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There are so many ways to use Aloe vera. You’ve probably heard of aloe vera as a soothing ingredient for sun-exposed or irritated skin, but this versatile plant has plenty of other uses in skincare and hair care, too.
Aloe vera is a succulent plant that has been used traditionally for centuries, particularly in skincare. The clear gel found inside its leaves contains water and a variety of plant compounds and has been studied for its potential effects on skin hydration.
It can be used topically on the skin and hair, while products intended for oral use require more care because aloe gel, aloe latex, and whole-leaf preparations have different safety profiles.
Besides, it is easy to grow and makes a beautiful addition to a home herb garden or ornamental houseplant.
Although some possible benefits still need to be further studied, there is plenty of evidence of the MANY benefits of this pointy little plant.
Benefits of Aloe Vera for Skin and Hair
Aloe vera is a versatile plant that has long been popular in natural skincare and hair-care routines. Its clear inner gel has a lightweight, refreshing texture that makes it a useful ingredient for everything from simple face masks to homemade hair treatments.
Aloe Vera for Skin
Aloe vera gel is a popular ingredient in natural skincare because of its lightweight, water-rich texture. It can be applied on its own or incorporated into homemade face masks, moisturizers, toners, and other skincare recipes.
You can use aloe vera gel as a simple facial mask, mix it with other ingredients for a customized DIY treatment, or apply a thin layer to clean skin before following with your usual moisturizer.
Aloe vera is also easy to pair with everyday ingredients such as honey, yogurt, and plant oils. Just remember that even natural ingredients can cause irritation for some people, so patch-testing a new DIY recipe before applying it to your face is always a smart idea.
Aloe Vera for Hair
Aloe vera is also a popular ingredient in natural hair care. Its smooth, lightweight gel can be used in conditioning treatments, hair masks, and homemade styling products.
Try applying aloe vera gel directly to your hair as a simple treatment, or combine it with ingredients such as coconut oil or other hair-care favorites. You can also use aloe vera as a base for homemade hair gel when combined with an appropriate thickener and preservative.
Because homemade aloe vera products contain a lot of water, remember that they can spoil more quickly than commercially formulated products. Make small batches, follow the recipe carefully, and store homemade preparations as directed.
Aloe Vera for Everyday DIY Beauty
One of the best things about aloe vera is how easy it is to incorporate into homemade beauty projects. You can use it in face masks, toners, makeup-removing recipes, hair treatments, and styling products.
Whether you’re growing your own aloe plant or buying a prepared aloe vera gel, look for a product with clear labeling and ingredients that suit the way you plan to use it. And if you’re harvesting aloe directly from a plant, make sure you use the clear inner gel rather than the yellow latex found closer to the outer part of the leaf.
With its simple texture and versatility, aloe vera is a fun ingredient to keep on hand if you enjoy making your own natural skincare and hair-care products.
How to Use Aloe Vera
When we talk about the uses of aloe vera, we are talking about the aloe vera gel inside the plant’s plump leaves. The leaves are filled with a gel-like substance brimming with beneficial properties.
It’s super simple to harvest the aloe vera gel from your plants! But make sure you’re using only the gel, not the plants’ outer leaves.
Aloe vera gel can be made into aloe juice, blended until smooth and consumed, or used directly from the plant in many ways topically.
4 ways to use Aloe Vera on the Face
Most of us know aloe vera can be used to soothe irritated skin. Give some of these other uses a try, and you’ll quickly see why aloe is such a superstar ingredient for your face!
- As a face mask, aloe vera makes a great face mask and can easily be combined with several other beneficial ingredients to suit your particular skin type. Combine aloe with honey for an acne-fighting mask that’s still nourishing. Blend aloe with yogurt for a probiotic-enriched facial treatment that enhances your microbiome. Or apply a thick layer of aloe vera gel straight to your face and let sit for 10-15 minutes.
- First layer moisturizer – before applying your favorite moisturizer or face oil, apply a thin layer of aloe vera gel to your skin and let it thoroughly soak in. The water-based hydration from the aloe plant will plump skin and prime it for the more intense oil-based moisturizer.
- As a makeup remover – Try this homemade eye makeup remover with aloe vera, which is gentle enough to use on sensitive eye skin and can be used effectively on your entire face as well.
- Aloe Vera-based toner – a fabulous way to reap the benefits of aloe for your skin is in a homemade toner recipe! This toner uses aloe and witch hazel to cleanse gently, tone, and moisturize skin.
5 Ways to Use Aloe Vera on Hair
Aloe vera is touted by many as a hair growth treatment, and it can also leave hair soft, shiny, and moisturized (but not greasy!). Use fresh or bottled natural aloe vera gel for these beneficial hair treatments.
Apply Aloe straight to hair – aloe vera is such a powerhouse ingredient, you don’t need to mix it with anything to see the benefits for your hair. Apply fresh aloe gel directly to dry hair and sit for up to an hour before rinsing out and shampooing like normal.
Aloe and ACV Conditioning treatment – I’ve used apple cider vinegar on my hair for years with great results, but I just recently discovered mixing it with aloe vera gel. Talk about an uplevel for my hair!
Try an aloe vera hair mask – this recipe uses argan oil, honey, and essential oils for a naturally nourishing aloe-infused hair treatment.
Mix with coconut oil – combine equal parts aloe vera gel and coconut oil for a rich and nourishing hair mask treatment. For best results, give this a quick blend so the aloe and coconut oil will blend and use immediately. Apply to dry hair and sit for at least 15 minutes before rinsing clean.
Make an aloe vera hair gel – this recipe uses xantham gum and a natural preservative to thicken the hair gel, but it doesn’t take much more than that to make your hair gel out of aloe vera!
Best natural aloe vera gel
If you’re not into growing your aloe, no worries, there are plenty of good options to purchase natural aloe vera gel. But be warned: not all bottled aloe vera gel is created equal!
Here’s how to make sure your aloe vera gel is high quality:
- Avoid aloe gels that are any color but clear (I’m looking at you, big green bottle of aloe from my childhood).
- Make sure to read the ingredients! Bottled aloe vera gel WILL require a preservative since it’s a plant-based material with high water content. The most natural brands will include just aloe vera gel and a preservative. No fragrance, colors, or thickeners.
- Beauty by Earth Aloe Vera Gel – This is 98% organic aloe vera, with vitamin, vitamin E and natural preservatives added. This is an excellent choice for post-sun application or use in an aloe-based skin care recipe.
