Neem

Neem Oil is an ingredient often reserved for the brave.  Its pungent aroma is extremely tenacious, and can be very difficult to mask or compliment.  However, a good portion of Lavender can help to take the edge of of Neem's intensity.  When an Oil possesses such a strong aroma, it has to boast pretty impressive benefits to make using it worthwhile.  Neem Oil lives up to this qualification, and then some.  Its potent aroma is matched by equally potent soothing, healing, and restorative properties.  Neem Oil is extremely effective as an antibacterial, antiseptic, and antifungal ingredient.  It even repels insects.  Neem Oil is also a soothing moisturizer, and can aid in the treatment of a wide range of skin conditions.  It is often used to treat acne, psoriasis and eczema.  Neem can be used in the creation of a wide variety of skin care products, including: facials, healing salves, medicinal balms, soaps, cleansers, and body oils.  It is also helpful in hair care products for scalp conditioning and the treatment of dandruff.

Currently, From Nature With Love offers two varieties of Neem Oil.  Our Cold Expeller Pressed Neem Oil is the most standard, and commonly used of the two.  Our Neem Oil CO2 Extract is another great option.  It posesses a slightly more mild aroma than Cold Pressed Neem Oil, and contains a high level of Tocopherols, making it an effective antioxidant in addition to it having Neem Oil's other standard properties.  The Neem Oil CO2 Extract is also much more potent in its properties than the Cold Pressed Oil.  Both Neem Oils are dark green in color, and possess a strong, charachteristic aroma.

Another way to incorporate the properties of Neem into skin and body care products is by using Neem Powder.  This powder is made of dried and crushed Neem Leaves.  It can be used to create herbal infusions in water or oil, or it can be used directly in scrubs, facial masks, body powders, or soaps.  Neem Powder has a much milder aroma than Neem Oil, making it a little less challenging to use.  However, Neem Powder's beneficial properties will be less potent thanthat of  Neem Oil.

Have you used Neem in any of your own creations?  If so, please share your tips on how to use Neem in the comments below.

Comments

[Cory]

I use it in my shampoo bars. :)

[Emmy Gabriel]

Hi Cory,

Thanks for letting us know about your Neem Shampoo Bars. They must be great
for the scalp. How does the Neem effect the smell of the finished bar? Can
you still smell its aroma after the soap cures?

[Lteefaw]

I'm not brave enough to use Neem oil in my beauty products...lol but I do use it to repel pest in my garden. I combine it with water and castile soap and my lettuce is bug free.

[Emmy Gabriel]

Yes, Neem is great for use in the garden! Its insecticidal benefits make it very handy for natural and organic gardening.

[lynn]

how do you make a facial mask with neem powder for acne? thanks

[Emmy Gabriel]

Hi Lynn. You can create a simple face mask for acne prone skin using Neem Powder and warm water.  Just mix the two together to create a smooth paste, then apply it to the skin for around 15 - 20 minutes.  You can create more complex masks by incorporating Kaolin Clay, Honey, or other helpful ingredients into the mix.  To learn more about ingredients that can help acne, check out the following link: http://www.naturalbeautyworkshop.com/my_weblog/2009/07/taming-troubled-skin-naturally.html

[Cyn4Neem]

I emptied out a tea bag and replaced the tea with neem powder..i let it soak in water until water turned a good greeny colour, then threw out the tea bag.. then with a cotton ball/pad wiped my face with it before bed every night..skin felt squeaky clean and helped stop pimples that i could feel were developing.

[Emmy Gabriel]

Thanks for sharing your tip with us.  This is a great example of how simple natural skin care can be!