One of the most natural and effective beauty products comes straight from Mother Nature: Aloe vera! I purchased my aloe vera plant about one year ago, and it has absolutely flourished and its gel is now a part of my daily regime. I’m going to share basic aloe plant care and harvesting tips, as well as beauty uses for your aloe vera gel.

My aloe plant last year. It's double that size now!

Aloe vera care:

• Aloe plants naturally grow in warmer climates like the Mediterranean and Africa. I kept my aloe plant outside on the deck this summer in temperatures in the 80s and 90s, and it grew like crazy. Now that temperatures are cooling off, I brought my plant inside, but I read online that their temperature range is a low of 50 degrees to a high of 120 degrees.
• Aloe vera plants like sunlight. If your plant is inside, make sure it’s in a window that gets a lot of light, such as an east or south-facing window. That said, if you keep your aloe plant outside, very harsh light can make its leaves turn brown.
• Aloe plants don’t need too much water. Every other week I give my aloe plant 2 cups of water. An aloe plant’s soil must dry out before you water it again, and it should never sit in a pool of water.
• Every so often, I give my aloe plant food. I simply follow the instructions on the package for container plants.
• As for a pot, make sure your aloe plant’s pot has drainage holes at the bottom. You should re-pot your aloe plant when it becomes too top-heavy for its current pot. I use a cactus soil mix, and my aloe seems to love it.
• Really, aloe pants do best when they’re neglected a little bit. You’re more likely to kill an aloe plant by over watering and overfeeding it, instead of forgetting to water it.
• NOTE — According to the ASPCA, aloe is toxic to cats and dogs and can cause “vomiting, depression, diarrhea, anorexia, tremors, and change in urine color.” So, keep your aloe plant out of your pets’ reach. If this is impossible, you can purchase large aloe leaves from most big grocery stores that you can harvest per the directions below.

How to harvest aloe vera:

• You will do your aloe vera plant no harm by harvesting its leaves — it will heal itself by sealing within a few hours (this is representative of its skin-healing properties!). It will also kill bacteria that enters the plant while it’s healing due to it’s antibacterial nature. Although, it will not survive if you cut all its leaves off at once.
• To harvest, cut a leave that’s thick and green. Cut leaves closest to the ground first, as these are the oldest and most potent. Turn it over so the sap drains out — the gel won’t fall out.
• Getting to the gel is kind of like filleting a fish. Using a cutting board, take a knife and slice off the thick skin on top. Work from the thick end to the thin. Then, cut the sides of the leaves off.
• The gel should be left sitting on the bottom portion of the leaf. Slice the gel away from the bottom skin.
• You should be able to pick up the gel now to use for many purposes! Store what you don’t use in an airtight container in your refrigerator to use as you need.

Beauty uses for aloe vera:

• Instead of cutting your aloe plant fillet-style, cut off a portion horizontally (skin and all) and use this for a great shower body rub.
• Rub harvested gel right on your skin for treatment of burns, acne, razor burn, rosacea, bruises, insect bites, rashes, fungal infections, wrinkles, stretch marks, etc. etc. etc. Really, you can use aloe on any skin ailment you can think of.
• Make a foot mask with your aloe:

1. Mix 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 corn meal, 4 tablespoons aloe vera gel, and 1/2 cup unscented body lotion.
2. Apply the paste to your feet and rub for very soft feet! (I got this recipe from All4naturalhealth)

• Instead of buying an expensive scrub, why not make an exfoliating and hydrating scrub with your aloe gel?

1. Simply combine 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel.
2. Rub the mixture on your skin in a circular motion. Rinse with warm water, but make your final rinse with cold water.
3. Apply moisturizer. (This one is from natural-homeremedies-for-life)

• Rumor has it that massaging aloe vera gel into your scalp and letting it set for 30 minutes encourages hair growth.

• If you have waterproof eye makeup that just won’t wash away, you guessed it — use aloe vera gel to remove it.

These uses are seriously the tip of the iceberg. I’ve gotten a lot of my aloe inspiration from this article: 40 Amazing Uses for Aloe Vera. Have questions about aloe care? Comment below, and I’ll answer to the best of my knowledge!

Guest blog post by Sarah Beckman, editor at Affordable Style where she writes about choosing the perfect pair of reading glasses and eye health. Her apartment is full of house plants, but aloe vera is her fave.

Sarah Beckman

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