Nova TTO

Nova TTO is a Danish skincare line built around tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), marketed by Novasel EU ApS, a small company based in Skårup on the island of Funen, Denmark [2]. The range centres on the antibacterial properties of tea tree oil and is aimed at dry, irritated, sensitive and blemish-prone skin.

Some editorial coverage has described the brand as Australian, but that reflects the botanical origin of its tea tree oil rather than the company itself: the oil is sourced from Australia [7], while Nova TTO is owned and marketed from Denmark [2]. The line remains active, sold through the company's own webshop and a range of Danish retailers.

Nova TTO is one of several house brands of Novasel EU ApS, which was established in 2003 by Kirsten Jorsal, who continues as the company's chief executive [2]. The company began with a single employee and the Equazen eye q supplement brand, later growing to a small team and a wider portfolio spanning omega-3 supplements, joint-care gels and the Nova TTO skincare line [2]. The founding year of the Nova TTO line itself is not documented. Alongside its own products, Novasel also distributes several third-party brands on the Danish market, including Equazen, Perskindol, Ginsana and KeenMind [2].

The line rests on the idea that tea tree oil counteracts bacteria on the skin while protecting the skin's own healthy microorganisms [1]. According to the company, this makes it suited to dry, irritated and problematic skin without disrupting the skin's natural balance. Nova TTO emphasises natural ingredients and tea tree oil that is, as the company puts it, grown "efter økologiske principper" — along ecological principles — with trees harvested early in the growth cycle to limit the need for pesticides [5].

The range covers facial, hair and body care. Its core item is pure tea tree oil, sold in 10 ml and 25 ml bottles, alongside a water-soluble 4.99% oil, a body lotion, and a sulfate-free hand and body soap that uses milder cleansing agents such as lauryl glucoside and cocamidopropyl betaine [5]. A shampoo with chamomile and rosemary and a conditioner with vitamin E and peppermint have also been described in editorial coverage [7]. Beyond tea tree oil, the formulations draw on aloe vera, vitamin E, vitamin C and grape seed extract.

The tea tree oil is sourced from Australia, where its antiseptic properties have long been documented [7]. Editorial coverage notes that the oil is standardised to fifteen active compounds and meets Australian Standards, and references tea tree oil research led by Professor Thomas V. Riley at the University of Western Australia [7]. The company states that its products provide antibacterial, anti-itch and anti-inflammatory benefits for various skin conditions.

Novasel describes a set of environmental measures at company level, including reusing cardboard, choosing Nordic Swan-labelled printed materials, minimising paper use, buying refurbished office equipment and switching to LED lighting with motion sensors [2].

In December 2022, the Danish health magazine Sund-Forskning published a feature on Nova Tea Tree Oil, covering the brand's Australian-sourced, ecologically grown oil and its product line [7].

Nova TTO remains active. Its products are listed and sold through the Novasel webshop and a range of Danish retailers, among them the Matas chain, the online pharmacy Med24 and various health-food shops [3]. It operates chiefly as a single-market Danish brand.