Garden of Wisdom • Neem Oil • Skincare - Face

Where To Buy?

sassepiano on 6/29/2012 6:42:00 PM more reviews by sassepiano

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I got the .5 oz size of Neem Oil from the Eczema Skin Sampler because of my Perioral Dermatitis (PD) patches that I have been getting in the past year or so. I went to a derm about this issue and he gave me Solodyn which did not help. I used to use jojoba oil as a moisturizer and found that it does not help on my PD patches either. In the past couple months, I've tried many things. First, I heard that the California Baby Calendula Cream worked, which did not. Calendula helped with the itching but did not help with reducing the redness in the PD patches. It's been one week since I've used the neem oil on the PD patches and so far so good.

Most people find the smell offensive. I admit, it does smell like burnt peanuts and onions. However, it's not terrible, you get used to it after a a few days. It smells earthy, but it's way better than durian or a moldy gym sock. My PD patches are close to my nose, so I'll definitely smell it. This stuff works so good on my PD patches that I really don't mind the smell. I can't comment on neem oil as far as acne fighting powers, but I can say that this does not break me out. A little goes a long ways (3-4 drops is probably plenty to cover the whole face: it's potent). I think my .5 oz bottle is going to last me until it expires.

The packaging sucks, but get a little amber glass drop bottle and that problem is solved!

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Dimplesgalore on 4/24/2012 7:45:00 PM more reviews by Dimplesgalore

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Holy hell this stuff stinks!!!!! I read the reviews and saw the comments about the smell and thought, I like garlic and I like peanuts. And to be honest the smell of burning rubber doesn't bother me all that much, so I figured for the benefits I could stand the smell. Boy, oh boy, was I wrong!!

At first when I opened the bottle I thought, okay so not great but lets see what it can do before I give up entirely. So I mixed a drop of neem with a few drops of some other oils (hoping to lessen the smell) and applied the mixture to some acne and irritated spots. That lasted about 45 seconds.

In hindsight it probably wasn't the best idea to apply the mixture to my chin, since it's below my nose. I wiped it off and then washed it off to get rid of the smell. Maybe I could stand it if I liked Indian food? Oh well. I guess I can use it as a bug replant or fungicide on things other than myself.

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lalalea on 4/23/2012 2:21:00 PM more reviews by lalalea

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

My original intent was to use this oil mixed in with my sunflower oil/manuka tea tree oil OCM. I was very happy with the sunflower/manuka combination because it was the only OCM combo I had found that didn't clog my pores. However, I wanted more antibacterial power and was afraid adding more tea tree would dry out my skin—enter neem oil.

Yes, the smell was bad, but since I was wiping it off of my face anyway it didn't matter. I was thrilled at how amazingly antibacterial neem oil is without being drying at all! It seriously kicks manuka oil's ass. On top of eliminating all redness/inflammation on my face, it totally destroyed this small wart I've had on my jawline for 6 months. I had tried treating that wart with a ton of different topicals with no result, but after 2 weeks of rubbing diluted neem oil on it was almost completely gone!

Unfortunately, after 1.5 weeks I noticed the familiar skin colored bumps, and then eventually blackheads and whiteheads all over my face. The clog situation wasn't as bad as with many other oils I have used (jojoba, olive, grapeseed, tamanu, etc.), but it was definitely noticeable so I decided to stop using it :-( I will save it for use on rashes and other skin conditions that might pop up on my body.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* tealeafdoll on 2/22/2012 8:22:00 AM more reviews by tealeafdoll

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I had been using BP for 5+ years with diminishing results and was then prescribed Differin gel which nearly destroyed my skin. I started using Neem oil as I had read it was beneficial to both sensitive, irritated skin as well as acne.
I use it at night, blending with some aloe vera gel to make it a little easier to spread and I can safely say that it has made a huge positive difference to my skin. My pores have shrunk, no more whiteheads or cysts and the blemishes I do get heal very quickly. Yes, it doesn't smell great but for these results I feel it is worth putting up with.

