Where to start. Neem is the best known and the most bitter — that bitterness is the point. It is traditionally used for recurring skin complaints and as a seasonal cleanser. Giloy is gentler and works well alongside neem, particularly when immunity is also low. Triphala supports the same goal from the digestive side, on the Ayurvedic principle that clearing the gut clears the skin. Amla rounds it out with vitamin C.

How to use them. Half a teaspoon in warm water, usually on an empty stomach in the morning. Neem is genuinely bitter — honey helps. Most traditional protocols run for four to six weeks rather than continuously.

Consult a practitioner before starting if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on prescription medication. These are food supplements, not medicines, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.