Skin conditions are uncomfortable for numerous reasons. They can make you self-conscious about your appearance and they can be irritating or seemingly uncontrollable. Both eczema and psoriasis are two common skin conditions that result in flaky, itchy, inflamed skin. Constant itching can make you feel embarrassed and leave you feeling helpless. That’s where this homemade neem balm comes into play.

What Is Neem Oil?

People in the natural beauty world rave about the benefits of neem oil. Neem oil is derived from the neem tree, which his native to India, and the oil contains powerful antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Commonly used in Ayurvedic remedies, neem oil is now used in cosmetic products, including body lotions, hair products, and skin creams.

Helps Prevent Acne

Ayurveda used neem oil to help clear up the skin because of the inherent antibacterial properties. If your acne is caused by bacterial build-up, neem oil can help by killing the bacteria that clog pores and create blemishes. A 2013 in vitro study found that neem oil could be a prolonged treatment for acne. Neem oil also works to moisturize the skin, so it prevents dead skin flakes from clogging the pores.

It May Reduce Signs Of Aging

Neem oil contains powerful antioxidants and fatty acids, which help slow the early signs of aging. Oleic and linoleic acid, both of which are present in neem oil, help to penetrate the skin and encourage cell health. This helps to keep the skin looking young and supple. When applied to the skin, neem oil helps create a moisturizing barrier that prevents skin from losing moisture, which helps prevent wrinkles and dryness.

It Soothes Itching And Irritation

Unfortunately, neem oil is not a cure for eczema or psoriasis, but it can help manage symptoms and the severity of outbreaks. Dermatologists typically recommend emollients for eczema because they fill gaps or cracks in the skin, preventing loss of moisture. Neem is rich in fatty acids and vitamin E, which penetrate the outer layers of the skin, filling in those gaps and cracks. The antiseptic properties also help keep bacteria out, reducing irritation or severity of outbreaks.

Note: Before using this all over your skin (especially around the face or scalp), do a patch test on your arm. If you don’t see a reaction after 24 hours, which includes redness or swelling, you should be safe to use it on other areas of the body. Neem is incredibly potent so use lightly.

DIY Neem Balm For Eczema

Ingredients:

• 40 grams Shea butter
• 30 grams cocoa butter
• 20 grams castor oil
• 30 grams sweet almond oil
• 10 grams neem oil
• ¼ teaspoon vitamin E oil

Instructions:

• Add the Shea butter, cocoa butter, castor oil, and sweet almond oil to the top of a double boiler. Alternatively, you can combine them in a heat-safe glass bowl/jar that sits in a saucepan with an inch of water over medium-low heat.
• Once the oils melt, stir well and remove from heat. Pour the oils into a heat-safe bowl/jar and place it in the freezer for five minutes, or until oils thicken.
• Remove the bowl from the freezer and whisk in the neem oil and vitamin E oil.
• Spoon the mixture into a container with a lid and let it settle for a couple hours before using it. Use once or twice a day on the affected area(s), but don’t forget to patch test first.

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The chaos that is holiday life has begun for a lot of people. Family get-togethers, end-of year projects, traveling, shopping, and more seem to pile up and eat away at your being, often times resulting in high stress levels, unhealthy eating habits, and even sickness. The fear of not completing holiday shopping can push you to your limits, and we definitely don’t want that.

How about we take a little time away from crowded malls this year and make homemade beauty products that serve as the perfect gifts? Not only are DIY beauty products cost effective and easy to make, but they are also comprised of natural ingredients that offer unique health benefits. There’s no need to empty your bank account by purchasing luxury hair care products and fancy lotions when you can whip up your own health and beauty products. Besides the fact that the recipes in this article contain natural ingredients, they are going to be made by you, and making gifts from scratch is a lost art in this day and age. The extra love that goes into homemade gifts can put an even bigger smile on the faces of your loved ones. If you make any of the following recipes, take a picture and tag us on social media: @dherbs for Twitter and Instagram, and @dherbsfamily for Facebook.

DIY Lavender Body Butter

Don’t let the dry winter months dictate the health or appearance of your skin. Keep your skin hydrated by using this lavender body butter. Containing neem oil, which has been referred to as “the village pharmacy,” this body butter helps to reduce redness, swelling, and contributes to overall smoother skin.

Click here to make the body butter.

