If you are into natural remedies for beauty and health, you would have come across aloe vera several times. It is one of the ingredients in almost all skin and hair-care hacks. There are many ways to use aloe vera gel for face, hair, and the rest of your skin. But using aloe vera can be tricky. So here is a guide to help you grow, harness, and use aloe vera gel safely.
Understanding Aloe Vera
The uses and benefits of aloe vera gel are not blown out of proportion as you might imagine while reading about the list of its benefits. Aloe vera is rich in a myriad of components. It is the most naturally loaded plant. You can use aloe vera gel for skin of any type because of the range of components it is made of.
Here is a list to help you understand how it is a magic ingredient in soulful healthcare.
· Amino acids: Aloe vera has 7 out of 8 amino essential acids and 12 non-essential ones.
· Anthraquinones: It has 12 anthraquinones the derivatives of which are used for medicinal purposes.
· Enzymes: It has 8 enzymes that help heal wounds and inflammation and assist digestion.
· Hormones: It has auxin that helps heal wounds and gibberellin, a growth hormone.
· Sterols: It has 4 types of sterols that have antiseptic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
· Vitamins: It has 11 vitamins that boost healthy cell growth and metabolism, and have antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties. This is why dermatologists ardently recommend aloe vera gel for face and skin.
· Minerals: Aloe vera is full of minerals, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and zinc are only some of them.
Other than these aloe vera has essential saponins, lignins, sugars, and salicylic acid.
Growing Aloe Vera
The aloe vera gel you get at the store is not 100% natural. It uses preservatives, fragrances, and even alcohol to give a realistic cooling effect to fool you. Therefore, the question is not always how to use aloe vera on face, it is what kind of aloe vera to use. It is best to grow your aloe vera as the newest and most helpful family member.
It is easy to grow aloe vera. Below-listed facts are all you will need to remember:
· Terracotta pots are best but plastic pots will do too.
· Make sure the pot is large. If it looks too big for the plant, it is right.
· If you live in a cold country, keep it warm enough to not let it freeze as it is 95% water. If you live in a warm country, don’t put it in direct sunlight between 10:00 a.m., and 4:00 p.m.
· Water it only when the soil begins to dry.
· Make sure excess water can drip out of the planter. Accumulated water will rot the plant sooner than you can imagine.
· Rainwater is best if you will use aloe vera for face but tap water will do.
· Put natural non-toxic pesticides in the recommended ratios.
· Put one part fertilizer mixed in 5 part water once every two months during summers.
Once you have a healthy growing aloe vera plant and start using it, you will get to discover the benefits of aloe vera gel on skin, hair, and health.
Harnessing Aloe Vera
You can use aloe vera gel for almost everything related to beauty and health. It is good to apply on your skin and hair and also good to consume. If you have heard people say aloe vera makes them break out or gives them diarrhoea, they have been using it wrong. You will waste good and natural ingredients by using them the wrong way.
Here is how to use aloe vera gel the right way
You can use aloe vera gel for face no matter what kind of skin you have. What you need to keep in mind is what you mix it with. Let us look into how to use aloe vera gel for skin or face.
1] For Wounds
Aloe vera gel can be directly applied to wounds. If you have sensitive skin, you can dilute the gel in one part of water. It is good for both first degree burns and cuts. However, if the cut is deep, clean it with a dedicated antiseptic first.
2] As an Antiseptic
For skin rashes or superficial cuts, aloe vera gel alone can act as an antiseptic, thanks to the salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, lupeol, and phenols in it.
3] As a Sunscreen
The antioxidants in aloe vera gel help fight free radicals and prevent skin cancer. Though this property is not fully substantiated, aloe vera gel does help with a tan. If you have dry skin, mix honey/coconut oil and aloe vera gel in a 1:4 ratio. If you have oily skin, mix it with milk in a 1:4 ratio. Apply generously and leave it on for 20-30 minutes. Then wash it away with lukewarm or room-temperature water.
4] As an Anti-ageing Product
Aloe vera is an anti-ageing product because of three reasons –
· It is full of vitamins and antioxidants that help maintain good blood flow to the skin.
· It has hydrating agents that don’t let the skin get dull and dry.
· It has amino acids and collagen-boosting agents that prevent wrinkling by keeping the skin taut.
5] As an Anti-Inflammatory Product
Aloe vera has C-glucosyl chromone, which has anti-inflammatory properties. This not only helps reduce pain but also helps reduce inflammation of blood vessels preventing rashes. Of course, in this case, the primary benefit is getting rid of the pain and fever. But getting rid of inflammation also helps the skin appear healthy again.
6] As a Dietary Supplement
People who have low vitamins or are vegetarians can consume aloe vera gel to keep their vitamin levels up. This helps the skin appear radiant and healthy. It will be good enough to get yourself around 8 ounces of aloe vera juice per day for starters. It is the recommended upper limit although different bodies have different tolerance levels.
7] For Digestion
Poor digestion is not only uncomfortable on the tummy but also takes a toll on the skin. People suffering from chronic digestion problems can consume aloe vera gel. It reduces inflammation while the enzymes boost digestion as well as metabolism. This burns fat and keeps the blood clean. If you can stomach a little aloe vera gel every day or every alternate day, you will get healthy glowing skin all over. Also, you can control IBS with it.
8] As a Bleach
You can use aloe vera gel for the face if you are looking for natural bleach. Mix about 8 drops of lemon and a pinch of turmeric paste in a tablespoon of rosewater. Add aloe vera gel to make a consistent paste and apply it to your face and neck. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse with warm water. Follow up with an ice cube. This is used to clean the pores, tighten the skin, and lighten tan marks.
Risks of Aloe Vera Gel
If you have heard bad reviews about aloe vera gel it is most likely one of these reasons:
· The chemicals in store-bought aloe vera gel were responsible for the bad effect.
· Raw aloe vera gel was used on sensitive skin.
· The person is allergic to aloe vera gel.
· More than the recommended amount was consumed.
· Do a patch test to test for allergies.
· Don’t use it on sensitive body parts.
· Don’t use it on the face without diluting it with rose water/honey/coconut oil or whatever is suggested in a hack you choose to follow.
· Don’t consume more than 8 ounces of aloe vera gel and discontinue if it causes diarrhoea. Please listen to your own body.
· Also, only have aloe vera gel twice a week at most because prolonged consumption can be hard on the liver.
Follow these rules and you will find the best results with aloe vera gel for the face and skin.