FRESH AND COOL NEEM FACE MASK
Neem
This is an especially amazing treat for sufferers of acne and skin blemishes, but can be used by everyone.
What You’ll Need To Do It Yourself:
I opt to grow my own neem in my garden. Hoping she will be a grand tree in no time
Why you’ll love it: Extracts from the seeds and leaves of the neem tree are used in the preparation of cosmetics, toothpastes, soaps, moisturizers and are useful in skin care such, acne treatment and retaining skin elasticity. Pure neem oil is an effective mosquito repellent. Fallen leaves from the fast growing neem trees help to neutralize acidic soils. Although it may be considered a weed in many urban areas of the world, in East Africa the neem tree is known as Muarubaini, a Swahili word directly translated as “the tree of forty” or “the panacea” as it is said to treat 40 different diseases (by either ingestion or application). In a Cushitic dialect of the same region, neem is known as Geed Hindi, which means “the Indian tree” as it was introduced to the region by East Indian settlers in the early 1800’s. In India, neem has been used in ayurveda for over 4000 years.
Neem leaves
Why use it in this recipe: For its awesome rejuvenating and healing qualities. In East Africa a paste from neem leaves is applied on the skin to treat acne, scars, pigmentation, blackheads and soothe the effects of eczema, chicken pox and measles. The results are amazing and that’s why I absolutely could not pass on this ingredient!
What’s the alternative: In this recipe I suggest using fresh muarubaini leaves, just like the traditional herbalists and medicine men of E.Africa. If this is not an option for you, you can substitute the fresh leaves for neem in dried or powdered form (like that inside a tea bag). You may also skip this step altogether and double up on the green tea instead. I would however suggest having neem as the key ingredient in a neem face mask.
Store-bought natural Neem Tea Bags
(2) GREEN TEA
Green Tea Leaves
Why you’ll love it: Green tea extract has polyphenols that have anti-oxidation, anti-radiation, anti-inflammation and anti-carcinogenic properties. These extracts are in fact more effective than black tea extracts.
Why use it in this recipe: The topical application of green tea polyphenols is likely to slow down the development of wrinkles as well as relieve the skin of inflammation and redness. Topical application of this extract also reduces sun damage from UV rays.
What’s the alternative: Instead of green tea leaves, you may use a powdered form like I do in this recipe – which you will find on the inside of any store bought green tea bag. You may leave out the green tea and double up on the neem tea if you like.
Store-bought natural green tea bags
(3) ASPIRIN
Aspirin tablets
Why you’ll love it: Aspirin contains small amounts of the very effective salicylic acid – this is the kind that gives the deep cleansing skin needs to get blemish free. In some cases, it helps to rid the skin of existing blemishes and prevent them from recurring. The aspirin is also a great exfoliator, scouring off dead skin cells. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Why use it in this recipe: The exfoliation quality prevents your pores from getting clogged and therefore leaves the skin feeling silky soft and smooth afterwards. The anti-inflammatory properties aid in reducing any redness or soreness on the skin. This and the other reasons above make aspirin a unique ingredient in acne and skin treatment regime.
What’s the alternative: Other tablets containing salicylic acid should work. Alternatively, aloe vera and various berries are a wonderful and natural sources of salicylic acid, even though they have much smaller quantities than aspirin.
* Important note: If you are allergic to aspirin in any way, please leave the aspirin out of the mask and use the neem tea and green tea only. If you wish, use about 1 teaspoon of 100% aloe vera gel. Click here if you require instructions on how to extract aloe vera gel from aloe leaves.
(4) WATER, and a few small CONTAINERS
How To Do It Yourself:
1. Four to five (4 – 5) tablets of uncoated aspirin ; use two or three (2 or 3) tablets if they are large
Aspirin tablets
Crush the aspirin tablets into a powder (using uncoated tablets just makes it simpler to crush and use the aspirin)
2. One (1) and a half (1/2) teaspoons of Neem Tea paste
To make the paste, chop and crush neem leaves in and add a few drops of water – just enough to bind the leaves together. You may also substitute the crushed leaves for neem powder (contents of a neem tea bag) or use a combination of both.