DIY Lemon Sugar Scrub

Working to exfoliate the skin and replenish drier areas with nourishing essential oils, this lemon sugar scrub is the perfect gift for winter. The lemon juice and essential oils kill harmful bacteria and encourage healthy skin cell production.

Click here to make the sugar scrub.

DIY Beard Oil

There are myriad beard care products on the market, but many of them are filled with unnecessary chemicals that are not conducive to beard health. If you have some bearded friends or family, this beard oil is great for moisturizing the skin, strengthening the beard (sounds fake but this is real), and maintaining shine.

Click here to make the beard oil.

DIY Body Wash

Address the needs of the skin by washing it with a simple body wash that works to moisturize, cleanse, and nourish. This recipe contains raw honey, which contains antimicrobial properties that penetrate the pores to keep them clean.

Click here to make the body wash.

DIY Soothing Skin Salve

People with dry, chapped, cracked, or sensitive skin are going to love this soothing skin salve. Containing antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial properties, this salve works to moisturize damaged skin, soothe redness, and protect healthy skin cells.

Click here to make the salve.

DIY Peppermint Shower Bombs

Shower bombs produce pungent aromas, turning ordinary showers into luxury, aromatic steam rooms. These shower bombs contain peppermint essential oil, which works to improve circulation, unclog sinuses, and relax sore muscles.

Click here to make the shower bombs.

DIY Turmeric Face Mask

While turmeric is beneficial for cognitive function and reducing inflammation in the body, it can also cleanse the skin and help to reduce acne. Refresh the skin, clear up blemishes, and fight bacteria by using this face mask.

Click here to make the face mask.

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There’s nothing like being outside on a summer evening. Maybe you are sitting by a lake with some friends, having a romantic picnic in a park, or watching the sunset in your backyard. Everything is going swimmingly, until you start smacking yourself because mosquitos have found you out. They are on the hunt and you are an easy target. These little pests can carry harmful diseases, so it is wise to protect yourself when you can. That’s why you want to have a great mosquito repellent on hand.

The thing about most mosquito repellents is that they are replete with chemicals, the worst of which is DEET. Sure, it keeps the mosquitos off you, but at what cost? Rather than poisoning your skin, you can go the all-natural route and make your own chemical-free repellent. If you are wondering how this natural repellent works, the mosquito-repelling properties can be attributed to the two primary ingredients below.

Citronella Essential Oil

One of the most common uses of this essential oil is to keep insects away. It is particularly effective against mosquitos, but can also repel lice and fleas. Additionally, the antiseptic properties in citronella essential oil help to eliminate infections, while the anti-inflammatory properties have a sedative effect on inflammation. You can also use it in small doses to make natural deodorants.

Neem Oil

Neem oil is a safe and excellent mosquito repellent. According to the Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, when 2% neem oil was mixed with coconut oil and applied to the exposed skin of volunteers, it completely protected them from mosquito bites for twelve hours.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons neem oil
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
• 10-15 drops citronella essential oil

Instructions

• Mix all of the ingredients together in a small glass jar that has an eyedropper top.
• Make sure to use it sparingly. A little goes a long way. Rub a few drops on the exposed skin.

Note: If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, do not use neem oil because it is an abortifacient.

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The weather is the only thing that should be dry during the winter months. You don’t have to let the cold dictate the appearance or health of your skin. How do you keep you skin hydrated, though? There are simple natural ingredients, like neem oil, which have been used to promote healthy skin in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine for many years.

What is Neem Oil?

Referred to as “the village pharmacy” in India, the neem tree grows in tropical climates and produces fruits and seeds, from which neem oil is created. The flowers have been used to treat bile disorders and the leaves have been able to prevent ulcers. Even the bark was used to benefit the central nervous system! Neem oil has a potent smell and it has been used to remedy a variety of skin conditions, from regular dry skin to eczema and psoriasis.

The wonderful thing about the body butter in this article is that it contains the tag-team duo of neem oil and lavender essential oil. Both of these oils have anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain killing) properties. Lavender oil, when used topically, has been known to reduce redness, swelling, and promote the healing of burns and cuts. The combination of lavender and neem oil may be exactly what you need to get through the dry winter. Plus, the rest of the ingredients are pretty amazing!

