Oh that unassuming bottle of neem oil is a monster in ways both good and bad.
Neem is a natural estringent, antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal. Neem works very well for resolving a variety of skin conditions, including scalp problems such as dry, flaky scalp and other skin ailments including eczema. I have been using it as a part of my homemade shampoo because of its antibacterial, antifungal and antiseptic properties.
My theory has been that, with the use of a few drops of this oil in my products, I will need to shampoo less for reasons of keeping bacteria and other harmful microbes off my scalp. Neem has lived up to its reputation in my experience. Since using neem in my applications, I have not experienced a single flake on my scalp - no signs of dryness.
So why is it a frenemy?
The smell!
If you do not know the smell of cold-pressed neem oil, I cannot begin to explain it to you. Just know that once you smell it, it will take hold of your olfactory nerves and hold on for dear life, for days to come. If you think I'm exaggerating, smell it for yourself.
I add only a few drops to my homemade conditioners or shampoos or scalp mixes and somehow it manages to overpower the scent of every other ingredient in the product, and outlast them too.
I have to figure some way to cut the smell.
If you want to try neem oil, for the benefit of your scalp I highly recommend it. If you are sensitive to smells, you may have issue with it until you can figure out how to mask its smell in products. And for the love of everyone around you, please do not apply it to your hair or scalp undiluted! You will have no friends or other loved ones left if you do as they will either have run for the life of their noses or will have passed out from the scent.
The good news is my hair is super-strong and my scalp is the healthiest it has ever been.
With my luck, the neem oil is behind all this. Meaning I will have to continue using it and suffer the olfactory consequences until I figure something out.
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