Move over argan oil. There’s a new beauty oil in town and it’s neem oil! Here to nourish and replenish the skin, it’s made from the fruits and seeds of neem, an evergreen tree indigenous to India.
Used for the past 3,000 years, it’s rich in fatty acids and emollients and popular in the preparation of cosmetics. It’s also used regularly in Ayurvedic medicine to treat certain skin diseases. It helps soothe and protect and moisturize chronically dry skin and is perfect for chronically dry skin sufferers or just as a rich moisturizing treat for the skin. Neem oil is also antibacterial, so it’s great for acne and for healing cuts/scrapes. You can even use it as an insecticide for plants!
Here are some products with neem extract for you to try:
For your face and body – Auromere Ayurvedic Neem Balm is great for acne, everyday cuts and scrapes or any skin irritation. It has a yellow tint and a light herbal scent. A little goes a long way – definitely one to keep around the house!
For your nails – Just Neem Cuticle Care Pen is the best cuticle pen I’ve ever used. I love that it comes with a brush applicator, so you can apply directly to cuticles on your fingers and toes without getting it all over the place. And it absorbs quickly, which is great – since I usually apply right before bed and I don’t want oil everywhere. It also helps to heal any little cuts you might have. Just Neem also has lotions, face masks and other neem products.
For your teeth – Theraneem Neem Toothpaste is for the more adventurous palate. It’s not going to taste like candy. It’s sort of a brown-ish paste with an herbal taste. I have been using it for over a month now and I actually like it. I’m used to Tom’s of Maine and Vitadent – not the overly sugary tasting stuff anyway. The best thing is that it helps with mouth ulcers and cuts (which seem to plague me).
For your pooch – Itchin’ for Relief by Happy Tails contains a blend of neem, oat extract, litchi and aloe to soothe your dog’s irritated skin. In addition, the boswellia serrata and calendula reduce inflammation and grapefruit seed extract prevents bacterial and fungal infections. Ark Naturals Neem Protect Spray is another option. It’s made with neem oil, celery oil, citronella oil and eucalyptus oil. Unfortunately, the citronella smell is too much for me. It would be great for “outside dogs” which we don’t really have in LA, but I know they exist! 🙂
Do you have any good links for the UK followers? I can't purchase anything from the U.S
Great post about a little known product! I've actually used and liked it while I was pregnant and suffering from the pupps rash (extreme itchiness).
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Neem oil is INCREDIBLE when mixed with water for keeping pests from plants, as well.
Neem is not only having qualities to make your skin from acne, pimple and other infections but it also have many health benefit it purifies our blood also…
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I knew of some of the uses of neem oil, but not all of these. In fact I didn’t realize there was a neem-based toothpaste. Aside from the healthful benefits of neem oil, the fact that the Theraneem toothpaste is SLS-free will also benefit canker sore sufferers. The SLS seems to be a major irritant and people who switch to a non-SLS toothpaste usually find they get fewer mouth sores. SLS, which is a detergent, dries out the lining of the mouth and can cause microscopic tears, sometimes leading to canker sores. As you mentioned, neem oil is rich in emollients, so that will help moisturize the mouth.
Hi
I’m from India, and in India neem is a very popular home remedy used to heal various teeth diseases. Some companies e.g Dabur also make some toothpaste with ingredient neem as a main component.
When using Neem oil, dilute it any of your favorite carrier oils like olive, coconut, almond, Sesame oil, or jojoba oil. You can use between 10 to 20% neem oil in a blend. You can also add 4 to 5 of drops of lavender or ylang ylang essential oil to mask the smell, as well as enhance its effects.
Here’s a blend that you can use: Take 1 tsp of neem oil, 3 tbs of sesame oil (or any other oil of your choice), and 4 to 5 drop of ylang ylang oil. Mix all the ingredients well. Apply this on your scalp and hair and massage gently. Leave it for about an hour or so and wash as usual. You can also leave it overnight for more effectiveness.
Nice article. I’m from India and I use neem oil for my hair and scalp problems.