Aloe Vera is part of the cacti family which is known to be a succulent plant whose leaf sap contains several beneficial properties.

It is known for its soothing effects on the skin for which it is widely used for treating rashes and burns as well as for dry skin and other skin infections.

It forms part of most natural ingredient based skin creams and other topical applications.

It is possible to make a fresh gel from the sap of the aloe vera leaves.

How to Source Aloe Vera Gel

It is true that the gel comes in packages and can be obtained in departmental stores, medicine stores, and other places. However, it is also possible to gain the benefits of fresh aloe vera gel by directly obtaining it from the sap of the leaves of the plant.

  1. Things Required to Harvest Gel from Aloe Vera Plant

Once you have decided to harvest the gel from the leaves of the plant, you need to have some things ready at hand.

  • A fresh aloe vera leaf,
  • A knife to cut the leaf,
  • An airtight, clean container to store the gel,
  • A few drops of essential oil,
  • Clean bowl,
  • A blender,
  • A spoon.

The leaves of the plant are long, have serrated edges and are slightly curved. The plant is sold in most ‘plant stores’ or can be found in most gardens.

  1. Preparing the Leaf

  • Take a long leaf of the plant and cut it into eight sections.
  • Take the knife and remove the ragged edges. This will make it easier to get the gel out of the aloe vera leaf.

  1. Cutting the Leaf

  • Long and lengthwise incisions need to be made in the middle part of the leaf. This will help peel off the skin of the leaf.
  • Place knife under the rind and had positioned it so, slide the knife along the entire length of the leaf; this will help to pull off the skin.
  • Stay close to leaf skin and it would help get out much of the gel. The same process needs to be repeated for the other skins half of the leaf.

  1. Removing the Leaf Sap

  • Once the skin has been slit and opened, the leaf sap or pulp can be extracted. With the spoon take out scoops of the pulp and add them to the bowl. Collect as much of the pulp as possible in this manner.
  • There is a yellowish part that needs to be avoided as it includes toxins. All of the pulp should now be in the bowl.

  1. Add Drops of Essential Oil to the Pulp

To preserve as well as enhance the healing properties of aloe vera, add in few drops of any essential oil or vitamin C powder, grapefruit seed extract or vitamin E. These can help to preserve the gel for longer as well.

  1. Blend the Sap

Put the pulp mixture in a blender and run it at high speed for about thirty seconds. This will help to get a smooth paste or gel.

  1. Preserve in an Airtight Container

Pour the gel into an airtight container and keep under refrigerated conditions. Homemade aloe vera gel will remain fresh for about a week.

Different Uses

When the gel is fresh it is best to put it to different uses. If you are suffering from rashes, burns or any other skin condition, making this gel at home and applying it daily would be beneficial.

  1. Relief from Sunburns

This is a natural remedy that can help to bring relief to sunburns. You can also add it to sunscreens and benefit from its healing and antioxidant properties.

  1. Hand Sanitizers

You can create your own natural hand sanitizer with aloe vera gel.

  1. Relief Spray for Postpartum Symptoms

Those people who are healing from such a condition can use aloe vera gel daily on their stretch marks.

  1. Anti-Itch Relief

If you have irritated and dry skin conditions, use this gel to apply on the affected area and get relief.

  1. In Beauty Treatments

Whether you make your own home beauty bars, scrubs, lotions, adding this gel would be an essential and beneficial element to make such products good for your skin.

The above steps and uses will help you make aloe vera gel easily and use it in different ways for your own and your family’s health and hygiene.

How do you preserve fresh aloe vera gel?

Storage directions

Prepared aloe vera gel without added vitamin C or E can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. However, adding one or both of the vitamins significantly increases the shelf life to up to 2 months in the refrigerator.

What ingredients are in aloe vera gel?

Active components with its properties: Aloe vera contains 75 potentially active constituents: vitamins, enzymes, minerals, sugars, lignin, saponins, salicylic acids and amino acids. Vitamins: It contains vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, which are antioxidants. It also contains vitamin B12, folic acid, and choline.

How do you make good aloe vera?

How can I use aloe vera on my face?

By purchasing pure aloe vera and applying it generously to your face in place of a cleanser, you’ll be boosting the blood flow in your skin and killing off harmful bacteria. You can also spot-treat your acne breakout areas, leave the aloe on overnight, and wash it off in the morning to reduce redness and irritation.

What happens if you use aloe vera on your face everyday?

Can we apply aloe vera on face daily?

Aloe vera is a common household plant known for its skin healing properties. Using aloe vera on the face can help moisturize skin. Regularly applying a small amount of aloe vera to the face can help treat various skin conditions, including acne, eczema, and sunburn.

Can aloe vera darken skin?

What are the side effects of aloe vera?

For best results, apply aloe vera gel twice daily to the affected area of skin.

Can aloe vera remove dark circles?

While there’s little scientific evidence that aloe vera can reduce the appearance of hyperpigmented areas of skin, many people report that it works to lighten dark spots. What’s more, aloe vera is unlikely to cause side effects and is considered healthy for the skin.

How can I get rid of dark circles in 3 days?

Common side effects of aloe include:
  • blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
  • Burning and itching of the skin (infrequent)
  • Stomach pain and cramps (high doses)
  • Diarrhea, kidney problems, blood in the urine, low potassium, muscle weakness, weight loss, and heart disturbances (long-term use at high doses)
  • Liver problems (rare)

Do dark circles go away?

Aloe vera gel: Aloe vera gel works like magic for nearly all skin problems. If you find it soothing and if it works perfectly well for your skin type, apply aloe vera gel under your eyes and leave it overnight. It may be effective in naturally reducing dark circles.

Can Vaseline remove dark circles?

Outlook. For many people, dark circles are temporary and are often an indication of aging or lack of sleep. Though there are a number of at-home and medical treatments available to improve the appearance of your eyes, dark circles are typically no cause for alarm.

How can I get rid of dark circles in 2 days?

How to use aloe vera for dark circles. To improve skin hydration and the appearance of dark circles, you can apply aloe vera gel to your skin daily and leave it on overnight. You can also mix it with other ingredients like lemon juice, honey, or rose water.

How can I remove dark circles permanently?

Vaseline: Yes, Vaseline, too can be used to lighten and get rid of dark circles. Add a drop of lemon juice to Vaseline, and apply under the eye. Let it sit there for about 45 minutes, and then gently rinse with cold water.

How can I remove dark spots at home naturally?

You will need 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of rose water.
  1. Mix the two ingredients together.
  2. Take a cotton ball and apply the mixture under your eyes.
  3. Let the mixture dry. Once it has dried out, rinse it off with cold water.
  4. Quite soon you will see the dark circles lightening under your eyes before your D-day.