Ingredients:

• .05 oz. cocoa butter
• 6 oz. shea butter
• .6 oz. arnica oil
• .4 oz. neem oil
• 18 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops tea tree oil
• 1 ml vitamin E oil

Instructions:

• In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the cocoa and shea butters, stirring them occasionally. Once they are melted, add the arnica and neem oils.
• Remove from the heat and add the lavender essential oil, tea tree oil, and vitamin E oil.
• Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the mixture the next day and, using a hand mixer, whip the mixture until it looks like soft body butter. Store this in an airtight glass jar in a cool, dry place. Use twice a day on dry skin.

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Various skin conditions can cause an itchy rash to appear, and Scabies is one of those conditions.  Scabies is a skin infestation that is the result of a burrowing mite called Sarcoptes scabiei.  The itching and rash will occur wherever the mite burrows in the skin.  Scabies is a contagious skin condition that can easily spread through close personal contact.  It is a fairly common condition that affects millions of people around the world every year.

Symptoms of Scabies

After a person is exposed to the Scabies mite, it can take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to experience symptoms.  If the person has had Scabies before, it will take about 1-4 days for symptoms to arise.  The common symptom is a pimple-like rash that is itchy, especially at night.  The most common places that the rash occurs in kids are the head, face, neck, hands, and soles of the feet.  Adults can experience the rash on the wrist, elbow, armpit, nipples, penis, waist, buttocks, or between the fingers. Common symptoms include:

• Itchy, bumpy rash on the skin
• Sores (these will occur if the person keeps scratching the rash)
• Thin burrow tracks (which are made up of blisters on the skin)

What Causes Scabies?

The Scabies mite is microscopic and can’t be seen with the naked eye.  When the female mite burrows beneath the skin, she makes a tunnel in which she lays her eggs.  After the eggs hatch they head to the skin’s surface, where they mature, multiply, and spread to other areas of the body or other hosts via close physical contact.  Common causes include:

• Physical contact with an infected person
• Sharing clothes or bedding with an infected person
• Weakened immune system
• Sexual intercourse
• Daycare centers or schools (because many germs and viruses get passed around in these places)

Natural Remedies

• Because intense itching is a common symptom for people with Scabies, a cold soak can provide relief and stop you from itching, which can spread the virus.  If itching is uncontrollable, try placing an ice pack on the affected area.  This will only provide temporary relief as the cold helps to numb the area.
• Neem oil has been known to kill Scabies mites, and it also prevents their ability to grow and continue populating.  It is a botanical pesticide that contains antibacterial and antifungal properties, which help to eradicate bacteria that is in the skin.  Massage neem oil to the affected area and wait a few minutes before taking a bath.  Continue doing this once a day for a couple weeks to prevent the infection from spreading.
• Cayenne pepper can help alleviate the pain associated with Scabies.  The active ingredient, capsaicin, helps reduce pain when applied to the skin.  You can mix 1 cup of cayenne pepper in a lukewarm bath and soak in it until the water gets cold.  Make sure not to get the water in your eyes as the pepper will cause your eyes to burn.  Do this once a day until Scabies is gone.
• Since turmeric has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it can help relieve the symptoms of Scabies. Take 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder and mix it with a few drops of fresh lemon juice to make a thick paste. Rub this paste on the affected area, leave it on for an hour, and then wash it off with lukewarm water.  Do this every day until you see improvement.
• Since coconut oil is an incredible moisturizer and has antimicrobial properties, it can help reduce the symptoms of Scabies if applied to the affected area(s).  For best results, mix a little coconut oil with a few drops of either tea tree oil, clove oil, neem oil, rosemary oil, or anise seed oil.  The combination of coconut oil and one of these oils can help prevent further infestation and aid in the elimination of the virus.
• Because aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties, it is commonly used to reduce the symptoms of Scabies. Applying the aloe vera to the affected area(s) helps to restore your skin’s pH balance and relieve itching and irritation.  Like coconut oil, aloe vera also has moisturizing and antimicrobial properties.
• Onion can be a beneficial remedy because it contains quercetin, which can help soothe the skin.  The sulfur compounds, in combination with the quercetin, can help eradicate the Scabies mite and help prevent the infection from spreading.  Take an onion, blend it, and apply the juice to the affected area.  Leave this on for a couple hours.  Rinse every couple hours and continue to reapply the juice. Do this until symptoms subside.

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