Aloe Vera Gel

I read something a while back about aloe vera gel/juice and I thought, "That sounds good. I'm going to get some of that one day." Well, I was at Trader Joe's today getting some vitamin E oil, and I saw the aloe gel so I bought it, and now I can't find the article I read . If any of you ladies use aloe in your regimen and can give me some pointers, I would appreciate it. Thank you, thank you.

ChrsLvsBks, thank you so much! That helps a great deal. Yes, I live in dry, dry, dry Las Vegas. It's beautiful here, but it does things to your skin and hair you could not imagine...lol! I moved here from Los Angeles, and now I so appreciate the humidity from the ocean there.

BTW, congrats on your weight loss journey!!

Butterfly also do an aloe vera search in the internal search engine here. Very recently there was quite a thread where people chimed in on how they use it. I think you will see many options.

Thanks, naturalnolagirl! I will do that.

I have used it in the past to smooth down my edges...but to be honest, i feel like it kinda dries my hair out....idk

I think some ladies mix it with a little bit of oil....not sure.

Thanks, fanmnatirel. Yea, I'm mixing it with vitamin E oil and I used it to smooth my edges for the first time this morning, so we'll see.

@naturalnolagirl - I did the search that you recommended and there was lots of great info!! Thanks again.

Here is an article that I was reading..

http://www.blackhairplanet.com/blog/aloe-vera-gel-natural-hair/

Letha, thank you, thank you! I love finding new sites with helpful information. This is all new to me so I'm soaking it up like a sponge. Amazing how I didn't know ANYTHING about my own hair just a couple of months ago. And now that I'm researching things about hair, I'm also learning things about my skin I never knew.

Ooh, I see you're getting very close to your 1 year transitioning anniversary! That is awesome! What are your plans? I know I could probably post this in the "transitioning" forum but I just wanted to say there are so many products I find I can use right now because it would straighten my permed ends (you know, once I've styled it) and that's where I get frustrated. How'd you do it?! Any tips or words of encouragement from a vet like you?

Butterfly125 wrote:Letha, thank you, thank you! I love finding new sites with helpful information. This is all new to me so I'm soaking it up like a sponge. Amazing how I didn't know ANYTHING about my own hair just a couple of months ago. And now that I'm researching things about hair, I'm also learning things about my skin I never knew.

Ooh, I see you're getting very close to your 1 year transitioning anniversary! That is awesome! What are your plans? I know I could probably post this in the "transitioning" forum but I just wanted to say there are so many products I find I can use right now because it would straighten my permed ends (you know, once I've styled it) and that's where I get frustrated. How'd you do it?! Any tips or words of encouragement from a vet like you?

lol @ vet I am still learning everyday.. lol My plans I think I will take this transition until the summer.. I really want enough hair so I can pull it back into a ponytail and get a puff even if its a little puff.. On my one year the back part of my hair seems to be almost natural I might just cut that back there and leave the rest alone.

If you decide to flat iron your hair I use a heat protectant b4 I flat iron and my ends get straight then. I don't have any issues with my ends when I flat iron my ends.. I just started using the banding method.. You might have to check out a You-tube video to see what I am talking about i am at work so I can't post it.. I used that over the weekened and it worked pretty good so I wouldn't have to blow dry my hair.. I try to do one of the other.. If I blow dry I won't flat iron.. Not sure if I really helped you.. Keeping your ends moisturized will help also. Any way that I can help you I will try.

letha wrote:lol @ vet I am still learning everyday.. lol My plans I think I will take this transition until the summer.. I really want enough hair so I can pull it back into a ponytail and get a puff even if its a little puff.. On my one year the back part of my hair seems to be almost natural I might just cut that back there and leave the rest alone.

If you decide to flat iron your hair I use a heat protectant b4 I flat iron and my ends get straight then. I don't have any issues with my ends when I flat iron my ends.. I just started using the banding method.. You might have to check out a You-tube video to see what I am talking about i am at work so I can't post it.. I used that over the weekened and it worked pretty good so I wouldn't have to blow dry my hair.. I try to do one of the other.. If I blow dry I won't flat iron.. Not sure if I really helped you.. Keeping your ends moisturized will help also. Any way that I can help you I will try.

You know, I have not put any heat on my hair since my mini chop on October 29th. I plan to keep it that way the entire time I am transitioning because I did so much damage in the past, and then if I want to wear it straight after that -- big IF -- I will use proper care. Thanks for the tips! I was talking about how once I do my go-to style rod set, I have to stay away from moisturizing everyday with, say hair milk or shea moisture leave in or anything wet because then my ends will straighten and there goes my rod set. I have to stay away from "wet" products for as long as I want that set to last anyway, and my sets last 4-5 days. People who are fully natural can moisturize their whole heads everyday (with spritzes and things) because it just stays curly, it doesn't affect their coils. I've read lots of curlies saying they take their spray bottle to work and spritz twice a day. I can't do that. That's what I feel a pull for, that freedom. But like you, I want to have enough hair to style when I finally do the BC.