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sunkissedbeach on 5/9/2011 4:48:00 AM more reviews by sunkissedbeach

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Has not broken me out! I have combination skin (very very very acne prone, but I also suffer from eczema and dry patches), and it's difficult to find a moisturizer that doesn't clog my pores. Most oils give me little bumps. This one hasn't....yet.

I normally use MUAC 15% BHA peel as a toner (I dilude it with water or an alcohol free toner) about 3x per week.
But I put the Neem oil on my skin right after I've washed my face, while it's still wet, so no toner in between. I think it locks the moisture in better this way.
It's not moisturizing enough on it's own, so I apply whatever moisturizer I'm using over this, and then Skin Ceuticals B5 gel.

Of course, you cannot possibly leave the house with Neem oil on your face. Even after it sinks in the smell (burned peanuts, garlic, onions etc....) is still everywhere. Also, the taste is horrible, I accidentally got it in my mouth a few times. It's disgustingly bitter. And it stings a lot when you get it in your eyes. So be careful :p

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Judith on 9/10/2010 7:59:00 AM more reviews by Judith

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Best allround product for my face and I have tried many products (Retin-A 0.05%, Diacneal, Eluage cream, MUAC Glycolic Peel highest strength, MUAC Lactic Acid Peel, highest strength, MUAC Radiance Peel, Rose Hip Seed oil, Red Raspberry Seed oil, Mama Lotion, DMAE serum, MUAC Glyluronic serum, MUAC Bleaching gel, Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle pads, Skinmedica Vitamin C, Aspirin Mask, Apple Vingar Cider, Jojoba oil, HA serums etc).

Normally I don't like to put oil on my face because it cloggs my pores (Rose Hip Seed Oil) or dries out my skin (Jojoba and Emu Oil).

This oil is the only one that hasn't caused negative effects on my face. Results right after the first application. My skin got red and warm but that is normal if you use it straight without dilution.
It sooths and moisturizes my sensitive, dryish, acne/cystic-prone skin like nothing else! It refines pores and fine lines and is very calming.
A multipurpose product! Google "neem oil" and you will find all the benefits of it.

I use it every night with a hydrosol (rose or orange) and apply it after treatments or just alone. After 5 weeks of use no cloggs, no breakouts.just fresh smooth skin.

Only negative is that the oil stinks. My husband hates the smell. Normally I would have take a lippie off because of the horrible smell but this stuff works so good that it deserves a 5-lippie rating.

Edit: I don't use it anymore because of the awfull smell but I am still convinced that it can work "miracles" on your skin..

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*TOP REVIEWER* AmyDbaby on 5/30/2010 11:09:00 PM more reviews by AmyDbaby

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

What a strange product! I don't actually mind the smell but it is kinda bad, huh? What is that??? I don't know but this is good stuff! I had had to resort to BP again due to a renewed battle with acne and while I was having very good luck with acne.org's line including the BP lotion I really didn't want to continue using BP for the long term so I decided to give this a try after reading the great reviews. I was a nervous wreck switching over to this and expected all hell to break loose on my face but it worked like a charm. I mean, darn it if this isn't some good stuff! I use it pretty much nightly and it just works. My skin is soft and no acne. Yeah, the smell is kinda yuck but I am a convert. ( I am also currently single and have no one to complain about the stench at this point either so I'll update this review once a new bf has some input. I'm pretty sure that no man will come between me and my neem oil though,lol.)

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jetfan on 5/23/2010 4:50:00 PM more reviews by jetfan

Age: 44-55   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I can't be without this "burnt onions on your face" smelling oil. It literally "fixes" my skin. It's soothing, healing, and moisturizing. I use it every night, sometimes alone, sometimes mixed with moisturizer or other oils. If I use a new product that I get a reaction from, clogged pores or a breakout, the Neem gets rid of whatever the issue is faster than anything I've ever used. It's a keeper! But again, as the other reviewers have said, the smell is downright nasty. Oh well, the "smell" of beauty!! :)

12 out of 14 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

SelenaLuna on 4/12/2010 11:21:00 AM more reviews by SelenaLuna

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Despite the stench, I'm giving this 5 stars because it just WORKS. It soothes my sensitive skin when it's getting troublesome, clears it of any blemishes and makes it soft and glowy. I am so happy that someone alerted me to the Garden of Wisdom website and the Neem oil. (They actually have several lovely oils, but for troubled skin, Neem, Jojoba and Emu oils are awesome). I've rated the packaging a 5, also. It's not fancy... in fact, it's very much "no frills" packaging and that is exactly why I like it. GoW products are always sealed well and very functional. You pay for the product, not the packaging, and the prices are very reasonable. That's a big deal for me.

