Its funny how when you are young you tend to have less appreciation for the little things your mom and dad would do for you.
Part of it was a lack of understanding, essentially a childlike selfish mentality. This isn’t a bad thing, the innocence of children is endearing really, I mean all they care about are curly haired dolls and riding their tricycles all day long.
Back when I was a child myself, on Saturday mornings I got my life literally, but I had no idea that’s what I was getting until now. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say.
My mom would pick the freshest aloe plant she could find, she would then slit it open and scrape out all the ‘gook’ (as I would call it) for what she called the best conditioner for my hair. I thought the process was absolutely gross but what did I know.
I did not see the value of fresh aloe vera gel*, I certainly didn’t understand the simple fact that the process of applying that super plant to my hair was one of the reasons my ponytail was the longest it had ever been.
My mom took very good care of my hair, she utilized all sorts of plants and herbs and conditioners not to mention feeding us well too so we had all the elements in place for strong healthy hair growth.
When I got older I decided in my ‘wisdom’ it was best to completely reverse what she had done because I believed the hype that relaxers were much better for my hair than old fashioned aloe vera.
It took a few years of broken, dry limp looking hair but eventually I had an epiphany and I realized how much I actually appreciated my mom and her gook because my way was certainly not working for me, or my hair.
If I wanted length retention and hair growth I would need to incorporate aloe vera gel* and aloe vera juice into my hair routine and my diet.
What is Aloe Vera?
I couldn’t complete this post without a short explanation on just what aloe vera is. Some of us might just be slightly clueless I know I was!
Aloe vera is a perennial plant that is found in most climates because it grows pretty easily. My mom had hers near our “verandah” area otherwise known as an outdoor patio.
The gel in the plant has antibacterial and antifungal properties which makes it great for wounds and burns. The plant also contains a lot of water which makes it very hydrating and perfect for your hair. It’s also perfect for your skin as it prevents sun damage.
How does Aloe Vera help with hair growth?
When you think about hair growth you always tend to focus on things that you eat, drink or in fact anything that would cause some sort of scalp stimulation which is completely right.
Hair growth is solely determined by how healthy you are and by extension how healthy your scalp is. Growth is also determined by how much stimulation your scalp receives from the awesome nutrients your blood brings to it.
What you eat and drink determines how you look, how you feel, how your hair grows, how your skin glows and of course how healthy your nails are. Garbage in garbage out right?
When you drink Aloe Vera juice* daily you will notice a huge difference in how your hair looks and feels. Growth will increase, your hair will feel hydrated and I know this is a hair focused article, but can I just mention again how much better your skin will look?
Some people drink straight aloe vera juice like you would a cup of lemonade, others mix it with water or fresh juice. Either is fine and if you make a habit of drinking at least one glass daily you will literally start seeing all areas of your body improve and this your digestive tract, skin, nails and of course your hair!
How does Aloe Vera help with length retention
To retain length your focus should be limiting the damage that your hair strands sustain with daily manipulation. You choice of products is what helps to keep your hair moisturized, and helps prevent damage.
Your cuticles laying flat is a big part of length retention and as aloe vera juice is at the perfect pH to keep the cuticles of your hair flat, it’s a perfect length retention product to add to your arsenal. This is why many women with healthy hair tend to use it as a spray or leave in conditioner* to keep their strands smooth and shiny.
Aloe is one of the best ways to condition your hair after a wash session or just daily maintenance. For those of us who do not have access to pure aloe vera, one option is to choose a product that claims to have the plant added to it.
I would warn that you need to pay expert attention to the ingredient list because depending on how far up the list the aloe appears will determine just how much is in the product.
I have to be very honest here and tell you that I am pretty skeptical of products that claim to have aloe vera in them just for the purpose of hiking up the price. To me the cost isn’t worth the minute percentage that is actually in the bottle.
I prefer to get as close to the real thing as I can even if I purchase it from the store. If you have to buy your aloe vera, get the from health food stores so that you have a better chance at ensuring that what you have is of the best quality.
In conclusion in order to incorporate aloe vera juice* or gel into your regimen you can simply drink the juice, spray it directly on your hair, or apply the gel liberally on your hair for wet curly looks. Some ladies even use it for a bit of edge control. I say do all four!
How do you incorporate aloe vera into your regimen?
I try to tell people this all the time
Do you use it in it’s raw form, like in the pix or mix it with something?
Just split the leaf loosen the gel and put it directly where u want it, no need to mix.
Do you use it as a conditioner or as a moisturizer?
My grandma kept an aloe vera plant when I was a kid. Used it for lots of stuff.
I love aloe vera……I have over 7 plants. Love the benefits
I had to stop reading. Isn’t this a professional website? What happened to spell check and proof reading? Too many run on sentences amongst other things. Nonetheless, the information here is very useful.
Thank you for your attention to the matter!
I drink aloe Vera juice!!!! But,I will check this out, aloe Vera for my hair…..hmmmm?
I love aloe vera..it really works.
And don’t be fooled by aloe vera gels they sell in stores, it is not the same it has alcohol and water, which is drying.
I spray aloe vera juice on my hair right after I rinse out my deep conditioner.
How do u prepare it? N how offen? More info
That’s old school right there!
The Real Person!
Apologies, our second line editor didn’t see this post so it went out warts and all. Shouldn’t happen again though.
Good article
I love Aloe Vera my second favorite plant after Hemp
I use it in my spray bottle and also to massage my itching scalp when i have protective style and it works good
I use it in my spray bottle and also to massage my itching scalp when i have protective style and it works good
This is a long time method……the tuna plant too
I use aloe vera juice daily as a spritz with water and I use aloe vera gel for “hold”.
I use aloe vera juice daily as a spritz with water and I use aloe vera gel for “hold”.
We use aloë vera in Curaçao to colour our hair red 2!
Beautiful place to visit! 🙂
Excellent article! I buy an aloe leaf for $1 at the grocery store and have enough juice for my homemade leave-in conditioner and enough aloe gel for a month of weekly deep conditioning treatments.
It’s also great for your skin as well!
It’s great for detoxifying the body as well.
Also good as a face cleanser
How do you prepare it for hair??
I use 100% aloe water in my spray bottle instead of regular water.
I have plenty!!! Love it.
Hi I try using aloe Vera juice in my hair but i makes it feel dry.
I found a mixture to make a leave in conditioner with aloe juice in it but my hair still feels dry. I don’t know what to do because in trying to incorporate it to my hair regiment.. Thanks
Try mixing it in your leave in conditioner.
use less aloe and more leave in conditioner then seal with an oil.
I love aloe vera juice! I keep mine in the fridge in a bottle mixed with water. Works wonders for my hair. https://www.youtube.com/user/curlsofinnocence/videos
I just used aloe vera gel from the plant in my hair. I used it as a leave in conditioner.
I just used aloe vera gel from the plant in my hair. I used it as a leave in conditioner.
I use this and it make my scalp really itchy
Its supose to be good for your skin