It’s often said, over and over again, that the best skincare ingredients can be found in your kitchen. From actresses to influencers, ask anyone about their favorite skin-pampering ingredient and they’d quote something sitting in your pantry right now. A common one among them being a soothing, clearing homemade neem face pack.
Also known as Indian lilac, neem holds a top spot in many Ayurvedic medicines. All the parts of the plant – leaves, bark, flowers, fruit – have their own uses. The herb has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and anti-aging properties. That’s why it’s considered to be a magic bullet for health and beauty purposes. We drink it to detoxify, mix in our masks to tackle skin issues, and put it in our clothes to prevent infestation.
Diving deeper into the world of neem’s application on facial skin, we have listed 10 homemade neem face packs to tackle all your skin issues. Just mix it in with the right ingredient, and get rid of the pesky acne, stubborn scars, and dull skin. FYI, even though it’s rare for anyone to be anti-neem, as with everything it’s best to do a patch test to check for any side-effects or allergic reactions.
How to make a homemade neem face pack using leaves?
There are two ways to make a DIY neem face pack. First, you can either crush the leaves in a pestle and mortar with just a bit of water or you can make neem powder at home. Just dry the leaves in the sun and blend them in a mixer. If you need it to be fine, sieve it using a cloth. Alternatively, purchase a good brand neem powder from your local kirana store or online.
Neem & Tulsi Face Pack For Active Acne:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp dried neem powder or 8-10 neem leaves
- 1 tbsp tulsi powder or 10-12 tulsi leaves
Application:
- Emulsify the powder using water or honey. If you’re using leaves, crush them in a pestle and mortar using water and then you can add honey.
- Apply the paste evenly all over your face, including the under eyes. Neem leaves are excellent for dark circles.
- Let it dry for around 15 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water.
Benefits:
Neem has 140 active compounds, which all work in their own way to combat acne, its source, and the scars it leaves behind. You can even use a neem paste daily for a week to see noticeable results. Tulsi, on the other hand, has antibacterial and therapeutic properties that control breakouts, unclogs pores, and deeply cleanses the skin.
Neem & Papaya Face Mask For Glowing Skin:
What You Need:
- 5-10 Neem Leaves
- ½ Cup Mashed Papaya
Application:
- Crush and make a paste of mashed papaya and neem leaves. You can also blend it.
- Apply it all over your face for half an hour. Massage it on a bit before washing it off with warm water.
Benefits:
Papaya fruit acts as a mild exfoliator. It sloughs off dead skin cells, hydrates the skin, boosts collagen productions, and leaves it supple and radiant. Thanks to its rich content of Vitamin A, C, lycopene, and water. When mixed with neem, they work together to tackle dull, lifeless skin and make it radiate over time naturally.
Neem & Curd Face Mask For Dry, Flaky Skin:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp Neem Powder
- 1 tsp Curd (add malai for extra-dry skin, milk for oily skin, and rose water for sensitive skin)
Application:
- Mix in the two ingredients to form a thick paste. Make sure it’s not runny or the mask will keep dripping off your face.
- Let this relaxing homemade neem face pack sit on your face for 15 minutes. Wash it off with warm water.
Benefits:
Neem herb has regenerative properties that boost collagen and makes your skin supple. And curd has natural moisturizing properties that treat dry and itchy skin. This kitchen staple is one of the best ingredients to soothe and cure flaky skin.
Also See: 5 Homemade Face Masks All Brides-To-Be Must Use Before Their Wedding
Neem & Aloe Vera Face Mask For Pigmented Skin:
What You Need:
- 2 tbsp Neem Powder
- 1 tbsp Aloe Vera Gel
Application:
- Mix the neem powder with aloe vera gel so it’s properly diluted.
- Spread it evenly on your face. Leave on for half an hour before rinsing.
Benefits:
Neem not only cures pimples but can also help with fading scars and pigmentation caused by acne. Further, aloe vera gel contains aloesin, a compound that, according to a 2012 study, aggregates melanin production and helps with skin whitening. The succulent also hydrates the skin, which you need more of when you have acne or acne scars.
