Aloe vera is widely regarded as one of the best things Mother Nature gave us. There are hundreds of different plants in the aloe vera family, but the one people usually use is called aloe barbadensis Miller.
This succulent herb is indigenous to Africa, and its green leaves are packed with a clear, soothing gel. If you struggle with anything from sunburns to acne to aging, keep reading to find out why this tried-and-tested organic ingredient is in a ton of skincare products, from serums to masks. It’s time you found out why you need it in your life.
It Heals Sunburns
We’re sure you’ve heard that aloe vera is magic at healing sunburns faster, and is the perfect remedy to take away the sting. While we’ll never stop saying how important it is to wear sunscreen, we know that accidents happen. You forget the sunscreen, and now you’re dealing with an itchy, painful burn?
Aloe vera provides a cooling sensation for your damaged skin and helps the skin cells underneath the burn to grow faster. That way, your skin will quickly shed the burned skin cells, revealing the new, fresh skin underneath.
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It Helps with Acne
Acne is a chronic skin disease that affects people all over the world. Just about everybody gets a zit or two at some point, but folks with acne experience frequent, repeated zits, sometimes in the same locations. Extreme acne can also require pharmaceutical medication, such as antibiotics.
The mouth and jaw region is one of the most prevalent areas to develop acne, and no one wants it to come back when it finally goes away.
Luckily, aloe vera soothes your skin during a breakout and keeps pimples from popping back into existence. Aloe is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties that make it one of the best products in skincare.
The hormones auxin and gibberellins reduce redness and swelling. And that’s not all. They also promote skin cell growth underneath, which speeds up the healing process. Better yet, you don’t have to worry about scars.
Applying aloe vera on a swollen pimple reduces soreness and aid healing. It’s a way better idea than popping it yourself. Plus, if acne treatments are leaving your skin dry and painful, a product with aloe vera is super soothing without being oily or encouraging more zits to come your way.
It Helps Wounds Heal
Aloe vera helps the skin knit itself back together after a wound has already begun to close, so wait until the healing process has already started, rather than using it on an open cut for max results. This reduces the amount of scarring during the healing process.
By promoting new skin growth, aloe vera also reduces the pain you’re in while the wound is healing. Normally, you might be tempted to pick at a scab, but if you smear on some aloe vera instead and then cover it with a bandage, it will soothe the itchiness and make it easier to ignore until it’s fully healed.
It Brightens Your Smile
Aloe vera is pretty versatile. Another one of its many benefits is that manufacturers mix aloe vera with toothpaste to give you a healthier, brighter smile. Some toothpaste companies already sell products with aloe in them.
Although aloe vera doesn’t whiten your teeth, it reduces the plaque and other types of bacteria in your mouth that give you bad breath or lead to gum infections. So, if you want the thousand-watt smile of a movie star, give aloe vera a chance.
Fades Dark Marks
Aloe vera includes aloin, a powerful depigmenting agent that perks up the skin. Dermatologists also observed that when aloe was applied, the dark acne scars from healed pimples vanished.
This is because aloe vera includes components like acemannan that inhibit redness and swelling. Plus, it will stop these blemishes from forming in the first place. Aloe vera gel blocks tyrosinase, an enzyme that can be blamed for the dark spots, effectively preventing UV-induced hyperpigmentation. According to skincare specialists, this function helps avoid dark spots.
Improves Signs of Aging
As if that’s not enough, aloe vera also improves signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles. It improves collagen development in the skin, minimizing wrinkles and encouraging younger-looking skin by increasing your skin elasticity.
Aloe also has a variety of antioxidants, like beta carotene, vitamin C, and E, which strengthen the skin’s suppleness and keep it moisturized.
How to Use Aloe Vera
The most concentrated type of aloe vera comes directly from the plant. If you cook a lot and deal with minor burns (or are just accident-prone), consider getting an aloe plant to keep in your home.
Alternatively, find skincare products with a bit of aloe vera in them for daily use. Keeping your skin moisturized and exposed to the natural collagen-stimulating aspects of aloe vera is a fantastic way to unveil your inner glow.
Right From The Plant
Some people like to grow aloe vera in their own homes, both for the aesthetic appeal and the wide range of uses. This is great for the occasional cut, scrape, and minor burn that benefit greatly from a dab of aloe.
Aloe vera is a succulent plant, so you don’t need to water it very often, maybe only once a week. Just make sure that it gets plenty of sunlight—approximately six to eight hours. When you want to use aloe vera, simply break off a leaf and wait for the gooey mixture to bleed out of the side. That is the magic aloe vera that you need.
After harvesting a few leaves, wait a week or two before taking another. If you harvest too much at once, the plant may have trouble coming back from the loss. Make sure you take the gel from the base of the leaves since that’s where most of the nutrients are stored.
Concentrated Gels
If you don’t want the hassle of a whole plant, aloe vera gels are available relatively cheaply. This gel is often green or blue, although aloe vera is clear when you harvest it straight from the plant. These gels often also include other ingredients to promote new skin growth and help your burn or cut heal faster.
Almost every drug store offers some kind of lotion, gel, or ointment with a high concentration of aloe vera. It won’t be as potent as getting it straight from the plant, but typically over-the-counter options have enough to provide pain relief and reduce the swelling or redness.
Masks On!
If you’re fighting acne, scars, or discoloration, add aloe vera to your range of skincare items. Many dermatologists suggest using a face mask containing aloe vera for better skin tone, moisture replenishment, and more.
The best part is that aloe vera is gentler than most traditional acne cleansers and treatments. Many people have sensitive skin, and cleansers that are tough on facial oil are effective but often leave you with dry, cracked skin that is red and achy.
Looking for a great alternative? Try our clay mask if you want to discover the true inner beauty of your skin. This multitasking wonder includes aloe vera and a powerhouse collection of established organic ingredients for fading dark spots, including Turmeric, Vitamin C, and Australian Yellow Clay.
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Get Your Glow On
Some say that aloe vera is magic in a leaf. It’s the wonderchild of the skincare industry for all the ways it improves the appearance of your skin. If you haven’t used aloe vera before on your face, now is definitely the time to start. Get your glow on today with the power of aloe vera!
Sources
Aloe vera for Face: 10 Benefits, Side Effects, and More | Healthline
The Review on Properties of Aloe vera in Healing of Cutaneous Wounds | Biomed Research International
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