How to make aloe vera gel

The aloe vera plant is a succulent that stores water in its leaves in the form of a gel.

This gel is highly moisturizing and great for sunburns, bug bites, minor cuts or wounds, and other skin problems.

However, many store-bought aloe vera products contain potentially harmful additives like dyes.

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This article explains how to easily make aloe vera gel using fresh leaves.

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Here’s what you need to make aloe vera gel

Aloe vera gel is easy to make using either the leaves of an aloe plant you have at home or ones you’ve purchased at a grocery store or farmer’s market.

To make aloe vera gel, you need:

an aloe vera leaf
a knife or vegetable peeler
a small spoon
a blender
an airtight container for storage
powdered vitamin C and/or vitamin E (optional)

It’s best to only use one or two leaves at a time, as the gel lasts about one week without additional preservatives.

If you plan to keep it longer, you need to freeze it or add a preservative in the form of powdered vitamin C or E.

Summary: To make aloe vera gel, you need some common kitchen items, an aloe vera leaf, and — optionally — powdered vitamin C and/or vitamin E.

Instructions

Once you have gathered all the materials you need, making your aloe vera gel takes about 30 minutes.

1. Prepare the aloe leaves

To use a fresh aloe leaf from a plant, cut off one of the outer leaves from the base of the plant.

You can also use a store-bought leaf.

Wash it well, remove dirt, and stand it upright in a cup or bowl for 10–15 minutes. This allows the yellow-tinted resin to drain out of the leaf.

The resin contains latex, which can irritate your skin, so completing this step is important.

After the resin has drained completely, wash off any remains on the leaf and peel off the thick skin using a small knife or vegetable peeler.

2. Make the gel

Once the leaf has been peeled, you will see the natural aloe vera gel.

Using a small spoon, scoop it into your blender. Be careful not to include any pieces of the aloe vera skin.

Blend the gel until it’s frothy and liquefied, which should only take a few seconds.

At this point, your gel is ready to use. However, if you plan to keep it for over a week, you should add preservatives.

3. Add preservatives (optional)

Vitamins C and E are excellent preservatives that can greatly extend the shelf life of your aloe vera gel.

Though the gel naturally contains some vitamins, preserving it for over a week is not enough.

Still, you can add one or more of these vitamins to extend your gel’s shelf life.

Plus, both contain antioxidant and anti-aging properties, so these additions can help boost the skin-protecting power of your aloe vera gel.

For every 1/4 cup (60 ml) of aloe vera gel you make, add 500 mg of powdered vitamin C or 400 International Units (IU) of powdered vitamin E — or both.

Simply add the powdered vitamins directly to the blender and mix the gel once more until the additives are fully incorporated.

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 vitamins significantly increases the refrigerator’s shelf life to up to 2 months.

Moreover, you can freeze aloe gel in small batches — for instance, in an ice cube tray — to have small amounts ready. Frozen aloe gel can be stored in the freezer for six months.

Summary: To make aloe vera gel, prepare the leaves, scoop out the natural aloe gel, blend it, and add preservatives if desired.

How to use aloe vera gel

Aloe vera gel can be applied directly to your skin to address immediate skincare needs, such as sunburn, minor cuts, and skin irritation.

It’s an excellent moisturizer for your face and hands and can provide a protective antibacterial barrier for minor wounds.

Plus, it has antioxidant properties that may help protect your skin from the damaging effects of excessive sun exposure. Therefore, it’s commonly used to provide sunburn relief.

Aloe vera gel is rich in unique polysaccharides and long chains of natural sugars that researchers believe give aloe its many skin-healing properties.

Moreover, it’s rich in various vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, and E, which can help promote wound healing and healthy skin.

Summary: Aloe vera gel can be applied directly to your skin to provide moisture, healing properties for minor cuts or wounds, and relief from sunburns and skin irritations.