Since you ladies loved our posts on DIY beauty uses for petroleum jelly, Q-tips and olive oil, I thought I’d give you a host of beauty tips on another common household item: aloe vera. Read this list and discover fifteen amazing ways to use aloe vera for your overall beauty!
- As a skin brightener: Rub aloe vera on your face to decrease pigmentation and dark spots.
- Have red blotches after plucking your brows? Rub some aloe vera on the discolored area and watch redness disappear.
- Aloe is a surprisingly good moisturizer and is effective in combating wrinkles because the skin absorbs it quickly – rub some on your neck and see for yourself.
- Soothe a sunburn - duh!
- Create your own facial cleanser with aloe vera: Just mix with olive oil, rosewater, and a few drops of grapeseed oil in a food processor. Keep it in the fridge!
- Nourish your skin: Aloe vera is extremely nutrient-rich: it has 18 amino acids, B vitamins 1, 2, and 6, vitamin C, niacinamide, choline and the minerals calcium, iron, lecithin, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc.
- Create an organic sugar scrub and apply to damp skin:
- 2 tbsp. aloe vera
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- You could also try a salt scrub for rough patches:
- 2 cups sea salt
- 1 cup aloe vera
- 1 cup baby oil
- 2 tbsp. honey
- Speed hair growth: Massage aloe vera into the scalp, leave in for 30 minutes and rinse. Aloe Vera is known to balance PH and stimulate the production of enzymes on your scalp which help with hair growth.
- DIY brow gel: mix a little aloe vera with an eyeshadow that matches your eyebrows. Apply with a brow brush.
- Tighten your pores: Aloe has properties similar to astringents, so rubbing it on your face can reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.
- For scars and stretch marks: Aloe vera speeds cell regeneration, so rub it on scars and stretch marks to watch them fade more quickly.
- For those with eczema or psoriasis, aloe is possibly the best moisturizer available. Rub all over hands and feet, put on gloves and socks and let it work its magic!
- Run out of conditioner? Use aloe vera instead! Your hair will be silkier than ever – just make sure to rinse well.
- Mix aloe vera into powdered hair dye before dyeing hair to help fight off moisture loss from drying chemicals.
Image source: http://www.aloevera-blog.com/
Edris (a fab stylist) told me last week she uses aloe in place of hair gel. Who knew?
[...] and provides natural moisture through a slew a of vitamins and one of our favorite ingredients, Aloe Vera. The moisture was so lightweight, I could simply run my fingers through my hair and get more shine, [...]
OMG! thank you very much for these facts! I have so many aloe vera in my backyad and I really don’t know whta to do with them until i found out that every problem I have with my body can be cured by an aloe vera. Thank you.
Thanks for this post! I’ve always wanted to know the many uses of aloe vera(: I was wondering, how long can the cleanser keep ? Even in the fridge? Thanks again(:
Aloe vera is a product for every type of skin . it is a natural food flavoring and gives the result in few weeks. There is no side effects on any type skin aloe vera is a very highly effective in treating like pimples.i was used since last six months and give the results . so i am very happy to use this products.
Thanks for sharing the importance of aloe vera with everyone. Aloe vera is suitable for all types of skin without any side effects.
aleovera
Hi there!
Thanks for your post on Aloe Vera.. It really is wonderful in curing skin problems and I am an example to it. It really works well on acne, skin burns and conditioner. A must try product.
Wow!
I was aware of the fact that aloe vera has medicinal properties but wasnt aware that its so good for ma skin as well.
I will definitely try it as a conditioner. Thanx.
great post-love it!thanks for sharing
nice post-thanks..
great post here!!Amazing uses of aloe vera!it is suitable for all skin types.Gel or juice of Aloe Vera is highly useful in fading of acne scars.thanks a lot..
TO USE IT IN MY HAIR DO I BOIL THE PLANT OR JUST SQUEEZE ALL THE JUCIES OUT ??? I DONT KNOW . WILL SOMEONE PLEAS LET ME KNOW..THANKS
aloe vera is a very good
Rene – just use the juices fresh; boiling aloe vera is not safe and can damage the beneficial physical properties of the plant.
how can i use aloe vera to treat pimples
Is this eatable or not?
aloe vera is fine and best
Bala.a -Aloe vera is edible and it is good for you but nobody really wants to eat it because it is very bitter in taste(bleh, yuk).
