Neem oil recipe for problem skin

[Sonya-m]

My friend has quite dry, easily irritated skin and has read that neem oil may help. I've plugged some numbers into Soapcalc and was hoping you could give it a look over and let me know what, if anything, you would change.

I know it's gonna accelerate and generate heat somewhat so I've gone with a 33% lye solution instead of full water to stop it getting too hot.

I plan to use cedar wood and lemongrass EOs in it - already checked she's ok using these.

 

[Sonya-m]

I also have Shea butter if you think it would add anything?

 

[kumudini]

I made a 25% need oil soap about 4 months back, it was my simplest recipe yet with CO 20, PO 25, 22.5 OO, 7.5 CaO with addition of neem seed oil. Added tea tree, litsea and eucalyptus EOs, still no match for the stink. But the soap itself is nice, bubbly, non drying and has a nice soap feel to touch. The soap batter had this muddy yellow brown color to it and I had to keep adding a bit of this color and a bit of that( green oxide, olive green mica, forest green mica and teal mica) before it turned a nice light green. Thought you would like to know.

 

[susiefreckleface]

Hi Sonya,

So funny that the forum has two Neem threads in one day..

I'm not brave enough to go really high on the Neem concentration (the other thread is in the beginner's forum for acne skin probs). In January I made a Neem soap with 2.5% Neem - it is a higher cleansing recipe that is not generally for my face - but have used in a pinch, because the other soap bar in the shower that morning, was a Lavender with 15% superfat (too oily for my face) and heavy on the lavender - oohkee off track... anyway - I initially dreamed up the recipe for my Neem soap for my combination skin, and my husband's skin under his beard to control dandruff near the ears/sideburns (more gentle than the pine-tar bar that he used up). I'm happy with it. He has not tried it yet.

I just found what looks like a pretty interesting recipe for Neem soap at an 8% rate here at 'discover neem': http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-soap-recipes.html http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-soap-recipes.html

My Neem soap has been curing nearly 2 months and I've just started using it a week or so ago - I really like it. However, I will probably increase my Neem percent to 5% with the next batch once my DH skin and my skin gets used to the 2.5%. It's just that smell - oosh! the smell finally started calming down around week 6 (and that's only 2.5% Neem... with a FO).

 

[Obsidian]

I've made a 25% neem soap before, I don't remember if it traced fast or not, I don't think it did. Pine tar is a beast to work with though. I think your recipe looks nice for dry sensitive skin. I would leave out the shea for now but if you have any avocado, you could add 10%.

I don't bother trying to scent my neem soap, even at 5% I can't cover it so I gave up trying. Its pretty awful smelling but it does fade with time, after 4 months it almost smells like black tea.