Ahhh, aloe vera, this one ingredient alone is responsible for so much wonderful stuff.
Not everybody knows this, but it’s perfectly ok to use aloe vera on your face, and even, on your hair. Actually, it’s a bit of a natural wonder product.
And the beauty of it is, it’s available in all sorts of different forms, as a gel, juice, cream, tablets. Some people also recommend you use it directly from its natural source, the aloe vera plant.
What is aloe vera?
Aloe vera is a plant that’s renowned for having soothing properties. They’re perennial succulents that look a bit cactus-like and are native to Africa, and were referred to by the Egyptian as a ‘plant of immortality.’1
All in all, there are thought to be as many as 360 different species of aloe, which has been used for hundreds-upon-thousands of years
Two parts of the plant tend to be used these days. The first, is the clear gel that’s inside the leaves. It can either be taken directly from the plant or be put inside liquid or capsules and taken orally.
The second part is something that’s called aloe latex. This is the yellow pulp that’s just under the outer part of the leaves. It’s believed to have laxative properties and is taken orally to help with constipation.2
7 top benefits of aloe vera for skin and aloe vera for hair
Now that we’ve briefly covered the back story of aloe and the aloe vera plant, let’s focus on what you came here for, the advantages of using aloe vera gel for face or aloe vera gel for hair. You’ll be pleased to hear, there are a few of them:
Aloe vera skin benefits:
Benefit 1: Soothing
You can apply aloe vera gel to delicate skin as much as up to three times a day. The gel has a cooling and calming effect, as well as moisturises the area, helping keep the skin supple in the process.
Benefit 2: Cooling
Thanks to the cooling properties of aloe vera gel, it can help cool down skin exposed to the sun and replenish some of the moisture that’s been lost. However, it’s important to flag here, that it cannot prevent sunburn, only an SPF can do that by providing a protective barrier from the sun’s rays.1
Benefit 3: Moisturising
We’ve briefly touched on aloe vera’s moisturising abilities in points 2 and 3. But it doesn’t just have to be used as a moisturiser for burnt skin, it can be used generally as a moisturiser too. Apply it to your skin after bathing to help lock in its moisture.4
Benefit 4: Preventing fine lines
Come to think of it, there’s also another benefit associated with aloe vera’s moisturising qualities. Some research has found that aloe vera gel may help reduce the signs of fine lines and wrinkles by helping the skin retain moisture and boosting overall skin appearance. This, in turn, can help slow down the formation of wrinkles and fine lines.5
Aloe vera hair benefits:
Benefit 5: Cleaning hair
Aloe vera can be used to give hair a real good clean. It works by stripping hair shafts of any extra oil and residue from any hair products that may have been left behind and built up over time. Aloe vera is a natural ingredient that isn’t too harsh. It can actually repair hair, more on this below…6
Benefit 6: Aid hair strength
Just when you thought aloe vera couldn’t get more impressive, we tell you this – it can help to strengthen hair strands! The reason? It contains Vitamins A, C and E, which can lead to healthy, shiny locks.7
Benefit 7: Aid hair growth
It’s not a magic hair growth potion, but it can, as we’ve just mentioned, help cleanse and condition hair, which can make it less prone to breaking and falling out.8
Top 3 aloe vera products for face and hair
Customer rating: 4.7 stars
Customer review: ‘Always use this and it cleans brilliantly as well smells lovely’ – Miss Puttick
Customer rating: 4.5 stars
Customer review: ‘I’ve been using aloe vera gel as a base underneath my moisturiser for years, and have a lot of compliments about my skin! It sinks in though the epidermis.’ – Somersetsiren.
Customer rating: 4.3 stars
Customer review: ‘This is my go-to shampoo, it leaves my hair and scalp feeling clean and light. I have a very sensitive scalp and many products irritate it. This one is so soothing and calming, I wouldn’t change it for anything else.’ – Serenko.
Last updated: 23 December 2020
Sources
1 https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/aloe-vera-benefits-risks-uses-more/
2 https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/diet/aloe-vera-benefits-risks-uses-more/
3 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/aloe-vera-for-face#benefits
4 https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/aloe-vera-for-face#benefits
5 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318591#skin-health
6 https://www.healthline.com/health/aloe-vera-for-hair#benefits-for-hair
7 https://www.healthline.com/health/aloe-vera-for-hair#benefits-for-hair
8 https://www.healthline.com/health/aloe-vera-for-hair#benefits-for-hair
