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Neem oil dilution?

by Abby
(Canada)

I noticed on your website that you do NOT recommend using undiluted neem oil. Why is this?

I was mistaken and purchased neem oil for my gums originally (thanks for setting me straight there!) and now that I will not be doing that, I was looking at what I could use it for. On the bottle it recommends it for skin problems mainly but it says to 'apply liberally'. It mentions nothing about diluting it and it is labeled as Organic Neem Oil-100% pure unrefined neem seed kernel oil. So far I have just tried it on my hands. And yes, it STINKS!

For a body 'lotion' I now use straight organic almond oil. Would I just add some neem oil to help with moisturizing?
Thank you for your great information!
I hope you had a good holiday. :-)

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Neem oil dilution?

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Neem oil dilution
by: Birgit

Hi Abby,

Thank you very much, I did :-).

OK, let's see why I recommend to dilute neem oil.

There are two reasons. One is that the undiluted oil in some people may cause a skin reaction, especially if they already have very sensitive sin, like people with allergies or eczema for example. For most people the undiluted oil will cause no problems at all, but you never know. Better safe than sorry.

The other reason is that you just don't need that much. Neem oil is very powerful and a 1:10 dilution is still strong enough. The stuff is not cheap, so why use more than you need to?

Almond oil is a great body oil and also a great carrier oil if you want to dilute neem oil. Yes, you could add neem oil to your almond oil (but then you'll stink).

You could also add it to shampoo for your hair, massage it into your scalp for a deep treatment, use it on your cuticles for healthy nails, spray it on your pot plants or in your garden, mix it with lamp oil to repel mosquitoes outdoors. It has so many uses, I'm sure you'll find something to do with it.

If you keep the bottle in a dark cool place the neem oil should last at least a year, maybe longer.
What is an example of a light oil that can be used to dilute neem oil.Thank you
by: Anonymous

What is an example of a light oil that can be used to dilute neem oil.Thank you
Neem oil dilution
by: Birgit

Olive, almond...
(I thought almond was mentioned above...)
Straight Neem Oil Reaction
by: Suzanne

Well, I seem to be one of those people who can have a reaction to straight neem. After a friend told me about Neem, I started taking the capsules and was so happy about it, I bought a bottle of the undiluted oil, thinking I'd smear it all over my face to make me beautiful, right?

Undiluted. Rubbed it into my hands and then around my face. I followed that with washing with Neem soap, which I had been using. Within a few hours, my eyes were swollen, like with conjunctivitis. Between the last two fingers of my right hand, there was a rash.

I kept my face cooled off with frequent rinsings of cool water and the swelling and redness left within a day. The fingers have never really quite healed. I went to the doctor twice. First, I got antibiotic, which I could see relieved the internal inflammation. But it wouldn't completely heal. I went back and he gave me prednisone, which helped, and if I'd gone back for a few extra days' worth of that, I'd probably be past it.

But I see the sensitivity remains and I hate to do more prednisone. I've been battling this for four months! I guess I'll have to give in and do it, though I don't like to, but at this point, the inflammation on my hand ebbs and flows and a third of it is involved. And I foolishly put a little makeup on my face the other day... The pain was excruciating!

I've never seen anything but good posted anywhere about Neem oil -- just a caution in passing about diluting it. I'm pretty sure if I'd done that at first, I wouldn't be writing this to you now!

Just felt I should share.
100% organic neem oil?
by: Birgit

Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for chiming in and sorry to hear about your reaction to the oil.

Just a question: Was the oil you bought pure, cold-pressed neem oil? Because there are oils out there that are extracted with solvents and therefore contaminated with solvent residues. And those could themselves cause reactions or aggravate an existing sensitivity to neem oil. Solvents are the very last thing you want on your skin.

Apart from starting to use neem oil carefully, in its diluted form, and obviously not around the eyes, it is also important to make sure you buy a pure, organic product.
Pure and cold-pressed
by: Anonymous

Yes. With just a comment that if you should have a reaction, consult your physician (not your brand).

I went back to the doctor a few days ago. The burns on my hand were second-degree with my face not quite as bad with prednisone until they are completely healed (I stopped taking it too soon last time).

It's been peeling and flaking off and peeling and flaking off again. My face has gone through this about 8-10 cycles. I can use gentle lotions to soothe it including arnica cream, msm cream and Aveeno lotion. I need anti-inflammatory and take arnica internally to deal with the pain.

I'm probably that rare person who's incidentally ultra-sensitive to this. Usually I'm not sensitive to much of anything but this has truly affected my quality of life for several months now.

Thanks for your response.

Suzanne
Thanks
by: Birgit

Thank YOU again for sharing your experience! I do hope that your sensitivity will subside for good, soon.
neem oil/soap/toothpaste and pesticide
by: Anonymous

I have read with great interest the "neem comments" and I thank you all! the reason why I need to dilute "neem" has got nothing to do with skin or brushing my teeth with "neem toothpaste" which is here Malaysia) available! I need "neem" to wash the leaves of my orchids and to deter whatever creepy crawllies intend to set up home in my creeping jasmin. I have travelled extensively in Kenya. In that beautifull country "neem" is used, apart from the above, for malaria prevention. the under priviledged people of Kenya do not have the cash to buy malaria drugs. often the way to the local doctor is too far or the price for a consult too high. "Neem" has been used throughout the centuries. the people of Kenya make an infuus of the leaves by boiling water and throwing the leaves in. once cold they shower with the "neem"water. I'm not claiming that you don't get malaria if you taaake a "neem" shower, only that "neem" is used as a sort of anti-mosquito lotion. I'll be using it to get the creepy crawllies of my jasmin and I thank you all for sharing valuable info on this site. take care and God bless!
Neem uses
by: Suzanne

Well, now I know what to do with that leftover bottle of Neem oil... wash my plants with it. Thanks ;-)
insect spray and use on gums
by: Wynne

Thanks for all this good info. I purchased a 1oz bottle of natural 100% neem oil in a bottle with a dropper. I am used to reading a certain number of drops so I don't know how to translate 5ml neem oil or for that matter I use a measuring cup with ounces as measurement. Again how do I convert onces to ml.?

I would like to massage neem oil diluted with olive oil on my gums to help prevent my gums from pulling away from my capped teeth. Do you recommend this and how many dropper drops per amt of olive oil? Also will once a day do the trick?

Thanks so much,
Wynne
neem oil dilution
by: Birgit

Wynne, the original poster said he MISTAKENLY purchased neem oil for his gums.

Please read the pages on neem and gum disease. Neem bark is the recommended neem product for gum problems, and if not available neem leaf (usually used as extract).

Also see this previous question about the use of neem oil for dental care.

Regarding neem spray dilution rates: 5 ml is a teaspoon, 1 litre is equivalent to a quart (roughly).
Sweet itch on horses
by: julie Edwards

I have just ordered a large bottle of neem oil to use on my horse as insect repellent. He has really suffered with sweet itch this year. My question is; what do I use with the neem oil to make up a good midge repellent? Many thanks in advance for your replies.
DO YOU EXPORT NEEM SOAP?
by: Anonymous

I have a friend here in Taiwan who would wish to import NEEM SOAP to Taiwan.How much is the price for exportation from Kenya?
Please reply to my email address;rogerlupia@yahoo.com

Roger Lupia
Kenyan living in Taiwan

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