Long been hailed for its healing properties discover 7 benefits of Aloe Vera Skin Care and how to use these remedies made from the gel of this incredible succulent.
You are probably already aware of the many discussions held about the health benefits of adding pure aloe vera gel to our diet.
Before we look at the benefits of aloe vera skin care I want to first clarify some questions I received about the use of Aloe Vera for inflammation. I think this is vital knowledge and so added in this update!
Our content is reader-supported. When you buy through links in our posts we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We do not accept money for reviews. Learn More
Benefits Of Aloe Vera For Internal Inflammation.
Studies have shown that Aloe Vera Gel acts as an anti-inflammatory. We know it is an excellent treatment for acid reflux, vaginal dryness and the pain associated with heartburn.
Early reports suggest Aloe Gel offers soothing and pain relief to those diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.
Clinical trials have reported positive results between ingesting Aloe Gel and a reduction in discomfort caused by Crohn’s, as well as relieving other types of irritable bowel disease (IBD) such as Ulcerative Colitis.
This suggests that Aloe Vera Gel is much more than a health tonic. It may be a genuine source of natural pain relief to people with chronic inflammatory conditions.
Aloe Vera Gel Vs Aloe Vera Juice.
It is important, should you decide to try treating Crohn’s or IBD using Aloe Vera Gel, that you speak to your doctor first.
You should also be aware that Aloe Vera Gel and Aloe Vera Juice are not the same thing. This is not the case. In fact they each have very different properties.
Aloe Vera Juice, commonly found in many health food stores and supermarkets, should actually be referred to as Aloe Vera Latex. This Latex, or “juice”, is an excellent health tonic. It provides hydration, helps blood sugar levels, is packed with amazing amounts of nutrients and helps to keep us regular.
And that final statement is the problem.
Aloe Vera Latex, found in the juice, is a very powerful laxative. For many people who suffer wth IBD using any form of laxative would be unwise and may cause symptoms to worsen.
PinThis is particularly true for sufferers of IBDs such as Ulcerative Colitis, due to IBDs targeting the bowel and the bowel being the target zone for laxatives.
IBD is an inflammation that occurs only within the bowel and taking a laxative would cause further inflammation and pain.
The impact of Aloe Latex and Juice is different for those with Crohn’s.
Crohn’s is also internalised inflammation. However the inflammation is not restricted to the bowel and can be located anywhere, literally from just inside the mouth to just before the anus.
Aloe Vera Gel on the other hand contains no latex and so will not cause further irritation to the bowel and digestive tract.
Specific details, outcomes of research and the published Clinical Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral aloe vera gel for active ulcerative colitis in the Oxford Academic Journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Volume 10, Issue 5, 1 September 2004, Pages 693–695.
Langmead L, Feakins RM, Goldthorpe S, Holt H, Tsironi E, De Silva A, Jewell DP, Rampton DS
And now let us move our attention to how we can harness the humble Aloe to enhance the healthy quality and natural beauty of our skin, hair and much more.
Discover how to harvest your own Aloe for simple, natural anti-aging remedies and skin hygiene gels that offer both skin brightening and under eye whitening treatments.
7 Amazing Benefits Of Aloe Vera Skin Care.
How can we use Aloe Vera For Skin Care, Health and Beauty:
- Anti Ageing Remedies To Reduce Fine Lines and Blemishes;
- Under Eye Treatments For Dark Circles, Fine Lines and Wrinkles;
- Vitamin C based Skin Brightening Serum
- Chemical Free Skin Cleanser and Toner – Removes MakeUp and Daily Grime;
- Natural Skin Hygiene Remedies – deodorant, shave gel, antibacterials.
As shown above, there are options available that enable you to purchase high quality Aloe Vera Gel. Buying it is a lot easier than harvesting, albeit not as much fun!
Buying Aloe Gel is a great option so long as you are confident:
- it was harvested fresh and not reconstituted from powder;
- it is Pure Gel, and not a mix of Gel, Juice and Latex;
- no artificial additives, preservatives or fillers and perfumes have been added.
I should point out that preservatives if from a natural source are Ok. An example is Vitamin E is often added to lengthen lifespan. If that is the case its all good!
To try to make this process a little easier you will see 3 Aloe Vera Products are featured. They are my recommendations. The brands supplying are reputable, well established, and their Gel is as pure as possible.
Even when we harvest our own gel, it is near impossible to avoid getting a little juice and latex contamination. So no need to worry!
I do recommend you harvest your own at least once, even if only so you can experience the difference. Immediately fresh Aloe is incredible! However, if like me, you don’t have a big backyard bursting with Aloe the Gels mentioned are those that I have, and continue, to use.
How To Harvest Your Own Aloe Vera Extract.
The first step required is to gain access to Aloe Vera Plants!
