DIY Beauty: Aloe Vera for deep cleansing
My mum used to have numerous pots of Aloe Vera in her garden when I was younger. She would cut up the leaves of the bigger plants and make juice out of them to drink. I never drank them because I found the juice yucky. In fact, I consider the gel of Aloe Vera yucky too because of the slimy feel. However, I do know the goodness of Aloe Vera for both its health and beauty benefits and used the gel quite a bit as a teenager to apply on my wounds and burns although I’ve never resorted to using it for my pimples before.
Great for rejuvenating cellular development
The reason why Aloe Vera is great for healing is because the extracts contain many active components including vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and enzymes. The gel does not only heal, but provides soothing, antibacterial and some moisturizing properties as well and hence, is widely used in cosmetics and skin preparations.
Dries up skin rashes and promotes faster healing
Anyway, I bought a large Aloe Vera leaf from the supermarket recently because I thought I could use the juice to apply on my son’s rashes. Although his rashes didn’t heal immediately, the fresh juice applied on his skin helped to relieve the itching and scabs formed quite quickly afterwards. Since it was a large leaf, I thought I could try it on my skin as well though I dislike the smell.
Drying when applied directly on the skin
The first thing I did was to apply the cut Aloe Vera flesh directly on my skin as a sort of mask after washing my face clean. I left it on for about 10 minutes before rinising off. My skin felt rather tight as the juice dried on my face; a feeling I don’t really like very much though it left my skin soft and supple afterwards.
Aloe Vera Rhassoul Clay Mask
Subsequently, I experimented by squeezing out the juice of the Aloe Vera flesh using a sieve cloth and using that as a base for my Rhassoul clay in place of distill water. I used about 1.5 teaspoon of the juice, added one teaspoon of Rhassoul clay along with 2 drops of Jojoba oil to blend into a paste which I then applied to my face and left for 10 minutes before rinising off with warm water. The result was great! My skin was not only soft, I didn’t feel any tightness at all!
Great as a base for DIY clay masks
So now I find that Aloe Vera juice or gel is great as a base for DIY clay masks because of its soothing, cleansing and balancing properties. If I am not wrong, it also has the added ability of closing pores, though I’m uncertain if there are long term permanent effects. Instead of Rhassoul clay, you can also use it with other forms of clays like Kaolin or French Green clay if you like. Basically, just use it in place of water. However, a word of caution is that Aloe Vera juice or gel when used generously isn’t very moisturizing and can be drying. Hence, always apply some drops of carrier oil to neutralize the drying effects.
Use only the clear inside fresh of Aloe Vera
Oh, before I forget – do be careful if you’re using fresh Aloe Vera juice by removing all the skin and any yellow substance around it to avoid any irritations to your skin. Use only the clear inside flesh.
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Can I leave the aloe on my face over night and rinse off in the morning? A few posts above you said to rinse after 10 minutes? Also, is it safe to apply to the eyelid and under the eye?
Thanks!
You can use aloe to moisturize after cleansing your face so it’s okay to leave overnight as long as your skin has no problem using this ingredient. Rinsing is more for using it as a mask or cleansing.
You can use Aloe vera any where in your face but don’t put inside the eye. As Aloe vera is herbal there is no need wait till next morning. wash your face after 20-25 min and see the changes in your face.
I am in love with aloe vera. I use 99% pure organic aloe vera gel, with nothing extra added. (DO NOT try the crap from the drugstore). My face is VERY VERY sensitive (every lotion I have ever tried stings), and the aloe has been wonderful! I had dry, flaky rough inflamed skin that was also oilly and had piples and blackheads. I apply a thin layer after washing my face (with a baking soda paste which you HAVE to try! go read my review!) my inflamation and redness is GONE, my rough skin is gone, my pimples are gone, and my black heads are minimal!
Yes, only go for those that are natural and not from commercial brands with additives. Pure aloe vera is good skin stuff!
I have used aloe vera in my wounds and my wounds have cured it feels cold when you applied to your face or your cuts and wounds. It is natural so it don’t have any side effects. I have planted aloevera in my gallery
Aloe Vera a really good and natural cleaner, this the plan of ancient trust. After reading this article i will do the first thing is will apply aloe Vera on my face. Thanks For interesting and useful information.
