Neem oil

[sumptuousness]

Hello, does anyone have any experience with or advice on the use of neem oil?

I acquired some today, with the plan of mixing it with coconut oil and lavender, tea tree and rosemary essential oils for use on my scalp.

It is very strong smelling, and without the other essential oils would have the potential to be quite nauseating, so I am definitely planning on a high ratio of EO's to neem.

My questions are:
have you ever used/known of anyone who has used neem oil for the hair or scalp? and if so:
what was the formulation and method of application?
what was the result?
is it good for hair as well as skin/scalp or best kept to skin alone?
and finally: what measures if any were taken to cope with the fragrance?

Many thanks in advance :)

[ktani]

Here is some info on neem oil
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=393890&postcount=61

[sumptuousness]

Thank you Ktani :)

Hopefully if it is well diluted and not ingested I will avoid some of the scarier quoted effects! I think the biggest peril in my planned concoction will most likely be the odour :tbear:

[ktani]

Thank you Ktani :)

Hopefully if it is well diluted and not ingested I will avoid some of the scarier quoted effects! I think the biggest peril in my planned concoction will most likely be the odour :tbear:

You are most welcome. Topically there seems to be no problems with extracts but I would not use the oil undiluted on broken skin in any large amounts or if you have an allergy to asprin.

[ChloeDharma]

I've used it neat on my dad for helping cuts to heal, and would for a severe infection, but because of the smell generally it's diluted to 10% of a blend with another carrier oil.
It's strong stuff so should still be effective at that dilution

[sumptuousness]

Yeah, the neem oil I got from Neal's Yard says to dilute it to 5% in a carrier oil, and I think I may start with it even more diluted than that in order to break myself in gently to the aroma... :lol:

I have also put a few drops into my shampoo, along with lavender, rosemary and tea tree oil, so hopefully it will do all manner of good things for my scalp & hair. Fingers crossed!

[Nocturnal]

Please let us know how it went.
Is it easy to wash out? No lingering smell?
How many applications does it take to see improvement?

[sumptuousness]

Hi Nocturnal :)

Well, I used a mix of neem, lavender, rosemary and tea tree oil (a few drops of each, say 4 or 5) in about 4 teaspoon's worth of coconut oil, with a dash of jojoba thrown in for luck (yes, very scientific I know :laugh:), and applied this to my scalp, massaging it in, about an hour before washing.

I then washed it out with a brand new shampoo which makes this not very much of a control test I must admit. But I had decided that my previous shampoo, which was a veritable cornucopia of chemicals, was not what I wanted to be using any more and so used a fragrance-free, four-ingredient bottle of shampoo from Neal's Yard (of which I can give details/ingredients if anyone is interested).

I should add that I added neem, lavender, tea tree and rosemary oils (again a few drops of each) to my shampoo (to the whole bootle, then shook vigorously).

So, I washed the oil out with diluted shampoo (very diluted so washed twice to be sure it was out), then used my normal conditioner, and am very pleased with the results. I noticed that my hair was alot more slippy than usual, my scalp felt very happy indeed and there was not just a shine but dare I say *gleam* to my hair once it was dry. (Hurrah!)

There was a faint afterwhiff of neem but that disappeared within a few hours (either that or I got used to it!). The only other downside is that I have noticed some spots (blemishes) in my hairline behind my ears, probably from the oil, so I will have to keep an eye on that.

So I am planning to continue with the same routine and see what happens over time, as I know that hair can get excited about anything the first few times, but at least if it doesn't yield miraculous results, it will still be quite natural and healthy, and so I'm quite happy in that respect.

Oh, I wanted to add also that one of the reasons I decided to use neem oil is for its antifungal properties. I was thinking, after reading alot of the monostat thread, that I wanted to give a natural antifungal a go and see if it could potentially have some similar effects in terms of hair growth... Especially as my hair seems to grow a bit slower than average.

Sorry for the huuuuge reply, just wanted to make sure I covered everything :o. If anyone has any suggestions, especially regarding oil on scalp and a spotty hairline, I would be very appreciative. And feel free to ask any questions if I have managed to leave anything out :laugh:

[frangipani]

Hi neem users. I saw this stuff at the health food store today, but the shop assistant didn't seem to know anything about it , she said it was moisturising . Is it ? From what i could find on the net it seems to be more a medicinal type of oil.
Also, what is neem oil supposed to look like ? There was some cloudy looking sediment in the bottom of the amber jar, is that normal?

