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Which is the best lavender essential oil?
ConsumerLab's tests showed that popular brands of lavender oil were authentic, based on their chemical composition and not contaminated with heavy metals or microbes (see What CL Found). However, there was a significant cost difference, and one product provided superior value and was ConsumerLab's Top Pick for lavender essential oil.
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Which is the best tea tree essential oil?
ConsumerLab's tests showed some variation in the chemical composition of popular brands of tea tree oils. Although all were deemed to be authentic and not contaminated with heavy metals or microbes (see What CL Found), one more closely matched standards, provided superior value, and was ConsumerLab's Top Pick for tea tree essential oil.
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Are lavender and tea tree essential oils safe?
Due to high concentrations of particular compounds, essential oils should generally be diluted if applied to the skin, and tea tree oil should not be consumed orally. Lavender and tea tree oil may also trigger sensitivities and allergic reactions. They are not for use by children or pregnant women. For more details, see Concerns and Cautions.
+— 42 sources
In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article:
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You must
be a member to get the full test results, along with ConsumerLab's recommendations. You'll get results for 8 lavender and tea tree essential oils selected for testing by ConsumerLab.
In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
- Which lavender and tea tree essential oils failed testing, which passed, and which are CL's Top Picks
- How compare on amounts of key compounds, purity, including heavy metal and microbial contamination, as well as price
- The clinical evidence for using lavender essential oil and tea tree essential oil for anxiety, sleep, respiratory infections and more
- When and how to safely use lavender and tea tree essential oils, including which oils should and should not be taken orally and whether they essential oils can be used with humidifiers
- Safety concerns and cautions with lavender and tea tree essential oils, including potential allergic reactions, and precautions with pets
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