Have you ever woken up, looked in the mirror before starting your day, then, lo and behold, you had a breakout on your face that wasn't there the night before?
That was me last week. I had woken up to inflamed cheeks, a huge pimple on my cheek, and a breakout along the side of my forehead and jawline. I was shocked because I have been very consistent with my skincare routine (only skipping a few days due to a busy schedule).
However, after reevaluating, I realized I had been stressing more lately. As a result of the stress, I began eating like trash and neglecting my water intake. If that wasn't enough, I was not sleeping.
After taking some accountability, I vowed to myself to get it together. While taking care of myself internally again, I needed a solution to clear up the breakouts externally and fade my dark spots from the pimples I had picked at.
For hours I did thorough research and consulted with the Lord (literally). Eventually, I came across neem packs.
I had only used neem for oral hygiene, internal medicinal uses, and for your hair. To my surprise, you can use it for your skin as well. Ayurvedic medicine uses a face mask called a neem pack as a natural remedy to combat acne and dryness, boost the natural skin's glow, and stimulate collagen growth. Neem packs were also used to help prevent acne, breakout, and signs of aging because of their antibacterial, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
I wanted to add some extra benefits to this neem face mask. My additives of choice were turmeric, honey, bentonite clay, and apple cider vinegar.
My face has cleared up after using it at least twice a week, combined with Vania Essential's Gentle Soap and Soothe Salve (discontinued until the fall and winter seasons). It's soft and has a natural dewy glow to it.
Shout out to herbal remedies, man!
If you want to see the process and my progress, head over to my Instagram to see how I made it, the benefits, and what my results currently are
⭐️Here is the recipe:
• one tablespoon of bentonite clay
• one tablespoon of neem powder
• one teaspoon of turmeric powder
• one tablespoon of honey
• one cap full of apple cider vinegar (optional)
✍🏽How to Use:
1. Wet the skin with a warm rag (or you can steam your skin for two to three minutes)
2. Apply mask to face and neck. Let it sit for 10 minutes
3. With a warm rag, gently remove the mask
4. Follow up with a gentle cleanser (I use our Gentle soap)
5. Moisturize damp skin with your favorite moisturizer or balm
Note: I placed any extra mask I had in the refrigerator. It will be good for about 1-2 weeks. Do not put water in it, or it will not last as long. The absence of a preservative will cause it to mold quickly!
Have you ever used neem in your skin routine? Could you see yourself adding it to your regimen? Let me know in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you!
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