Neem leaves, washed clean
Neem leaves
Neem leaves, chopped
Preparing the paste by crushing the leaves with water
Comparison of freshly ground neem paste (Left) and neem paste made with store bought tea bag (Right)
3. One (1) teaspoon of Green Tea paste
I have used green tea powder (contents of a green tea bag) but you may crush leaves to make the paste in the same way as the neem tea paste.
Green tea paste made from green tea bag contents
Finally, combine and mix together all 3 ingredients in a small container. The consistency of the paste should not be too watery, and a thicker paste is more suitable. The reason that I do not make an aspirin tablet paste is to balance the consistency of the paste in case too much water was added to the green tea / neem. If the paste is too coarse / thick you may add a few more drops of water.
Powdered aspirin, Neem paste and Green tea paste ready to mix
You may make enough to seal and store in the refrigerator for one more use but remember that just like most other anti-oxidants, tea polyphenols are oxidized and start to lose their activity slowly the longer they are exposed to air. This means that this fantastic Neem Tea Face Mask works best when freshly made and applied to the skin!
Neem Tea Face Mask
Neem Tea Face Mask
How To Use Your Fresh and Cool Neem Face Mask:
1. Wash and cleanse your face and neck thoroughly. Here is a link to a wonderful Refreshing Red Wine Facial Cleanser
2. Apply the paste to your face and neck avoiding contact with the eyes
I have observed that the face tends to feel fresh and cool then a little bit tingly as the mask dries (it’s a very slight sensation, so don’t worry)
3. Wait for the mask to completely dry / set
This usually takes about 10 to 15 minutes
4. After it is dry, leave the mask on for an additional 15 to 20 minutes
You may adjust this time to suit your schedule. When I am in a hurry, I take the mask off as soon as it is dry. However I prefer to relax with it on my face for a minimum of 15 minutes.
5. Use your fingers or a dry cloth to scrape / wipe off the mask. Then, rinse the remaining residue with warm water.
Although your skin should feel smooth and soft to the touch, it may appear pale and dry. Moisturize as required.
And, it’s as easy as that.
Hope you all love this recipe as much as I do!
Feel free to comment, ask questions or send me feedback. Tell me how your Fresh and Cool Neem Face Mask turns out.
* Bonus: Use any remaining neem leaves to brew a cup of neem tea which you can sip (through a drinking straw) as the mask sets. Here are simple instructions on How To Brew Neem Tea!!
Lavoire Beauty
Lavoire Beauty 
how many time I use been paste in my face in a day
answer immediately
@ aman jain: Thanks for reading my blog post. I apologize for the delayed response.
I would not advise the daily use of aspirin on your face. I would recommend that you explore alternative and natural sources of salicylic acid. Instead, you can make an extract or paste from some of the foods and herbs that contain sufficient levels of natural salicylic acid. Try foods like avocados, berries and peaches. Eating these foods or applying a paste made from them directly on your face will give your skin the benefits that come from salicylic acid. Herbs and spices like the licorice herb, turmeric, willow bark and meadowsweet also contain considerable levels of the acid. However, my ‘go to’ source is pure aloe vera gel. You can add half a teaspoon of the gel to the mask or dab some directly onto your skin (do not rinse this off) after cleaning off the mask.
You can use this mask (with no aspirin) a couple of days in a week if you wish and possibly once or twice a week with the aspirin, but remember as with anything else constant use can also be a bad thing. Give your skin a break from time to time so that it can regenerate the natural oils it produces and heal itself naturally.
Thank you for your comment and if you require any additional information feel free to contact me 🙂
I found this site whilst looking to preserve neem for my husband who has developed blisters on his feet and a rash on his body. Since I am from Kenya and of Indian descent, I am very interested in using neem to help him. Thank you for explaining the practical uses for neem in detail. I am going to try them especially the four herb tea.
@ Leonora: Thank you kindly for your comment. I’m glad that the post helped you. Feel free to let me know whether the tea mix and neem help with solving your husbands skin problems. Thanks for reading the posts 🙂
1) how many times should I use it?
2) can I use only neem leaves paste without aspirin and green tea ?
3) dose the skin glows with neem leaves paste?