Thanks for your willingness to help me. I appreciate it

You see how my pic is in the Avatar.. That is mostly my style.. Because I try twist outs and they only last 2 days if that when I go do bed they get flat..

I tried this over the weekend as a pre-poo and this left my ends so moisturized.. I don't use heat all the time.. I didn't know you were talking about your hair already being curled.. My ends almost felt slick. I also added oil to my conditioner when I co-washed.. I will try that recipe again this weekend and when I DC I might add oil to my DC or do an oil rinse.


I followed this recipe to the tee. I had a little extra aloe vera juice left over (im' APL) Just wanted to share!

A pre-poo or pre-shampoo is a good first step for combating dry, crunchy hair. I would like to go into more detail for you.

Ingredients you will need:

In a bowl mix

· ½ cup of aloe vera juice or whole leaf aloe vera

· 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite oil (wheat germ, olive, safflower, walnut etc)

In a separate Bowl melt

· Food grade coconut oil (1/4 cup)

· Sit the bottle or jar in hot water- do not put in microwave or on the stove!
Remember, everyone's hair has different needs. You may need more or less of this mixture. Or, your hair may not like this at all. None of these will irrevocably change your hair. Thus, you just need to wash out the mixture if your hair doesn't like it.

1. Using your fingers, separate your hair into 4- 8 sections. If your hair is caked with hard product, rinse your hair first. Gently handle the first section. First, smooth the hair in a downward direction. You are just trying to make sure that all the hair is going in one direction. You don't need to completely detangle the hair at this point.

2. Dip your hair in the bowl of aloe vera and oil or cup your hands in the mixture and transfer it to the section onto your hair. Work it through. Get the aloe vera/oil mix into your hair from root to tip. Make sure it is moist throughout the sectioned hair. If your hair is long enough, twist it and wrap it around like a bantu knot. If it is not, try to twist it and move it out the way. Repeat until you have done this to each section.

3. You should have a head full of aloe vera mixed with oil twisted sections. Go back to the first twist you did. Undo it, pour the liquid coconut oil in your hand and work through the section. Re-twist it and repeat on whole head. Place a plastic shower cap on your head for 15-60 minutes. Your moisturizing pre-poo is complete!

This is the first step in adding moisture to your dry, thirsty hair.

I got this from Chicoro.. She send out newletters with good information on them..

http://www.beautifybitbybitgi.com/

Letha, that sounds so soothing to me...I wish I could leave work and go home and do it right now...lol! I'll be doing that this week fo sho! Wow APL, huh? How much natural growth do you have? If I may ask...

Not sure but I think I may have anywhere bwtn 3-6 inches.. Since Cathy Howse claim your hair can grow 6 inces in a year.. I know this stuff is thick.. That is my trusty fake ponytail in the Avatar It seen me thru many of times..

HAHAHA! Well, it looks great. As soon as my hair is long enough I will be getting one so I can do a "faux bun"...lol

Butterfuly, glad the aloe info was helpful. My hair loves aloe. Too bad I don't have stock in it--LOL

Letha, I saw that same prepoo you posted earlier today on one of the hair forums. I had never seen it before. That just confirms the moisture, moisture, moisture theme! I prepoo with coconut oil overnight and usually treat my scalp with AOHC, with all of its goodies. Can't use it any other way---too hvy for me! Good moisture for drying hair treatments too like clay, henna, and other ayurvedic herbs.

naturalnolagirl1900 wrote:Butterfuly, glad the aloe info was helpful. My hair loves aloe. Too bad I don't have stock in it--LOL

Letha, I saw that same prepoo you posted earlier today on one of the hair forums. I had never seen it before. That just confirms the moisture, moisture, moisture theme! I prepoo with coconut oil overnight and usually treat my scalp with AOHC, with all of its goodies. Can't use it any other way---too hvy for me! Good moisture for drying hair treatments too like clay, henna, and other ayurvedic herbs.

Yea that is where I saw it because I subscribe to her news letters and I had the other ones but I never had this one.. So now I have it I will add it to my regimen.. It's acutally 4 steps. She tells what to do with shampoo and if it has SLS in it to help with the drying effects.. I think she has a leave in also with Aloe Vera Juice.. I might just try all 4 steps one day if my hair gets too dry..