If you are using friends or families gardens as a source of Gel, make sure they know the harvesting will not harm the plant. It is actually beneficial as it creates space for new growth.
Harvesting is done by removing the outmost, oldest leaves. This helps our Aloe because it triggers the plants requirement for generation of new and healthier growth.
So when ready start your harvest. Ensure you only remove the older fatter leaves from the outside of the Aloe Vera plant. A good rule is to remove no more than 1 leaf for every 5 that remain on the plant
Bigger plants are easiest to harvest by gripping the selected leaf as close as possible to the base and root. Then gently but firmly pull the leaf towards you and twist. The older leaves come away from the base easily.
If this proves difficult use a sharp knife and slice as close to the root as possible, being careful not to damage other leaves that will keep the plant alive!
Note: Ensure you take care when harvesting Aloe leaves. On older and larger plants the spines along the edge become hard, sharp and unforgiving.
Once harvested we need to extract the gel from the leaves. Use a small, sharp knife to first slice away the thorny edges. Then carefully slice up the middle of the leaf.
This will produce two long strips with the cut having exposed the large fleshy interior containing the aloe gel.
PinPlace the Aloe slices onto a flat surface, with the cut edge facing upward. You will notice the cut may be loosing liquid and in some varieties a milky juice like substance.
Don’t worry, what is being lost is the juice and the latex. For todays remedies we only want the gel which is actually quite solid and requires removal.
The easiest way, depending on the size of leaf, is to use a teaspoon, or dessert spoon, and gently scrape the gel out. You will see a moist, transparent gel detaching. You may need to repeat more than once per leaf.
Again this depends how big the leaf is. Take care to only scrape out the clear gel. If your later scoops contain green threads do not use. The threads are part of the thick exterior skin and produce latex.
Likewise if the scoop becomes milky rather than transparent discard. This is the juice and latex layer that is found between the skin and the the gel. While this may sound complicated on paper, it is not and you’ll find it easy to spot when doing it.
Finally place all your gel into a clean and airtight container. Don’t panic if there is a little skin or juice in the gel. It would require 20% volume before it posed any problem.
Keep your pulp in the fridge! And now to the remedies and benefits of Aloe Vera Skin Care!
PinBenefit 1 – Use Your Aloe Vera As An Anti-Aging Remedy.
Anti-ageing is a common concern for both men and women of al ages and of all nationalities. The first sign is often the formation of tiny wrinkles around the eyes and lips and the gradually enlarging pores.
If seen, they seem to send us signals of our own mortality.
Some of us find the process of naturally growing older perfectly acceptable. Others do not. This starts a seeking of how to halt or slow the process.
Regardless of our personal feelings and viewpoints on gracefully ageing, there are things we can do that help to preserve a youthful glow and lessen the stress.
I am sure that we are all aware that we have to take care when choosing products to treat the ageing process. Many store bought creams and lotions may contain ingredients that actually do more harm than good.
Many products contain a large percentage of cheap chemical fillers and these, over time, damage the structure and beauty of our skin.
It is therefore not surprising that more and more of us prefer using natural remedies and products.
Great news! Because the benefits of Aloe Vera Skin Care are the wonderfully natural levels of hydration and anti ageing properties it contains.
Benefit 2 – Under Eye Treatments.
Visit any store or pharmacy and you see hundreds of bottles of lotions and creams. All of them claiming to hold the answer to saggy bags under the eye, dark circles, and those pesky fine lines and wrinkles.
These products are purported to boost our natural levels of retinol and as a result helping to elasticise and tighten skin.
More good news. Stop . Put away the credit card. Walk away. From today you will save a fortune. The benefits of Aloe Vera Skin Care is that this fabulous succulent will take care of this for us.
Using some pure aloe vera gel, or a leaf you have freshly sliced, gently massage the gel into the areas under and around your eyes.
Gently blend the gel into the areas concerned, as you would with those creams you no longer need. Allow any remaining Aloe liquid to absorb.
You can apply twice a day if you wish as well as using it as a base to apply your makeup on top of. You will feel your skin respond with a firming and tightening leaving it looking beautifully hydrated.
PinBenefit 3 – Skin Brightening.
An ever popular form of anti-ageing products are the serums, and in particular, Vitamin C based serums.
They are designed to be applied to the face directly after cleansing. Some moisturizers also have a few drops of these supposedly magical serums added to them.
Again, like creams, the problem we face is not knowing what other additives are in the products. Now no worries, because you can avoid all that expenditure. The benefits of Aloe Vera Skin Care are the properties that make it a natural alternative.
You can combine Aloe with essential oils to make your own Aloe Vera Gel serum.
