What is Manuka Essential Oil?
Pure manuka oil is extracted through steam distillation from the manuka tree. The oil is pale yellow in colour and has a woodsy, sweet aroma.
Manuka essential oil is also known as New Zealand tea tree. However, manuka oil and tea tree oil are not derived from the same plant.
Origin & History
The manuka tree is native to New Zealand and Australia, and has been used by the indigenous Maori people for many years.
Traditionally, the indigenous Maoris used the manuka tree for medicinal and healing purposes. It was used to treat insect bites, heal wounds, prevent infection and treat fever.
In 1769, its healing benefits were shared with Captain cook. He was exploring new Zealand and Australia when his crew became sick with scurvy and infections. The Maori people offered boiled manuka leaves as a herbal remedy to treat the crew.
Manuka was first made into an essential oil in the 1970's and was produced globally. Today, manuka essential oil is praised for its skin and healing benefits.
Blending Suggestions
Manuka oil has an earthy, woodsy and slightly sweet scent. It is a middle note and blends well with lavender, rosemary, geranium, ylang ylang and tea tree.
Here's some of our favourite blends with manuka oil:
Sweet and floral blend:
2 drops Manuka oil
3 drops Lavender oil
4 drops Frankincense oil
Earthy and sweet scent:
2 drops Manuka oil
3 drops Eucalyptus oil
4 drops Lemon oil
Sweet and spicy blend:
3 drops Manuka oil
3 drops Tea tree oil
3 drops Lavender oil
How to Store Your Essential Oils
Keep your essential oils sealed and out of direct sunlight. This will stop it from degrading over time and help prolong the quality. Make sure you keep the manuka essential oil out of the reach of children.
Safety Precautions
Manuka essential oil is not a food grade product and is for external use only. It is generally skin safe in skin treatments but should be kept out of reach of children.
Do not apply pure manuka essential oil directly to the skin. The undiluted oil could cause redness and skin irritancy.
Make sure to add a few drops of pure manuka oil to a carrier oil before applying to the skin. We recommend doing a small patch test with the dilute oil to test for any possible skin sensitivity.
FAQ's
What is the INCI name for manuka essential oil?
The INCI name for manuka oil is Leptospermum Scoparium Branch-Leaf Oil.
Where does our manuka oil originate from?
Our manuka oil originates from Australia.
What is manuka oil good for?
Manuka essential oil is used in cosmetics for its sweet, earthy aroma. It can be used in perfumes, aromatherapy, soaps, diffusers and cosmetics.
Manuka essential oil is also commonly used is skincare products as it is claimed to have skin healing properties.
What is the difference between tea tree oil and manuka oil?
Manuka oil is often said to be the same or similar to tea tree. But, these oils are not the same and are from different plant groups.
Tea tree essential oil is from the Melaleuca alternifolia plant and has a strong fresh and herbal scent. Whereas, manuka oil is extracted from the Leptospermum scoparium plant. The oil has a more earthy, woodsy and sweet scent.
Both oils are often said to help with skin problems and have anti fungal properties. However, this has not been proven in a scientific study.
