10 Great Aloe Vera Benefits You Can Reap Right Now

Aloe Vera is a versatile succulent. Not only is it highly decorative and there are as many kinds as grains of sand, but it also has medicinal properties. Sure, you can find Aloe juice and gel in stores, but the most effective one is the one you grow yourself! Make sure it is pure Aloe Vera, and not crossed with something else before using it, though! For that, it’s best you buy a pup from a specialized store rather than get one from a friend.

You also need to take care of your Aloe, and know how to harvest it, too! Have a look at our guide to everything Aloe, or check out the super-short version below. To harvest Aloe for its juice or gel, cut off lower and middle leaves an inch away from the stem, as you would for propagation, then slice the leaves lengthwise. Use a spoon or the side of a glass to separate the clear gel from the green outside and use it immediately!

1. For your skin

Aloe Vera gel can be very moisturizing and it can help promote skin health. Fresh Aloe has antibacterial properties as well as a cooling effect to it. This makes it a great after-shower body cream for hot summer days. It keeps your skin soft and smooth and looking fresh and young.

2. For your hair

You can use the gel as a hair mask before washing your hair to feed your hair the softness and hydration the plant can provide. Alternatively, you can keep the gel in a container and use it as a natural alternative to hair gel. When it dries out, the stickiness of it will keep your hair in place without caking it. Besides, you will escape the itchiness that hairspray inevitably brings as well as the heaviness of hair wax.

3. For your face

The antibacterial properties of Aloe gel make is a great anti-acne product. It helps dry out spots and moisturizes and smooths the surface of the skin. And even if you don’t have acne anymore, you can still use it as a primer to go under your foundation. It’s all-natural and it doesn’t cake on the face as other products might do.

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4. Aloe Vera benefits for digestion

You can use the gel and make it into a juice. Because Aloe is very bitter, it’s best if you mix it with other fruit in a blender, as well as water, but you can have it as it is as well. The gel is a mild laxative so it can help with this kind of problem, and it is also just as soothing on the inside as it is on the skin, so it helps with heartburn. And as a bonus, Aloe juice is better than even milk at soothing your burned mouth after eating something very spicy!

5. Anti-aging

The antioxidants in the Aloe juice are great at countering free radicals, which age your system and your body faster than normal. Include Aloe in your juices and smoothies for some smooth texture to them but also to get a dose of antioxidants. Don’t overuse it though, as Aloe can be a laxative and too much of it can lead to unpleasant consequences.

6. For nutrition

Aloe gel is rich in vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, like most greens, but also selenium, calcium, zinc, and many of the vitamins in a multivitamin pill. Talk to your doctor before using Aloe as a supplement though. Remember that before eating Aloe, you should slice the leaves’ surface and soak them in water for about 10 minutes to remove the latex on the inside of the leaf.

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7. Aloe Vera benefits for rashes

Aloe gel can help heal rashes and minor cuts on all areas of the body. The gel calms irritations and helps fill the microcracks that come from dry, scratched skin. This helps to heal the skin and prevents itchiness from coming back again. This also works for allergies, as long as the allergy is not to the Aloe Vera itself.

8. For sunburn

Some of the first commercial uses for Aloe Vera was as an after-sun relief gel. It provides cool, moisturizing care to tight skin, especially after a long day in the sun. It also calms itchiness and redness, making it easier for the skin to heal, both because of the gel’s own healing properties and because it keeps you from scratching the burnt area.

9. Aloe Vera benefits for burns

In tune with sunburns, Aloe Vera also relieves heat burns, using the same properties. This time though, on top of the calming effects it has, it also creates a protective film on the surface, that keeps other substances, like dust or even plain air, from touching the sensitive area. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties promote healing and help prevent infections. Only use Aloe on small, superficial burns. See a doctor for deep, blistery burns or that cover a large area!

10. For mouth sores

Sooner or later we all get a mouth sore or two. Clear them away faster and easier with nothing but Aloe paste. Extract the gel as you would for eating or for juice, cleaning away the latex, then blend it to get a thick liquid. Swish it in your mouth every evening after brushing your teeth and let it sit the whole night. You can use it during the day as well to get immediate relief, but for healing it works best overnight.

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