WELLBEING
How To Use Neem for Skin: 5 Natural Ways To Nourish Your Skin
Karishma Joshi │Updated: 18 May 2023
Introduction
Neem or Azadirachta indica — a traditional ayurvedic plant — has become increasingly popular in the modern world, earning its rightful place among many superfoods lists. This wonder herb works its magic across all aspects of health and beauty, from aiding digestion and boosting immunity to promoting glowing skin, strong hair, and healthy teeth and gums.
Sure, there are countless benefits of neem for the skin: preventing acne, enhancing wound healing, increasing collagen production, treating infections, and more. But how exactly do you go about incorporating it into your skincare routine?
Read on to discover five easy ways you can use this miracle and medicinal plant to take your skincare game to the next level.
5 Ways to Use Neem For Healthy Skin
The leaves of neem plants can be ground to a powder, blended into a paste, combined with other organic skin-revitalizing ingredients, or diluted to a juice. What’s more, its seeds can even be squeezed in wooden presses to extract oil.
To reap its rejuvenating benefits, select the form of neem that best suits your skincare requirement. Let’s dive right in.
1. Neem powder or leaves
The simplest way to include neem for skin health is in its powder form. You can either purchase neem powder — ensure to select a brand that sells pure neem with minimal preservatives— or ground it yourself.
Start by sun drying fresh neem leaves for two days until all the moisture evaporates. Toss the dry and crisp leaves in a blender to obtain a fine powder before placing it in an airtight container in your pantry.
You can ingest neem powder or apply it topically as a paste for glowing, beautiful skin, treating skin problems, and an overall immunity boost. As for fresh neem leaves, you can safely consume 4 to 5 on an empty stomach daily or chew neem for oral benefits.
It’s essential to consult your healthcare provider for oral neem consumption to understand your correct dose and prevent drug reactions with other medications you may be taking.
2. Neem paste
Add a few drops of water to neem leaf powder, and voila, you have neem paste! However, a more traditional method to prepare neem paste involves soaking rinsed neem leaves in warm water. Once they soften, grind them in a mortar and pestle till they form a paste-like consistency.
Apply the paste to your face or the affected areas on your skin, and let neem’s antibacterial properties work their magic. Wait 15-20 minutes or till you feel your skin tightening as the paste dries — an indicator to wash it off.
Neem is a wonder herb and an often sought-after home remedy for treating skin infections. This study confirmed that applying neem paste on teenagers with acne-prone skin drastically curbed facial acne with little to no side effects.
Note that it’s crucial to do a patch test on the side of your neck or ear if you have sensitive skin before lathering the paste over your face.
3. Neem face pack
Neem in its paste and powder forms packs a powerful punch, but for a more potent skin cleanse, a neem face pack does the job, and how!
Depending on your skin type, you can experiment by adding one or two extra natural ingredients to neem paste.
If you have oily skin, squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice. For dry skin, coconut oil boosts moisturization, while yogurt is a wonderful dark spot remover. Anti-aging neem face packs often include milk, a teaspoon of honey, and oatmeal, all of which enhance neem’s ability to remove fine lines and wrinkles. Lastly, mix in a tablespoon of rosewater and a dash of sandalwood paste for a quick revitalizing facial.
There’s nothing quite like a cost-effective and chemical-free neem face pack, and the best part is you can find nearly all the ingredients in your kitchen pantry.
A word of caution: daily use of neem packs (pH 8.2) can hamper your skin’s pH levels, leading to dry, lackluster skin. To maintain your skin’s natural oils and healthy glow, limit its application to two or three times per week.
4. Neem oil
Neem oil is extracted from the seed of the neem plant. Its versatile use makes it one of the top ingredients in skincare products, such as moisturizers, serums, masks, and face washes. From treating fungal infections to stimulating collagen production and soothing inflamed skin, this oil does it all and more.
If you want to ensure you’re getting the best quality neem oil with no impurities, look for bottles labeled ‘cold-pressed’ or ‘organic’.
The higher the quality, the more likely it is to be potent. That’s why skincare experts advise mixing neem oil equally with a carrier oil — almond, grapeseed, coconut oil, etc.
Neem’s essential fatty acids are better absorbed in the bloodstream with topical application. Use a cotton ball to lightly dab diluted neem oil on the affected area, wait for 20 minutes, and wash it off with water. You can also add a few oil drops to your bathtub for its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties to rid your body of germs.
Always perform a patch test and watch for signs of irritation, like redness, inflamed skin, or rashes. In case these occur, discontinue using neem, and if you want to retry, consult your healthcare provider and make sure to dilute it even more.
Unlike neem powder and leaves, never ingest neem oil due to high toxicity levels that can be dangerous when consumed.
5. Neem juice
Neem juice has long been used in traditional Indian medicine. In ancient times, Indian women would boil neem leaves in water to keep skin youthful, hygienic, and supple.
Preparing neem juice is simple, and there are two ways to make it: by using fresh leaves or dried neem powder. Ensure to thoroughly rinse one cup of neem leaves with water before combining it with one cup of water in a blender. Next, strain the mixture with a muslin cloth.
A quicker way to achieve similar results is by merely adding one tablespoon of neem powder to one cup of water. In both cases, consume the neem juice right away to get the most out of it and prevent discoloration.
You can even gargle neem juice for a healthy oral environment, but for guided instructions, take a look at how to use neem for teeth.
When it comes to consuming neem juice, you may need to consult a physician, especially if you have underlying health conditions like liver ailments. Even children, older adults, and pregnant or breastfeeding women must avoid taking neem without consulting a doctor first. This is due to a lack of sufficient evidence supporting the use of neem juice in such cases.
My Experience Using Neem Paste
In the summer of 2021, I developed a skin condition called folliculitis due to a particular medication. I had uncontrollably itchy rashes with raised bumps that gradually spread to my forehead, neck, chest, upper arms, and parts of my back. It was horrific, and even after a month, it showed no signs of improving.
A quick Google search revealed that it was time to visit the dermatologist. I showed her my rashes and explained my medical history and condition, prompting her to swiftly scribble down a prescription with ointments and oral medications. She told me to meet her again in two months and that the total treatment time would take, to my disbelief, nine whole months.
It was bad enough that I was already on medication for another health condition, and now I had a pile of new pills to pop…for nine months!
That’s when I sought help from my grandma, who suggested I apply neem paste to the affected area. And boy, did it work, with noticeable results in just 3 to 4 applications. Things were looking up as I slathered the paste every third day, letting it rest for 15 minutes before washing it off. I would use a pack made of chickpea flour, turmeric, and curd on other days.
In under two months, my skin was back to its full glory! The icing on the cake was that even the post-folliculitis scars had cleared up thanks to neem’s omega fatty acids and vitamin E.
But what worked for me may not work for everyone, and dosages and frequency of application will likely vary. Ensure you check with your healthcare provider before experimenting with neem and start with patch tests rather than going all in.