Aloe Vera for Your Skin.

Nature's skincare gel

Aloe Vera is famous for its beneficial effect to the skin. Great Egyptian beauties are said to have bathed in the juice derived from its pulp to keep their skin beautiful in spite of the harsh sun.

The plant looks like cactus. It has spiky succulent leaves growing from the base. It does not need too much water. It grows easily if left in the hot sun, well drained soil and watered occasionally.

Its gel is found within the leaf. To use, cut the leaf lengthwise and take out the clear colourless pulp, carefully avoiding the yellow liquid found near the surface of the leaf. The yellow liquid is aloin, which is irritating to the skin. Aloin has its uses as a laxative. It is used medicinally for its stimulating effect on bowels. It is also a skin irritant and is not suitable for skin care.

The clear colourless pulp from the centre of the leaf is the aloe vera gel used for burns, skin care and even hair care.
 

Composition

Aloe vera gel is very complex. It contains many components, including vitamins A, B, C and E, A multitude of minerals and enzymes. It is so complex, not all of its components have been identified yet.
 

Uses

Aloe vera is an excellent remedy for burn, from cooking in the kitchen to sunburns. To use, apply liberally on the affected area. This should soothe the burn and facilitate healing.

For fairer skin, apply the gel on your skin daily.
It is a great moisturiser for oily skin as it is oil free and will not clog your pores.

It is said to be effective for acne if used daily over a period of several months.

Other uses: It can be used as a carrier for aromatherapy oils, for people who are adverse to using the usual carrier oils on their skin. I have tried it with lavender, Moroccan chamomile and rose. It works quite well when you add 1 drop of the essential oil to 1 teaspoon of the gel (I used aloe vera gels from health shops or pharmacies. Personally, I find that the best ones are those that are >99% pure organic aloe vera.)