Let me know soon my age is 12yrs.
@ insiya soni: Thank you so much for checking out my post and for taking the time to comment. I also appreciate that you included your age as this allows me to tailor my response in order to give you advice that I hope will help you.
At 12 years old, I do not advise the constant use of aspirin on your face. I would recommend that you explore alternative and natural sources of salicylic acid. Instead, you can make an extract or paste from some of the foods and herbs that contain sufficient levels of natural salicylic acid. Try foods like avocados, berries and peaches. Eating these foods or applying a paste made from them directly on your face will give your skin the benefits that come from salicylic acid. Herbs and spices like the licorice herb, turmeric, willow bark and meadowsweet also contain considerable levels of the acid. However, my ‘go to’ source is pure aloe vera gel. You can add half a teaspoon of the gel to the mask or dab some directly onto your skin after rinsing off the mask.
Feel free to leave out the green tea and aspirin from your homemade mask. A pure neem tea face mask will work just as well and really improve any problems you might have with your skin.
Try to use fresh neem tea leaves if possible but dried ones from a tea bag will also do.
Neem gets rid of a lot of skin problems and will leave your skin oil free but not dry, this giving you a natural glow.
You can use this mask (with no aspirin) a couple of days in a week if you wish, but remember as with anything else constant use can also be a bad thing. Give your skin a break from time to time so that it can regenerate the natural oils it produces and heal itself naturally. Before use, try to do some additional research about the side effects of neem (both positive and negative). Also try the mask on a small area of skin first to avoid any allergies or reactions you might experience from using Neem.
Thank you for your comment and if you require any additional information feel free to contact me 🙂
how often can i use neem face mask?
Can i use it daily?
Plz reply
@ rubisha upreti: Thank you for visiting my blog & for your question. This question has been asked before by lavender37. I will “copy & paste” the response that I sent to the other user. I hope that will help. If not, please feel free to let me know and I can give you some additional information 🙂
Lavender37 commented: Great mask thanks. Can I use it everyday? see I have a lot of acne and spots all over my face and I’ve got only a week time before an important meeting>>Help”-_- so any tips? ..thanks again
Lavoire Beauty Co. replied:
@Lavender37: I would not recommend the daily use of aspirin on your skin. If your skin is very oily (like mine is), the great thing about this mask is that it strips your skin of most of the excess oil and dirt clogging your pores. The effect, although amazing, is temporary and your skin tends to replenish the natural oils on its own. However, if you use aspirin on the skin daily, your skin may overcompensate and work extra hard to replenish the natural oils, causing you to break out even more 😦
The goal is not to dry out your skin, but to strip away the excess oils that amount throughout the day.
This is what I would advise for daily use of this mask:
1. Exfoliate your skin with a mild face scrub before applying the mask.
2. Only add the aspirin to the mask once a week (twice at the most). On the other days, leave the aspirin out.
Aloe vera is a natural source of salicylic acid (even though it contains much less than aspirin). You could dab some aloe gel onto the problem areas after using the neem mask.
3. Instead of crushing the neem leaves in water, use a teaspoon of natural yoghurt. This will hydrate and moisturise your skin without leaving it too oily
4. Get your hands on some pure neem seed oil. Neem seed oil is made from the kernels of the neem tree. Just a few drops works wonders! Use a q-tip to dab the neem seed oil directly onto the pimples / problem areas before you moisturise your skin.
You may also want to attain some neem essential oil. Keep in mind that there are different grades of essential oils. Grade A essential oils are therapeutic and work best on the skin. But these oils are so pure that in order for them to be effective, they should be diluted. You can do this by adding a few drops of an essential oil to olive oil or sunflower oil. Tea tree oil works well too; it is also an antibacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties just like neem oil.
5. Get enough rest, exercise and eat well.
Change your pillow case regularly. Even though you may wash your hair regularly, the oils end up being transferred from the pillow case to your face. These oils tend to be dirty and irritating to the skin, and encourage pimples to form.
Some times, small changes to our daily routines can affect our skin drastically.
Thanks a lot for checking out my post. Get back to me if you have more questions. Also, let me know whether any of the tips work for you!
