The Benefits of Introducing Aloe Vera into Your Hair, Skin Care Routine

There’s one plant in most of our backyards that holds tremendous healing properties. Most commonly grown by our mums, we are talking about the infamous Aloe Vera! This thick, pointy, and succulent green plant has held high traditional importance in cultural Indian medicine for thousands of years, popularly used to naturally treat wounds, hair loss, haemorrhoids, and digestive issues.

Aloe Vera has been known for its healing properties for at least 6,000 years, it has since been used both topically and orally. Considered a “plant of immortality”, it was once presented to Egyptian pharaohs as an eternal gift. Its name derives from the Arabic word Alloeh which means “bitter shining substance,” and the Latin word Vera which means “truth”, this bitter truth could hold the secrets to effective hair and skin care.

The thick leaves of the Aloe Vera plant contain a slimy tissue that stores water, this water- filled tissue is the “wonder gel” that people associate with Aloe Vera products. The gel contains beneficial bioactive compounds like vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants that contribute to cell turnover and promote healthy hair growth. Rich in Vitamin B12 and folic acid, aloe vera gel can also keep your hair from falling out by strengthening the roots of your hair.

Aloe vera gel made from pure, freshly extracted aloe vera juice, is perfect for achieving softer, smoother, glossier hair and a healthy scalp. Rubbing aloe vera gel into your scalp and hair and letting it penetrate your hair follicles helps repair damaged and dry hair while hydrating the scalp. Post application let the gel sit for an hour and rinse the gel off with a mild shampoo to reap the best results. Aloe vera shampoo helps in reducing hair fall and dandruff from the first use due to its brilliant anti-fungal properties. It gently exfoliates the scalp surface, removes excess oil, and repairs dead skin, maintaining a balanced and healthy scalp.

Aloe vera products have a calming effect on the skin and are excellent at reducing itchiness and inflammation, inducing a lasting cool feeling due to their rich natural collagen profile. In addition to being anti-inflammatory, these products exhibit antibacterial properties that promote wound healing, making them an excellent candidate to naturally treat skin acne and soothe nasty sunburns. With its myriad benefits, aloe vera offers numerous ways to utilize both the plant itself and its various gels and extracts.

By Divyashree J and Ashith Sashidhar, Founders of Secret Haircare