Hey, so how do you prepare the aloe vera? I got lots growing in the yard (started in pots then grew to 1m x 1m size). Do you just cut the clear stuff out of the leaves? Or do you have to crush it/grind it?
this is very helpfull for me.thanks alot for your blog…
Pauline– U could do any of it… but i suggest u cut the leaves and remove the gel or juice.. grinding/crushing is a really painful and time consuming process..
GREAT work Cailin!
I was searching for good articles on Aloe Vera for Beauty. Ur’s one is the best..I have got so far!
Thank U very much for spreading the goodness on Aloe!
Keep it up! All the best.
does aloe vera lightens complexion
Hi, I just wanted to know if it is alright to put aloe vera gel directly after facial shaving? The aloe vera gel has no alcohol added. So is it helpful? I am asking this because my face gets dry 20 minutes after my shave. Please help, I feel discomfort from after shaves, so I wantedto know about aloe vera gel, on the bottle I have it says it’s 98% aloe vera gel.
im so happy to know about the beneficial uses of aloe vera.thanks.
Thank for your tips.
Billy you can use Aloe Vera gel as after shave and it can moisturize your skin. You are right, it’s alcohol free you can check this link http://www.whyaloevera.com/aloe-products.html for aloe vera based aftershave.
Pauline, you are correct. Aloe Vera gel does not taste great. But the health benefits are way too high to avoid. So anyone wants to drink it can make fruit/ vegetable smoothie and add a table spoon/4oz of aloe for a tasteful health drink.
Enjoy!
Is Aloe Vera gel sold in stores is as good as the actual juices from the plant?
i live in Hawaii and i have tons of Aloe vera in my backyard i eat the aloe vera gel and it gives me energy and look 10 years younger…
I have mild Rosacea and I’ve tried tons of products that severely dry my skin out and leave it feeling tight and burning. I’ve read about using aloe vera as a natural alternative, so I bought some today and am trying it out for the first time…And so far, my skin does not feel tight or painful
(YAY for me!)
So, I guess another use for aloe vera would be for Rosacea or any kind of dryness of the skin!
do you think that aloe vera could tighten the loose skin on ones hand and feet? i read that it tightens the pores but could it tighten the skin also?
Thanks for very very usefull tips! Could any one pls.telle me that can i make daily cream from alovera?I heard from some one taht by mixing honey with alovera we can but dnt remeber the tip.
excellent experience
can men use it as hair gel too
can i use aloe vera after getting my eye brows shaped?
cos i always get pimples after shaping my eyebrows which look too odd.so pls let me know wat to be done for it. if not aloe vera any other remedy?
Ya preeti!you can use it after threading and shaping your eyebrows as my beautificaion uses alovera after this and even after bleaching skin and it effects marveliously.
Hi Cailin,
hope you are doing well. I just want to take a moment to thank you. I was checking my site traffic stats and to my wonder Your “15 Beauty Uses For Aloe Vera” is a constant source of traffic as I’ve responded to some readers questions. That was totally unexpected!
So as a way of giving back and saying thank you to the community I’ve decided to reply some new questions that has not been responded yet.
@ Preethi You can use aloe vera gel after you shape your eye brows. It’s an excellent moisturizer. I use it on my clients after threading and it’s very soothing. It can prevent you from having pimples too.
@ Larry yes man can also use aloe vera gel for their hair. Aloe is natural so it works equally for men & women…no discrimination
@Rani to make your own aloe vera Cleanser, Scrub you can check http://www.whyaloevera.com/beauty.html scroll down the page you’ll get 20.1 tips on Using Fresh Aloe for beauty
@ann Aloe Vera gel that sold in store may not the best quality. To make sure check if it has IASC (International Aloe Science Council) Seal of approval. And be careful if you are considering to drink aloe directly from Aloe plant unless you are 100% confirm that it is Aloe Barbadensis Miller.
I use Aloe Vera myself and it’s been more than 4 years. It cured my Acne and my IBS. So I am a very big Aloe Vera fan. And I’ve done a lot of research on other benefits and use of Aloe. Anyone interested to know more can visit my site http://www.WhyAloeVera.com or email me at sanjida@sanjidahasnin.com with your question. I’ll try to answer you to the best of my knowledge.