[sumptuousness]

Hi Frangipani,

I do use neem oil on my hair and scalp but am not an expert at all! From what I can gather, it has antifungal and insect-repelling properties, and is highly esteemed in ayurveda for the treatment of various skin and scalp conditions.

My bottle of neem oil has separated a bit - I actually took it back to the shop once I'd opened it to check that it was okay as it had mini solidified ball-shaped bits suspended all the way through but they said it was just due to the cold weather.

One recommendation I would definitely make is to smell before purchasing as it has a truly pungent aroma that has definite potential to repel more then just insects, lol.

Good luck :)

[Centelleo]

There was a faint afterwhiff of neem but that disappeared within a few hours (either that or I got used to it!). The only other downside is that I have noticed some spots (blemishes) in my hairline behind my ears, probably from the oil, so I will have to keep an eye on that.

Neem oil is supposed to beneficial towards acne so any blemishes that are occuring may be from the other carrier oils used in your formulation. It's actually helped with the acne on my face but I can't stand the smell that lingers...

I'm really interested in Dr. Hauschka's Neem oil and lotion for hair as it smells much more pleasant than pure neem. The lotion formulation looks light enough to experiment for day wear.


Also, what is neem oil supposed to look like ? There was some cloudy looking sediment in the bottom of the amber jar, is that normal?

It can solidify at colder temperatures and that's how mine looks right now. If you want, you can warm it up gently by placing the bottle in hot water until it's returned to its natural state.

[indigonight]

When my so is away I use neem oil over night as a deep oil treatment. The next day I wash with soap nuts condition and my hair is shiny and gorgeous. The only reason this is occasional is yep that nasty smell. I tried the dr hauschka but it is not nearly as good as the real thing.

[frangipani]

Thanks for the information, it's fairly cheap so i think i might give it a whirl :)

[Centelleo]

When my so is away I use neem oil over night as a deep oil treatment. The next day I wash with soap nuts condition and my hair is shiny and gorgeous. The only reason this is occasional is yep that nasty smell. I tried the dr hauschka but it is not nearly as good as the real thing.
Bummer about the Dr. Hauschka! It looked so promising.

You're so brave to leave it on overnight. That smell would be so distracting; I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep!

[Lanalavallama]

So... I tried neem oil, diluted in a carrier oil. No problems other than the smell.
However, the second time I used it, I used it undiluted and kept it on overnight.

I am now so swollen.....I have a face on my face.
Taking allergy meds and feeling very sorry for myself.
I am not prone to allergies; this is the first time in my life I am experiencing something like this.

Please be careful with this, it is potent stuff.

Thought I would put this out there for anyone else who may be interested in neem.

[Glitch]

So... I tried neem oil, diluted in a carrier oil. No problems other than the smell.
However, the second time I used it, I used it undiluted and kept it on overnight.

I am now so swollen.....I have a face on my face.
Taking allergy meds and feeling very sorry for myself.
I am not prone to allergies; this is the first time in my life I am experiencing something like this.

Please be careful with this, it is potent stuff.

Thought I would put this out there for anyone else who may be interested in neem.

Holy :( Thank you for the warning! I myself am sensitive to various products. I didn't know oils could cause these kinds of strong reactions. I hope you recover quickly!

[Lanalavallama]

Thank you! My face is starting to look like me again...always a good thing :tongue:

[Glitch]

Thank you! My face is starting to look like me again...always a good thing :tongue:

Great to hear! I always have this fear of having some major reaction to something before a big event - good idea to try new things in small doses I guess! Thank goodness you're alright :flower:

[lapushka]

OMG, that's horrible! :( Thank goodness you are feeling better already. Thanks for the warning.

I had neem a long long time ago. I wasn't much offended by the smell, but you guys know me, I have a concrete sniffer LOL! Thank God, I didn't react this way to it.

[Obsidian]

That is scary, glad you are recovering. I use neem straight all the time, on my body and my scalp. It's one oil that doesn't seem to bother my SD.

[Lanalavallama]

Thanks so much ladies.
Lesson learnt. I was contemplating finding a use for it, but the doctor told me I most certainly can not use it again.