Neem & Honey Face Mask For Dark Spots:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp Neem Powder or Neem Leaves
- 2 tbsp Honey
Application:
- Mix neem powder with honey or crush the neem leaves with honey.
- Apply it on your face and let it stay for about 20-30 minutes. Wash off with warm water.
Benefits:
Neem has been used to heal wounds and burns for ages. The herb has a natural disposition to heal scars and stimulate collagen formation. Moreover, honey has mild-lightening properties as it contains trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide. It boosts the body’s healing process and lightens the scars faster.
Neem & Multani Mitti Face Mask For Acne-Prone Skin:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp Neem Powder
- 1 tbsp Multani Mitti
- Rosewater & Honey For Dilution
Application:
- Mix all the ingredients together. If you’re using neem leaves, crush them with rosewater. Now add multani mitti and honey. Honey is a great addition to any clay mask as it balances it’s drying properties.
- Apply an even thick layer of the mask on the skin and let it dry. Rinse the mask off with warm water.
Benefits:
Neem’s antifungal and antibacterial characteristics help fight pimples and lighten pigmentation scars. Multani mitti cleans the pores, and hence cures and prevents pimples. The clay also has a mild bleaching effect and can help with lightening dark spots to give you an even skin tone.
Further Read:5 DIY Homemade Masks To Get Rid Of Back Acne & Its Scars!
Neem-infused DIY Toner For Skin Cleansing :
What You Need:
- Handful Of Neem Leaves
- Saucepan
Application:
- Boil the neem leaves in water. Let it simmer till the water turns completely green.
- Let it cool and just apply it all over your face. To maximize the benefits, add aloe vera gel into it too.
Benefits:
Neem acts as a herbal treatment on the skin. It clears your skin of excess oil and dirt. The toner also balances sebum production, so produce less if you have oily skin and more if you have dry skin. Being antibacterial it also blocks environmental pollutants from entering your skin.
Neem, Gram Flour, and Rosewater For Acne Scars:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp Neem Powder
- 1 tbsp Gram Flour (Get it here)
- 2 tbsp Rosewater
Application:
- Mix all the ingredients together. If you’re using neem leaves, crush it in a mortar and pestle with rosewater. Then add gram flour.
- Apply on your face till the mask becomes semi-dry. Scrub lightly while washing off the mask.
Benefits:
Neem has powerful antibacterial properties that kill acne-causing bacteria and staves off further pimple growth on the face. Gram flour is rich in zinc, a known mineral that fights acne infections. It also deeply cleanses the skin, opens pores, and disposes of pimples from the roots. Lastly, rose water in the pack has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe inflamed acne and calms down the skin.
Neem and Cucumber Face Mask For Skin Hydration:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp neem powder or 7-8 neem leaves
- 2 tbsp mashed cucumber
Application:
- Mix both the ingredients together to make a smooth paste.
- Apply a thick layer of the mask all over your face and neck.
- Let it sit for around 20 minutes and wash off with cold water.
Benefits:
Neem leaves have regenerative properties that make your skin supple. While cucumber is 96% water and is amazing to lend hydration to dull, lifeless skin. It’s also rich in silica and antioxidants, which calms inflammation on the facial skin and reduces blemishes. So, you can easily use this mask on your under-eye skin as well. It will help to reduce dark circles, puffiness and hydrate the thin under-eye skin.
Neem and Kasturi Manjal For Skin Brightening & Tightening:
What You Need:
- 1 tbsp neem powder or a few neem leaves
- 1 tsp Kasturi Manjal (Buy here)
Application:
- Mix both the ingredients together and add some water to reach the desired consistency. You can also add honey for dilution.
- Apply it evenly on the face and neck. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Wash off with lukewarm water and moisturize while the skin is still wet.
Benefits:
A 2017 study proved neem’s topical application can treat symptoms of skin aging like water loss and wrinkles. No wonder you feel an immediate tightening effect on your skin after washing a homemade neem face pack. Kasturi manjal or wild turmeric, on the other hand, is deemed as a glow enhancing herb in Ayurveda. Its brightening compound imparts a beautiful radiance to your skin when used regularly.
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