Neem Oil

Neem Oil Benefits

Neem oil (also known as margosa oil or Indian lilac) comes from the neem tree (Azadirachta indica), an indigenous tree in India. This oil is highly nutritious and loaded with beneficial antioxidant compounds like carotenoids, linoleic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and vitamin C, all of which help protect the body’s cells and tissues from oxidative damage. 

This oil has over 2000 years of use in Ayurvedic medicine to treat conditions affecting the reproductive system, GI tract, respiratory system, and circulatory system. Ancient Ayurvedic texts describe neem oil as "Sarva Roga Nivarini," meaning "universal healer" or "curer of all ailments and ills."

Neem oil is not an essential oil but a carrier oil because it is pressed from the tree's fatty portions (seeds, nuts, and kernels). Essential oils, on the other hand, are distilled from the leaves, bark, roots, and other aromatic portions of a botanical. This oil is yellow to brown in colour and has a bitter taste and a garlicky, sulphur-like aroma. 

Benefits of Neem Essential Oil 

• Boosts Immune Function
• Natural Insecticide/Pesticide
• Promotes Skin Health
• Robust Antioxidant
• Skincare Essential
  
  

Therapeutic Properties of Neem Essential Oil

Neem oil is fantastic in skincare and can be used as a face oil or in spot treatments for acne, hyperpigmentation, and stubborn dandruff; to heal burns and abrasions, moisturize the skin, repair skin and hair as a result of environmental damage, treat fungal infections; and to get rid of head lice. It’s also often recommended to boost and support immunity—particularly about the skin, nails, hair, and scalp. This oil is also frequently added to natural products such as toothpaste, cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, and many other cosmetic applications.

Using Essential Oils

This oil is available in health food stores and at your favourite online supplement retailer. Look for an oil that is yellow and slightly cloudy for optimal quality, and make sure it is 100% certified organic and free from additives. 

For skincare applications, this oil should be diluted in another carrier oil before applying it to the skin. If you want to use neem as a pesticide or insecticide, it’s generally recommended to mix the oil at the rate of one ounce per gallon of water. The solution can then be safely sprayed onto plant surfaces to ward off insects and other pests.