OOOO, CAN WE TALK ABOUT ALOE VERA GEL?

Hello fellow curlies,

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This is my new amazing discovery. I use it to smooth down my edges and nape of my neck when I do a ponytail. It is great. I would love to know how other curlies use this product. What are some benefits and are their any disadvantages?

hello,

thanks for sharing!! i was looking for something to help smooth the edges, sides, etc if i want to pull my hair back. i even hear some people layer it with shea.

i use it to twist my hair in two strand twists. i co-wash, use a leave-in, add aloe gel and shea as i twist. then seal with EXCO. i will more than likely add castor oil to the mix. i also like use the gel on my scalp if i feel like i have dry scalp, itching, etc.

oh!!

advantages: hydrates hair really well, gives defined hold when used for twisting as i described above, gentle, dries better than water while on hair
disadvantage: can get pretty messy; the thick parts of the leaf can dry in hair and look 'dirty'

OH REALLY IT CAN WORK ON DRY SCALP? WOW
YES I WILL HAVE TO TRY IT ON THE TWISTS. IT SEEMS TO KEEP THE HAIR SOFT AND PLYABLE (I ALMOST WANT TO SAY PLAYBALE..LOL), BUT STILL GIVES IT A NICE HOLD.

yeah, it really helps with my scalp. very nice!!! i know someone else on the board said they use aloe with tea trea and some other EO for their scalp, and it works well! hooray for Mother nature!!

I just bought some today, I can't wait to try it out

my next experiment is mixing the aloe with my condish (or something) as a moisturizer or a refresher.

Sweetness! I like the results. Dajewel and I discussed aloe vera gel the other day and it's on my store list for tomorrow. I can't wait, I'm so trying to get my products down to 5 so I'm thinking the aloe vera will replace Ecostyler

Well, I use to use that other aloe vera gel, you know the one with the cones...lol. But it held my hair too stiff and I figured that cant be good and that will probably lead to breakage. So then my mother in law gave me the plant. But I was having problems dissolving the thing to get it in my hair. (I have to read up on that). So then I just went to the health food store and got 100% aloe vera gel. And it works like a charm. I use it after I seal everything at the very end for my ponytail. WOW

mmoultry, i can't wait to see your results with the aloe gel!!!!

What kind of Aloe Vera gel are you guys using? I have one I got at CVS or Walmart. When I was making flax seed gel I'd put it in there. Now I just use it with EVOO as a facial moisturizer.

right now, am just using the aloe straight from the plant.

@dajewel - we went to SC to visit hubby's parents & grandparents. His grandmother had 2 aloe plants at the front of the house in the garden. I was so tempted to ask for some but I didn't I guess I need to find some of my own...

@dajewel, how are you dissolving the gel from the plant?

I use the gel and juice.

Leave-in: 60-75% glycerin and the rest aloe in small container with pouring spout, shake to mix. I apply on sectioned, detangled hair after I condition and before I apply my styling product. This mixture gives me outstanding shine, softness, and moisture.

Fixing bad products: I used it when I had products that had mineral oil and sulfates until I could get better products. I mixed it with glycerin, honey and distilled water. These shampoos, moisturizers, and bodywashes became moisturizing and rich.

Facial cleanser: I've using black soap, but wanted to make it into a liquid soap so I added aloe, distilled water, rosewater, essential oils to pieces of the black soap in an old facewash container. The next day the soap would be disolved. The trick is to put enough black soap that its not too watery. I've noticed that my skin loves this stuff and my son has responded to it well now that he's in the middle of puberty and dealing with the acne that comes with it.

Waxing/dipilatory: If I'm a bit irritated after a session I will take aloe and pat it on the sensitive area for the soothing affect. I'm I feel like I'm going to be a bit itchy or chaffed I'll add a little shea butter as well.

I have used aloe directly on my scalp a few times and it was ok.

When I was making shea butter mixtures aloe vera was a staple. My mixture was always moisturizing when I used it on my hair or skin.

I love aloe!

You can check out LadyKPNYC on YouTube; she has a video about her love affair with aloe vera. Its very informative.

glad i stopped thru here becuz i've been using straight aloe gel for my short twa, where can i find it in the stores though?

NubieNattyTwn-kisha wrote:glad i stopped thru here becuz i've been using straight aloe gel for my short twa, where can i find it in the stores though?

Trader Joes and Whole Foods is where I've seen it. Actually, I just came from Whole Foods. I was getting gylcerin and aloe vera.

heeeey sisterb, im actually gettin attached to whole foods now. its one down the street from my job! so are u mixin the glycerin n aloe together? im lazy...what am i looking for and is it in the beauty aisle?

NubieNattyTwn-kisha wrote:heeeey sisterb, im actually gettin attached to whole foods now. its one down the street from my job! so are u mixin the glycerin n aloe together? im lazy...what am i looking for and is it in the beauty aisle?

You can get the aloe vera gel or juice by Now and the gylcerin by Now as well. That's the brand that I use. I mix the two (60-75% glycerin) and use it as a leave-in. You can mix both with shea butter and add any oils of your choice and use that as a leave-in/moisturizer.

There are several videos on YouTube about Aloe and shea butter mixtures. LadyKPNYC has a video on how to make a shea-aloe mixture that I've used before.

ooooh so i can get the gel by itself and use it as a styler to make my curls pop too right? thats a good idea to mix it with the shea n oils as a moisturizer! doodley noted..thanx sistab

THIS SHEA/ALOE MIXTURE SOUNDS DIVINE. I WILL BE CHECKING OUT THAT YouTube site.

But question for sisterboyd, when you mixed the bad products with honey and such, didnt bacteria growth in it? I don't believe there is enough preservatives in the shampoo or conditioners to cover these sweet ingredients.

Intelligentbeauty wrote:THIS SHEA/ALOE MIXTURE SOUNDS DIVINE. I WILL BE CHECKING OUT THAT YouTube site.

But question for sisterboyd, when you mixed the bad products with honey and such, didnt bacteria growth in it? I don't believe there is enough preservatives in the shampoo or conditioners to cover these sweet ingredients.

I got those instructions again from LadyKPNYC on YouTube. The video is called "before you trash it" I believe. And if I did miss something I never had a problem with bacteria. However, all of the stuff I 'fixed' I've used and have replaced with better products with the exception of 2 leave-in conditioners and I uses those rarely. I did just check them and they didn't have a foul smell and looked ok. Check out the video though.

...yes I love LadyKPNYC...she has posted videos that helped me get to where I am now.

OK GREAT. I WILL DO.

Intelligentbeauty wrote:@dajewel, how are you dissolving the gel from the plant?

i don't dissolve it. i just break open the leaf, and apply as desired.