Neem oil?

[IsabelS]

I've been reading about neem oil properties lately and it seems to be a good option for several skin ailments and hair as well, but I wonder about the smell... I searched the forums to check if anyone was using it, but most people only mentioned neem leaves. Have you ever used neem oil on your hair or skin? What was the smell like? Did you manage to disguise it with EOs? Did it take a long time to fade?

Thanks!

[ChloeDharma]

I brought some for my ex once......the smell made me gag and even with my "i'll do anything if it makes my hair nice" attitude i couldn't bring myself to try it. I can't imagine any EO's masking the smell.

It's great stuff, if you can use it then go for it.....i doubt i could, unless i had a fungal infection and it was my last chance.

[mira-chan]

Yea the smell would only combine into a monster horror if you add EO's. Neem oil is something to be used in small amounts (couple of drops in shampoo or oil mix) and not soemthing you leave in while going in public. For hair it would be a good pre-wash oiling, 2 or so hours before is enough. Unless washed out the smell with last at least half a day, likely longer.

[Isilme]

it's amazing for acne, but the smell isn't worth it. I once used it before class, then someone asked, what's that smell...? If you aren't willing to put up with that awful burnt smell, don't use it, smells like some stir fry gone wrong.

[Gilly]

If you can use it when you are going to be alone and not in public then go for it as its pretty amazing stuff for spots, itchies etc.
The stink though is as bad as you could possibly imagine and then some!
I could not wait to try it out when I got it and slapped it on a nasty rash I had on my neck and I could not wait to get home! I was getting so many weird looks!
The rash had gone the next day!!!

[girlcat36]

It smells like dirty garlic. I use it sparingly in my scalp massage mixture. I have a huge of bottle of it, wonder how long it'll take use up? :rolleyes:

[Tuonela]

I use it for my spots.. I regret to report that it works great. :(

I'll summarize the scent as "rancid, overspiced, bad quality taco salad".

[Lexie]

Smells to me like peanuts gone bad, if that's possible... I used it on my rottie's tail when she got a fungal infection. Bad docking which I had nothing to do with. The vet wanted me to administer cortisone (hormones) to this not even 6 month old pup and I said no way. So I mixed up henna, cassia, ACV, neem oil, and tea tree EO. Put it on her butt twice a day and within 6 days, it was all cleared up. Also gave her ACV and garlic internally. It says nothing for the smell that she wanted to eat it off her butt. She'd eat anything she could get into her mouth.

If I had a fungal issue myself, I would certainly use it...and not go into public while I'm doing so. My guy has a problem with his feet right now that may be fungal. Specialists don't seem to know what it is. I'm going to mix some neem with coconut oil and let him apply it twice a day. If it is fungal, I fully expect it to work for him. Neem is some good stuff.

[wonderlywroughte]

Smells to me like burnt tires and garlic. :o I had used some before on my scalp to try and get rid of dandruff, but I couldn't stomach the smell enough to use it on a regular basis. Even when I washed it out, I could STILL swear I smelled it in my hair.

Then I tried to use it on my face, mixed in with OCM oils...that went a LITTLE better. For some reason, having it right on my face made it harder for me to smell it. I don't know why. But still, I would get whiffs of it randomly, even after washing it off. I wish it didn't smell so bad! I would probably be using it all the time!

[IsabelS]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm willing to try some now, it's too bad about the smell, but the reports are so good that it's a worth a try.

[longhairedfairy]

Smells to me like peanuts gone bad, if that's possible... I used it on my rottie's tail when she got a fungal infection. Bad docking which I had nothing to do with. The vet wanted me to administer cortisone (hormones) to this not even 6 month old pup and I said no way. So I mixed up henna, cassia, ACV, neem oil, and tea tree EO. Put it on her butt twice a day and within 6 days, it was all cleared up. Also gave her ACV and garlic internally. It says nothing for the smell that she wanted to eat it off her butt. She'd eat anything she could get into her mouth.

If I had a fungal issue myself, I would certainly use it...and not go into public while I'm doing so. My guy has a problem with his feet right now that may be fungal. Specialists don't seem to know what it is. I'm going to mix some neem with coconut oil and let him apply it twice a day. If it is fungal, I fully expect it to work for him. Neem is some good stuff.


That's great that it cleared up so quickly:)
BTW, I've read that garlic (and all allium) is poisonous for dogs. :blossom:

[Lexie]

I've heard both good and bad about garlic for dogs, so I really don't know which to believe right now.

[Anlbe]

dr hauschka make a specific neem hair oil mixture which I don't think smells bad (not actually seen it) and a neem oil hair lotion as well which I found smelt quite nice.

[Delilah]

Tea tree oil has compatible properties to neem and the smell of it cuts/overpowers the neem quite well. As long as you're not sensitive to tea tree, it is useful in any situation in which neem would be. Try a mix if straight neem is too much for you.

[IsabelS]

Tea tree oil has compatible properties to neem and the smell of it cuts/overpowers the neem quite well. As long as you're not sensitive to tea tree, it is useful in any situation in which neem would be. Try a mix if straight neem is too much for you.

Thanks for the tip. I already ordered some of each to try. I'll let you know how it goes.

[Isilme]

let me add that TTO isn't good for cats and dogs either. Just to let you know. And TTO smells wonderful compared to neem.

[tiny_teesha]

Maybe fungus has a sensitive nose, that is why it is so good against fungus ;)

Just use the leaves? I wash my hair with neem, it doesn't strip oils, it is not terribly drying.
But i do need a really good coniditioner!

yes tea tree isn't good for pets. Also garlic is ok if it is in low quantities, too much WILL make the pets sick!!! it is very potent! It is enough to stop fleas from hopping on your dog!

[birdiefu]

I add a teeny bit of neem to my scalp oil. The EOs and monoi seem to cover it up, as I don't detect it's smell. And neem *stinks*!! As for safety, keep all EOs away from animals- especially cats.

With the garlic thing- there is a potential for it to cause hemolytic anemia (technically heinz-body anemia) in dogs (and moreso in cats, but I don't know a cat that would eat garlic). But it would take quite a bit for a dog, depending on it's weight. Onions are more likely to cause the anemia as they contain more of the same substance (N-propyl disulphide), but again in a dog a bit of a ring would mostly be fine, but don't let them chomp whole onions.

[lora410]

The smell is atrocious and I found that out the hard way (once I bought it) I almost gagged. It smelled like poop mixed with something else equally as nasty. I mixed it once with sweet success hair oil and some other things until the nasty smell was gone and used it on the scalp. thats the last time I touched it.:lol:

[naturechild]

I am currently putting cutchie cream on my head but I wouldnt touch Neem oil ever again. The small made me so sick I couldnt get it out of my noise for days and now every time I smell it I gag.

[IsabelS]

Thanks for all the replies!

My neem oil arrived today, I was expecting the smell to be worse, as in open the bottle and stink up the whole room, gladly it didn't! For me it smells like burnt onions mixed with rubber or something like that. I'm not quite sure yet, but the smell seemed to get worse when I tried to wash some off my hand, let's hope I'm wrong about that. I diluted some with other oils I ordered (jojoba, macadamia, borage) and applied it to a pimple on my face, it seems to be getting rid of it!:D

And btw, if anyone has trouble with eczema try jojoba oil, it's the best I've tried.