You’re welcome.
hey there,
am wondering have you tried storing your fresh aloe vera with vitamin e oil?
i had some fresh aloe vera and yesterday night i added some vitamin e oil, stored in a jar and place it in the fridge.
today i was surprise to find that the aloe vera gel is milky white in colour.
is that normal?
Cheers,
melmok
No, never tried. Hmmm…no idea why it turns milky white. Best not to use it.
hello,
was reading your post. i live in singapore. where do you get your clay from?
I used to get it from this online store but it has closed shop. Another one is http://www.milagrotrading.com/store/ but I haven’t bought from them for a long time.
OH!! AWESOME!!! THANKS!!!!
Thanks!!!! And they have the african black soap too!! as well as the unrefined shea butter.
out of curiousity, have you tried the aftican black soap before?
any reviews on it?
No, I haven’t tried the African black soap. I have been curious about it but because I don’t like soap that much and so I’ve been procrastinating about getting it.
I see.
I will be getting it. Will try it and let you know. And by the way, what is this that you do? You try ALLLLL types of stuff for your skin — and it’s okay for you? Just curious.
And your website’s just AWESOME!!!!
Yes, so far okay. I had breakouts from using mineral makeup before but otherwise ok. Anyway, I don’t try that much stuff…at least not as much as other beauty bloggers. ?
do you know aloe is good for swelling when i was young my foot was swelled because of injury. my mom brought some aloe and attached it my leg. It was really works! but i didn’t know aloe is good for skin.
Thank you!
Hello,
I am back with the african black soap thing. I’ve been using it for the past one week, together with the unrefined shea butter.
And i am not sure if i should be waiting it out, but i’ve got a few extra breakouts, which i know would not have been there if i wasn’t using the african black soap or the unrefined shea butter. i don’t know which is the one causing the breakouts.
should i wait it out — maybe its a “purging” period of my face? (need your expert advise on this). the sad thing is that i’ve been reading up on the soap and shea butter for almost 4-6mths, and because of the excellent reviews and the fact that i found it in spore (for a cheaper price), i decided to go for it. now im sooo scared, it might make my face worse.
i read up some more – and found that only few people actually broke out after using it, and after 2 weeks, it was fine.. and then i read that unrefined shea butter might be too thick for our humid weather in spore — so that might cause it as wel. im in suchhhh a dilemma.
and with regards to aloe vera, can i use it as a face moisturizer to replace the (unrefined shea butter)? if not, what is the proper way to use it?
and.. lastly,, so sorry for having such a long post: do you have any suggestions of homemade moisturizer for combination skin?
thank youu sooo much for hearing me out!!!
Why don’t you stop using the shea butter for the moment and see what happens. It is very rich for our weather here. I doubt the soap broke you out.
For Aloe Vera, you can use it like a moisturizer but my experience is, it’s not enough. So you still need to apply something over.
I have a blocked oil duct in my eye and swollen eyelids. I took the leaf and squeezed out some aloe vera gel and put it all over my eyelids. The burning stopped and the itching I pray this works I will do this all the time until this is healed. The antibiotic ointment they gave me was useless and caused my eyelids to swell more, itch and burn. I love Aloe Vera leaf!! Will put it on my face too! ?
It’s a good ingredient to use but as I mentioned, just be careful not to use those near the brown parts.
It’s also an effective remedy for hair loss and even resolve baldness. All you have to do is put an ample amount over your scalp and do it several times in a day and for about two weeks you can greatly see that your hair has totally regrow and even gains back the natural glow that it one’s lost.
Cheesa last post is: aloe vera acne treatment
Where can i get fresh aloe vera in sg? Im currently using the commercial aloe vera by jorubi n it doesnt help cure my old acne scars:(
Sometimes you can find them in the supermarket…but it’s not all the time. Just keep a lookout for them.
Loved it. My thanks for taking the time. I’ll definitely come again to read more and recommend my people about you.
Do I have to squeeze out the gel like substance inside the pulp and use it on my face? Some of the articles on use of aloe vera say that we must use the pulp but there is no gel on the outside of the pulp. Many thanks.
Use what’s inside…avoid the yellowish/brown part.