I have a 18 month old with horrible ezcema, and her scalp is dry and flacky from it. She uses Desonide cream on her skin, Can I use Aloe in her hair to help her scalp??
Aloe Vera smells very bad.
@ Misty–of course you can use aloe anywhere on your baby, it is perfectly safe.
My son had eczema as a baby as well and nothing that the dermatologist’s prescribed helped. I know the frustrations od trying to clear it up and help your baby. Anyone reading this post who has eczema, these tips will work for you too.
The problem with Desonide cream and many other topicals prescribed by doctors,
are they rarely work and have side effects. They make the problem skin look better for a while, but most of the time when you discontinue them, it comes right back, most of the times worse than before!
My method is a natural way and you’re not exposing your baby to a slew of nasty chemicals that God didn’t intend to be in your body.
Here is how I did it: First of all, do not use any commercial baby products on her skin or hair!
Get some bar soap with no chemicals, sometimes they can be found at the grocery store–make sure you read all labels from now on for whatever you on your daughter. Eczema sufferer’s skin can’t tolerate many additives they put in lotions, soaps and shampoos.
I found a great natural OATMEAL & EMU OIL soap online that helped my son. I’m sure a Health Food/Vitamin Shop would have similar. Read labels regardless.
–Do not use baby wipes on her skin–diaper area or elsewhere. Again, no matter how natural it says it is, read the label. If you like the convenience of baby wipes during diaper changes, have a small tub of warm water nearby to rinse out all the soap and chemicals in the wipes. Thr residue they leave behind isn’t good for babies with skin problems. Make sure you dry her off, and lotion her diaper area.
No powder. For sore areas use CALMOSEPTINE OINTMENT. It was developed for bedsores and people who have ostomy wounds…..but it is a cure all for skin! It heals and shields from urine and feces. It can be used anywhere on the body safely. It also helps relieve the itch.
–Give her a bath everyday and let her soak first. Eczema heals better when the
skin is hydrated well. Let her play for a while to absorb water and then use the mild soap to wash her, rinse well with clean water, and pat her dry.
–IMMEDIATELY rub her skin with a good ALOE VERA lotion. My favorite is
ORGANICS HAND & BODY LOTION. It is not expensive either. When putting on baby, squirt some in your palm first, add a little honey,
ALOE
and run your hands together to warm it a bit and to mix it. Then apply gently concentrating on the bad and scaley areas. The honey adds extra healing and fights infection. Then, if you feel she still needs some moisture, dab emu oil
on the worst areas. Emu is very healing as well.
–Wash her clothes in the mildest detergent and as a precaution, add 1 cup
of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. This does several things: It will kill germs,
remove soap residue, and soften for the dryer. Avoid fabric softeners for her clothes, because again they’re full of chemicals that can irritate. Buy a natural one
at the store (read and make sure there’s nothing harmful in it!).
If you follow all these steps, which are very easy to do, you should see improvement very quickly.
Discontinue the Desonide. Don’t worry if the eczema gets a little worse before getting better. This is a rebound effect.
1) No chemicals on skin from products or clothes
2) Soak everyday before washing with very mild soap–rinse well
3) EMU OIL, A GOOD OATMEAL SOAP, ALOE VERA LOTION which you add Honey
4) CALMOSEPTINE for raw areas or areas that need moisture sealed in (apply thinly)
You can use all of the above as many times per day as needed. You’ll see how quickly ALOE is absorbed and you’ll probably want to use it often per day.
If you can’t find emu oil, get a small bottle of Organic Natural Vit. E oil. Natural Vitmain E Oil is not clear! So buy the brownish-yellow kind. It had all the nutrients in it to heal the skin.
Lastly, watch her diet carefully. Try to notice if her skin tends to react after certain foods are eaten. Tomatoes (including sauces and ketchup), cow’s milk,
white potatoes, eggplants, green & red peppers, eggs, are
known to flair or cause eczema in some people who have sensitivities or allergies.
These items should cost less than $30 total and will last for months. Please keep us updated here or anyone else that tries my suggestions. And please visit my website when we have our grand opening soon!
We have a terrific safe skin care line, including an ORGANIC ALOE based one,
great makeup, and other goodies at remarkable prices! Blessings to everyone and
best of luck with your skin problems!
