How to make Tea Tree Oil Soap

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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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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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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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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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
 
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.
 
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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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.

By using this soap I have greatly improved my condition. But like I said it keeps disrupting the skin barrier because of the high PH or the harsh ingredients or both. So I can't use it repeadetly to fully recover. The acid mantle is super important in terms of bacterial protection. This is why I am searching for an alternative way to apply the tea tree oil. There are doctors who treat people with 50% TTO for demodex blepharitis. A high TTO concentration is needed to kill demodex. I only need 2% or ideally 5% to kill staph.

Thanks for mentioning lavender oil being an allergen.
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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