- 40ml Spring Water
- 30ml Aloe Vera Gel
- 4 Drops Orange Essential Oil
- 4 Drops Lemon Essential Oil
- 6 Drops Witch Hazel Extract
Throw out those store bought serums. Use the Aloe serum twice a day. The citrus oils provide the required Vitamin C as well as promoting the skins natural production of collagen.
The Witch Hazel and Aloe Vera Gel preserves elasticity, add hydration and maintains moisture to tighten, tone and firm your skin.
You will soon see dull areas of skin becoming visibly brighter.
Benefit 4 – Make Up Remover.
We all know that make-up remover is just a harsh chemical mix. While the chemicals are effective at removing make up, they also remove all moisture and needed oils causing dry and lacklustre skin.
This often leads to early onset of enlarged pores, red patches and other skin issues.
You can avoid this. The properties in our Aloe make it an effective yet gentle cleanser. Another of the benefits of aloe vera skin care.
All that is needed is to add aloe vera gel and coconut oil into a mixing bowl. Use a ratio of 1:1 or if easier equal amounts of each. Then whip your mix with a hand held mixer.
Keep whipping until the coconut oil has formed a mixture of light, fluffy and aerated cream. Spoon into a clean jar with an airtight lid.
You can use this daily for removing makeup, as a facial cleanser and even as a natural replacement for your other moisturizers. This wonderful blend of coconut and aloe helps reduce pore size and combats dryness and red patches by replacing lost oils and moisture.
PinBenefit 5 – Aloe Vera Skin Care & Hygiene.
Did you know that poor skin hygiene can lead to developing other more severe illnesses and health conditions.
One of the benefits of aloe vera skin care products is the ease of application. Aloe contains a massive number of benefits that optimise our overall health and vitality.
When we use Aloe Vera Gel rather than toxic cleansers and products filled with chemical additives we gain a massive anti-ageing bonus. We are in essence achieving optimal skin hygiene.
This means that we are able to cleanse our skin in a way that removes foreign bodies and pollutants without also stripping away our skins natural defence systems.
Aloe Vera Gel is easy to use. It rehydrates and rebalances moisture levels and contains an enormous number of properties known to improve health.
In fact ResearchGate contains 22 different scientific studies and clinical testing on the properties of Aloe Vera. These studies indicate that the humble Aloe promotes rapid wound healing and aids in relieving pain. The Aloe Vera Gel has antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing properties.
Other studies claim that results suggest the Aloe prevents the development of certain cancers and enhances our immunity.
So Aloe Vera will most definitely eliminate dry skin and cracking, but it is much more than a moisturizer. Used regularly Aloe Vera Gel will help clear skin rash, will boost healing and prevent the development of further skin sores and infections.
PinBenefit 6 – Shaving Cream Alternative.
Part of a healthy and regular skin care regime, is shaving. Shaving is not merely an act of vanity or grooming. It actually helps us maintain healthier skin as it acts as a form of exfoliation and deep cleansing.
We includes Women and Men and areas often include legs, under arms, chest as well as the face.
While the act of shaving helps maintain a healthy skin, the methods we choose and the regularity may not benefit us all. If using store bought shaving lotions or creams, we unwittingly expose our skin to excessive cleaning.
This leads to loss of hydration, removal of essential oils and our skin may become patchy, red and dry.
Additionally, store bought lotions often contain perfume which can irritate the skin. For some, the addition of fragrance causes a reaction with our body chemistry. The result is an increase and escalation of body odour.
The benefits of Aloe Vera Body Care is that we are able to avoid all of these issues. Simply by replacing the lotions and creams with an Aloe Vera Gel you reduce any potential harm to your skin.
Mix Aloe Vera Gel with Coconut oil and you have a luxurious and skin loving shaving lotion and cream.
Benefit 7 – Deodorant And Anti-Perspirant Alternative.
An increasing number of people are choosing not to use store bought deodorants. This is often due to the addition of harsh chemicals which result in irritation of the skin or developing a painful rash.
No one need suffer chemical burns from a deodorant. All that is required is is a product that prevents bacterial growth. This bacteria is responsible for any offensive body odour.
Another of the benefits of Aloe Vera skin care is the antibacterial properties found in the gel.
You can apply Aloe Vera Gel as a deodorant without needing to add any other ingredient. Alternatively you are able to make a fantastic and natural deodorant cream.
Mix together 3 Tablespoons of Aloe Vera Gel and 3 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil. Finally add 1 or 2 drops of Tea Tree oil.
It is claimed that Aloe Vera may even be effective for treating hair loss.
By using some, or all of these methods, you make the most of the benefits of Aloe Vera Skin Care. You are able to maintain excellent skin hygiene and health, fight the early signs of ageing and feel more confident.
And all at a fraction of your current costs!
If you do try any of the Aloe Vera natural remedies I would love to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment below or contact me directly using our contact form.