Reference comments: July 12 2013 https://lavoirebeauty.wordpress.com/2013/05/21/fresh-and-cool-neem-tea-face-mask/
Pingback: ‘FOUR HERBS’ MIX FOR BEAUTIFUL & HEALTHY SKIN AND HAIR (Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Neem) | Lavoire Beauty
Very informative. Keep up the good work.
@Food to Fitness: So glad you found the post informative. Thanks for your comment!
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post
was good. I don’t know who you are but definitely you are going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!
@Celina: Wow… That is so kind of you! I dont know how you ended up here either, but I am so glad that you did! Thank you so much for taking the time to read through the post & for posting a comment 🙂
this is really great. i cant wait to try it 🙂
please post more new stuff especially to do with acne or pimples
@Sarafina: I am absolutely excited to let you know that I will be putting out a new post in a couple of days. I know that it takes me a while between posts – the reason being that I like to take my time on learning about herbs and researching (as well as testing the new creations on my own skin which doesn’t always end well) so that I can put forward the best possible recipes that will give the readers some kind of results. I do however look forward to hearing from you when I post the new material!
Thanks for your comment.
Great mask thanks
Can I use it everyday?
see I have a lot of acne and spots all over my face and I’ve got only a week time before an important meeting>>Help”-_- so any tips?
..thanks again
@Lavender37: I would not recommend the daily use of aspirin on your skin. If your skin is very oily (like mine is), the great thing about this mask is that it strips your skin of most of the excess oil and dirt clogging your pores. The effect, although amazing, is temporary and your skin tends to replenish the natural oils on its own. However, if you use aspirin on the skin daily, your skin may overcompensate and work extra hard to replenish the natural oils, causing you to break out even more 😦
The goal is not to dry out your skin, but to strip away the excess oils that amount throughout the day.
This is what I would advise for daily use of this mask:
1. Exfoliate your skin with a mild face scrub before applying the mask.
2. Only add the aspirin to the mask once a week (twice at the most). On the other days, leave the aspirin out.
Aloe vera is a natural source of salicylic acid (even though it contains much less than aspirin). You could dab some aloe gel onto the problem areas after using the neem mask.
3. Instead of crushing the neem leaves in water, use a teaspoon of natural yoghurt. This will hydrate and moisturise your skin without leaving it too oily
4. Get your hands on some pure neem seed oil. Neem seed oil is made from the kernels of the neem tree. Just a few drops works wonders! Use a q-tip to dab the neem seed oil directly onto the pimples / problem areas before you moisturise your skin.
You may also want to attain some neem essential oil. Keep in mind that there are different grades of essential oils. Grade A essential oils are therapeutic and work best on the skin. But these oils are so pure that in order for them to be effective, they should be diluted. You can do this by adding a few drops of an essential oil to olive oil or sunflower oil. Tea tree oil works well too; it is also an antibacterial and has anti-inflammatory properties just like neem oil.
5. Get enough rest, exercise and eat well.
Change your pillow case regularly. Even though you may wash your hair regularly, the oils end up being transferred from the pillow case to your face. These oils tend to be dirty and irritating to the skin, and encourage pimples to form.
Some times, small changes to our daily routines can affect our skin drastically.
Thanks a lot for checking out my post. Get back to me if you have more questions. Also, let me know whether any of the tips work for you!!
Such amazing tips!. I am excited to start following this new routine .
So glad we have such a generous expert like you 😀
Thanks a million xoxo
Excellent information. I love the images you’ve put in this article and your own tree looks very healthy. No mosquitoes in your backyard, I guess.
@Ray Webber: Thanks for the compliments. Really appreciate it. The tree is doing great and seems to have grown a little since I posted the article 😉
And yes, one wonderful thing about Neem trees is that they tend to keep themselves (and the small/limited surrounding area around them) insect free!
Reblogged this on Borchert Field Cares.
@Borchertfieldcares: Thanks, I appreciate the ‘reblog’
This is the right website for everyone who really wants to
understand this topic. You understand so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would
want to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand new spin on a topic that has been written about for many years.
Great stuff, just excellent!
@Lift and glow pro review: Thank you so for your feedback and for appreciating the work i put into my research 😀