GIGA Tea Tree Oil Review

Hi Guys! I may have been absent from blogging but what have not been absent from my life are my zits.  Oh shouldn't I have been left alone by these buggers years ago?  Blame it on the genes.

I have tried many as in many acne treatments.  My latest acne treatment foray is the Tea Tree Oil from GIGA.  The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil has been buzzing the beauty industry for years now.  I tried GIGA Tea Tree Oil as it was a cheaper alternative.  The derma I consulted last week also advised me to steer clear of my usual first aid for acne - salicylic acid.  She said my skin was thinning as evident in the peeling and reddening.

GIGA Tea Tree Oil

It says on the bottle that this is not a cosmetic.   Errrr, I use this on my zits

The bottle has a stopper that prevents the oil from spilling.

Tea Tree Oil is said to have anti bacterial and antiseptic properties.  These characteristics make tea tree oil a good remedy for acne and blemishes.

How I use it.

Acne Remedy - I put 3 drops of this oil on a teeny tiny piece of cotton.  I then leave it and press it on my zits.  Please note that this imparts a very strong scent.  Some may find the camphor scent overpowering.  Not me since I love  tea tree scent.  It also has a bit of heating effect alleviating the itch that I usually get from fresh zits. I leave the cotton the zit for about 30 minutes. I just make sure to soak it really well so it does not fall off my face.

I put 2 to 3 drops of this on a cotton. I then put the cotton on top of my zits and apply sheer pressure on it to allow the product to seep through the cotton.

Body Wash - I also pour 3 drops of this on my washcloth mixed with liquid soap or body wash.  This gives me that tingly feeling that's perfect for this scorching summer.

Facial Wash - After lathering soap in my hands, I put 2 drops of this then wash my face. I just make sure to close my eyes while washing as it would sting once it gets in your eyes.

Holy Grail Verdict:

Effectiveness: 3/5.  It does not totally dry my zits.  However, it flattens them just a teeny bit.  I find that flattening the zits relieves me of the itch from fresh blemishes.

Availability: 3/5.  This is available in all Giga and Sesou outlets. To those wondering, GIGA stands for God Is Good Always :-)

Price: 5/5.  This small bottle costs around 150 Php.

What's your experience with tea tree oils?

Customer Is Always RIght

Do you believe in the adage that "the customer is always right"?  I do. Even if the customer is not always right, you find ways of communicating to him in the most effective manner possible.  I am in an industry wherein we put premium to how we conduct business and transactions with customers in the most pleasing way possible.   I try my best to live fully to what the capacity of my job asks me to do.  Hence, I also expect the same when I become the customer.

Photo nicked from Google

Just earlier, I went to a derma place in Guadalupe and saw a dermatologist there.  I was being bombarded (what's new right?) by these pesky attention grabbin zits on my face.  My ever trusted dermawas too far and inconvenient for me to see.  I also thought that this might be a good opportunity to see a more accessible skin clinic.  Oh well, I was in for some disappointments!

1) Derma asked me to do away with my mirror and not to watch her in the mirror while she pricks and extracts my zits - MAJOR BUMMER! Watching myself being pricked lessens the pain from the extraction.  It helps me anticipate the pain of the pricking.  I told her it helps me deal with the pain, but she did not budge.  I could not walk away right then and there?

2) Derma was hinting that I may not have seen by a duly capable professional because of the state of my face - Hellow?! Assumptive much? I'm just nearing my period  that's why I have those lovely zits on my face.  She even asked, "is she a derma or a facialist?"  I did not like the insinuation of that question.

3) She did not listen to me - I told her that the reason my face was swollen after pricking was that I have urticaria.  Don't be scared, it's a skin condition wherein the skin reacts by swelling or forming weird patches when triggered by almost anything.  Extreme heat, stress, lack of sleep etc.  She said, "you just have sensitized skin due to the salicylic acid you're applying".  I'm the patient, and I've dealt with my urticaria for almos 3 years now.  I should know.

4)  She did not use gloves - I would have expected for her to wear gloves you know. Perhaps it's a personal thing?

5)  Extraction was not thorough - She was not able to extract the pus from my cystic zits.  She had to resort to injecting them with medication.  She said my skin was so sensitized that she did not want to aggravate it more by pricking? I did not want to argue anymore.  Honestly, my derma would have been able to extract even the deepest of all blackheads and zits.

Long story short? I did not enjoy my experience with her.  Will I see her again? Yes, only if I don't have the time to go to my original derma.  This is going to be very likely since my work demands are crazy! The service of my originial derma coupled with her impeccable skills in skin management is one in a millioin.  I have yet to find someone else who is more skilled and patient in extracting every zit, blackhead and whitehead on my face.