Obsessed with Aloe: Why Aloe Vera Skincare is the Best Thing That Will Ever Happen to You
IngredientsTHE IMPORTANCE OF ALOE VERA
The use of aloe vera for skin care and general health dates back many millenia to the ancient Egyptians, who called aloe the 'plant of immortality' and the 'blood of the gods'. The first written records of aloe vera for skin care were on papyrus dating back to 1550 BC. These historical records of Aloe plant use were found inside Egyptian temples where the bodies of the dead were kept in a state of mummification, partly due to the miraculous embalming qualities of aloe vera on the skin. Aloe possesses both potent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
Cleopatra was also known to drink aloe vera leaf juice for its legendary powers as a health tonic, as well as applying aloe gel to her skin to keep her complexion youthful and glowing. This shows that the aloe vera plant was highly revered for its "miracle” properties in ancient times
I believe everyone should have an aloe vera plant or two growing in the garden. It’s an easy and attractive plant to grow, and you can apply the gel from inside the aloe leaf neat onto minor burns, scrapes and cuts for fast and effective healing. Aloe gel can also work wonders on your skin by reducing the appearance of acne and scars.
Aloe vera gets its name from the Arabic word "Alloeh” meaning "shining bitter substance,” and "vera” the Latin word for "true”. The skin healing benefits that Aloe Vera has makes a widely used ingredient found in cosmetic and beauty regimes the world over. The aloe vera plant is also often used in cosmetology and dermatology. The thick and fleshy leaves of the Aloe plant is where the gel-like liquid is stored. Seen as a miracle plant, aloe is also a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Thus giving Aloe a plethora of benefits when used in health and skin care.
Aloe vera is also incredibly nourishing for the body and skin when taken internally, too, hence the recent trend in drinking aloe vera leaf juice. Consuming aloe vera juice for health benefits is now becoming much more common. You can buy it from health food stores, or just snip a leaf off from an aloe plant in your garden and juice it. Aloe vera juice is quite bitter though, so you'll need to mix it with other ingredients.
WHAT ARE THE CHEMICAL CONSTITUTES THAT MAKE ALOE VERA FOR SKINCARE AND GENERAL HEALTH SO POWERFUL?
Aloe vera contains over 200 biologically active, naturally occurring constituents, which include polysaccharides, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, minerals and fatty acids that promote nutrient absorption and assist in cell regeneration throughout the skin and body.
According to The Journal of Environmental Science and Health, aloe vera also possesses anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal properties that helps to assist the immune system in cleansing the body of toxins and invading pathogens. Aloe also has a tonne of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, sodium, iron, potassium, copper, and manganese.
Plus, Aloe vera contains important enzymes like amylase and lipase which can aid in digestion by breaking down fat and sugar molecules. One molecule in particular, bradykinase, helps to reduce inflammation. Aloe vera contains 20 of the 22 essential amino acids that are required by the human body. Aloe also contains salicylic acid, which fights inflammation and bacteria.
Aside from being an excellent body cleanser, removing toxic matter from the stomach, kidneys, spleen, bladder, liver, and colon, and skin, aloe can also offer effective relief from more immediate ailments, such as indigestion, upset stomach, ulcers, and inflammation in the gut. Aloe also strengthens the digestive tract and alleviates joint inflammation, making it a great option for arthritis sufferers.Drinking aloe vera juice can also be used to help reduce inflammation and lower cholesterol levels.
WHY ALOE VERA FOR SKIN CARE IS SIMPLY UNBEATABLE
There’s a good reason why we use certified organic aloe vera leaf gel and extracts as a base or a key ingredient in more than 20 of our products. Aloe is able to penetrate the skin FOUR times faster than water and the above-mentioned healing constitutes of aloe gel can actually penetrate through all seven layers of the skin. Aloe nourishes your skin from within, giving it a natural and healthy glow.
Aloe vera promotes collagen production and is 96% water, so it makes an excellent skin hydrator
- Aloe has soothing and calming properties for skin
- Aloe vera assists in normalising oil production, so it's a wonderful natural acne treatment
- reduces inflammation of the skin
- Aloe vera heals wounds, burns, sunburn
- can help minimise the appearance of lines, wrinkles and stretch marks
HOW MUCH ALOE IS IN YOUR SKINCARE PRODUCT? THE AMOUNT OF ALOE GEL MATTERS
You’ll see aloe vera or it’s Latin name Aloe barbadensis as the first ingredient on many of our products. Ingredients are listed in descending order of volume on skincare packaging, so whatever is listed at the top, is what is contained in the bottle in the greatest amount. If you are interested in learning how to decipher skin care labels, check out this useful post to learn more.
We have found aloe vera leaf gel to be a far superior base for our certified organic skincare products than water, which is what you’ll find makes up most skin care products, from the el cheapo supermarket brands to the high-end department store brands. But use due diligence when searching for skin care products containing aloe vera, as all may not be as first appears.
These companies take liberty: they know placing the words 'contains aloe vera' or 'contains aloe' onto cosmetic or skin care packaging is a great greenwashing technique, just like adding the words 'organic' or 'natural' to cosmetic packaging is a great (albeit sly) marketing move. It's an unfortunate truth that you may be receiving much less aloe than you expected, so you should put on your detective hat and dig a little deeper when it comes to skin care products.
Look on the ingredients list. If you see aloe vera way down the bottom of the list of ingredients, or aloe even halfway down, it's probably just a label claim and the product will contain only a negligible amount of the active aloe vera ingredients.
Click here to see a list of all the Mukti Organics products that contain aloe vera.
Still have questions? We offer complimentary consultations with qualified skin experts to help you discover which products and ingredients are right for you. More info here.