Debbie
Hello Debbie and sanjida
I am very thankful to both of you for providing such helpful information about aloe and also how it cures eczema. i am 25 years old and i am suffering from eczema since i wa s 3 years old. This is so nerve racking that i feel very depressed sometimes. i have used many things and medicines but of no use.. it goes and comes again. Now my daughter is 1 year old and has got a rash on her finger. i am extermely afraid if has the same problem as mine. i really got very depressed. but your posts have given me the hope that yes we both will get treated.
I have a few more doubts in my mind. Please respond to them too. I had suffered acne on my face and back for years and now i have pores on my skin that look like scars. I have been dreaming of a smooth face all these years. Kindly le me know if i can apply aloe vera on my face. From a few months i have been using sloe vera gel bought from the market. My question is how to use the natural aloe vera gel.Should it be squeezed out and used on the skin as such?
Also, i i had a baby, i have gained a little weight, i have heard that it can be used to lose weight quickly. If it is true, then in what form it can be used. What part of the plant can i drink or eat and how to gain the many benefits of aloevera?
Thanks and loved those responses
Dear Sonam,
It is the juice that is healing. Plain aloe juice is not really thick like a jelly. Read labels and make sure your Aloe you buy isn’t full of other ingredients. To use straight from the plant just slice the leaf and squeeze out the liquid.
Aloe is safe ANYWHERE on your skin (face, scalp, body) and you can drink it as well. Truthfully, in all the medical research I’ve done, aloe will not remove scars from acne. However it’s very good for human cells. When you drink aloe, it helps with digestion, the colon, and heals internally. I drank aloe everyday and did not lose weight, I believe that is not true that it will cause weight loss.
One thing I want to make clear is, aloe is great, but it isn’t a miracle plant. There are many other natural things that work, so if aloe doesn’t improve your skin, try other natural moisturizers such as unrefined shea butter, natural vit. E oil, Emu oil, Rosehip Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, etc. These are all proven to moisturuze and heal skin. Aloe alone might not be enough. Soaking in water should be done everyday before moisturizing. Showering doesn’t do the trick, plus people usually take hot showers and that is a NO NO with eczema. Always use lukewarm water anytime you shower or bathe. It may feel weird at first but you’ll get used it, and your skin will improve.
If your problem with weight gain is a big appetite, or sweets craving, try a seaweed drink instead of aloe. They DO work by cutting the appetite. I tried one for health reasons, but a great side effect was, it cut my appetite way down. I didn’t crave sugary foods either. The one I drank was Limu, and it’s very expensive. A good alternative would be brown seaweed capsules and lots of water. Another benefit is seaweed has nutrients good for the skin and hair.
I feel that anyone with a chronic skin condition can improve greatly by increasing
nutrition as much as applying creams and ointments. These nutrients helps skin greatly, I use them myself with great results for smooth skin:
– Try 500 up to 1,000 mg of Lysine a day (comes in pill form, is an amino acid)
– 5-10 Collagen tablets with Vit. C ( I use the collagen with type I and II tablets)
– Acerola vitamin C capsule daily
– Cod Fish Liver Oil, 1 teaspoon a day
– 1 T. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, in water or juice, add 1 T Honey (raw honey is best)
This may help clear up acne as well as help the eczema. Of course these supplements are for an adult, not a child. It will take about 1 month to see good results in your skin. These are all “natural” supplements, but I don’t know if you are breastfeeding or not, so you should check first before taking if you are breastfeeding.
Many people have had nice results with acne scarring and large pores but using
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar as a toner after they wash their face. It works well for most, but not for everyone. It is a very safe and cheap remedy. If you try, mix it in equal parts with water before applying to your face (like 1T + 1T water). Some use it plain, but it can be too strong at first. You can also add honey to the mixture, it’s great for skin. You be the judge and start slowly with strength. Most important here, is don’t be too aggressive treating acne or eczema, be gentle.
One last word, I’ve found that quite a few people cleared up their resistant acne and even psoriasis with a soap called “OCTAGON SOAP” made by Colgate.
http://www.soapsgonebuy.com/Octagon_Soap_p/cp1001.htm
Personally I have never used it, but many people swear their pimples, even cystic acne, healed up from this soap and yes it can be used on the face or body. I think it might be worth trying! Just try on a small area first to make sure your skin has no allergies to it.
I hope this information helped. I’ll check back if there are more questions.
God bless!
Debbie