The downside: I wouldn't be caught dead leaving the house with it on my face, because of the smell. So that means, I'm forced to use it at nighttime only, OR if I have a day off and I know I won't be heading out. (You know, those days where you take a long bath, then slather some deep conditioner on your hair and wear a shower cap all day... those usually end up being waxing/manicure/pedicure days for me, too)

Fortunately, there are a LOT of really great oils at GoW, so I can save the Neem for evenings and emergency use. It's probably best to buy just a small amount to start with. If you can tolerate the smell, your skin will thank you : )

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* live4rn on 4/5/2010 4:45:00 PM more reviews by live4rn

Age: 30-35   Skin: Other, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

It is too bad this didn't work out for me. For the time I used it (every other day for about a week), it seemed to make my hair really shiny. I got it for that purpose and to help with thinning hair above my forehead (not super noticeable but it bothers me). Anyway, as the reviewer below, I also added an essential oil (sweet orange) but it couldn't help the odor. It smells like really strong garlic and burnt peanuts to me. And even after shampooing my hair twice, I couldn't get the smell to go away!

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*TOP REVIEWER* hwnpunch on 2/9/2010 7:33:00 AM more reviews by hwnpunch

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I bought a small bottle of Neem oil to use in a light AVG based moisturizer I make myself for it's great antibacterial/skin soothing properties. I don't doubt that the Neem I received was good quality and my skin reacted well to it but there is just no way I can get past the smell of that stuff. Even after adding spearmint essential oil to mask the stench after everything else faded I would smell Neem oil and the stuff just makes me want to gag. It reminds me of bouillon cubes and burnt plastic. I'll give it 3 lippies for being an overall good product for sensitive or acne prone skin but I won't be trying it out again.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

drdruggirl on 12/15/2009 10:56:00 PM more reviews by drdruggirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have supersensentive skin and am allergic to too many things. Sometimes my eyelids puff up and get dry and flake off. Neem oil is the only product which brings down the swelling and soothes the excessive dryness. I also love neem oil for acne. I have used differin and retinA. Neem is superior and gives you a glow. There is one MAJOR PROBLEM it stinks to high heaven. Seriously, it is gag worthy if it is used alone.(kinda like burnt rubber) I use a half a drop in good smelling moisturizer at night and you do not smell it.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* nsarova on 10/30/2008 9:46:00 AM more reviews by nsarova

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This is amazing at what it does for hydration and acne even though the smell of garlic and peanuts is a bit unique. My SO said the smell was a great form of birth control, ah well he knows where he can find the door. Anyway I usually use Dan Kern's gentle BP for acne control which it sometimes does work, but now I can lay off the BP for a few days and just slather on Neem oil and it works better without drying my face out. I also love how great my skin looks, pores look tighter and I have a clear face for once! This works better for me than any differin or retin-a crud, that stuff tortured my face. Neem oil is gentle, never drying, its not like a tea tree oil at all, and it hydrates while also healing acne. I usually use a few drops for each side of my face and this oil doesn't really sink in too well so I spray my face with a hydrosol to help it sink in a bit. I also like using the rosacea serum first then applying the neem oil, it seems to have a double dose of acne ass kicking power. I paid $2.10 for an ounce, which is a really great deal although GOW does have bigger sizes as well. I also love using this as a cleanser mixed with tea tree and jojoba oil. This is a great OCM, cleans like nothing else although don't get it near your eyes. You can find the neem oil on GOW's website under carrier/exotic oils.

15 out of 15 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No