The Aloe vera plant is a succulent that provides an amazing and healing gel! Let me show you how easy it is to make Aloe vera gel, at home, for your skin & hair!
Growing up in Florida, I remember huge Aloe vera plants growing just about everywhere, inside and out.
Whenever we had a bug bite, sunburn or little scrapes and cuts, our mother would snip off a bit of the nearest Aloe vera plant and tell us to rub the gel on it.
Today, I live in Ohio where Aloe doesn’t grow native, but I keep two Aloe vera plants indoors! It’s just too valuable of a plant to NOT have!
Before we get into all of the wonderful ways you can use this gel, let me show you the proper method for extracting Aloe vera gel from the plant.
How to Make Aloe Vera Gel at Home
What You Will Need:
- Sharp knife (I use these!)
- Cutting board
- Bowl for peels and and resin drainage
Get your kitchen tools together on a clean, dry surface.
Cut off the top and the bottom of your Aloe vera leaf.
How to Make DIY Vitamin C Capsules
An Aloe vera leaf contains resin, which is toxic and can make you very sick, so let it drain for an hour or so.
It’s just a bit of yellow stickiness, so just clean your bowl after.
How to Persuade Your Spouse to Homestead
Next, carefully cut off the spine of the leaf.
For ease of peeling, I like to cut the leaf into quarters.
How to Make Homemade Natural, Deodorant–5 Great Recipes!
Peeling is next, and I’ve seen this done many ways.
I prefer to peel with a knife, but you may prefer a peeler.
Just be sure to capture as much gel as possible by not peeling too thick.
As you finish peeling each section, cube the gel and put into a clean container.
You can smash with a fork or make it easy on yourself and put in the blender. Whip for just a sec, it’ll look like this…
How fabulous is this? Think about how much Aloe vera gel costs at the store, and you’ll be thrilled to realize that you’ve just made about 8 ounces of pure aloe vera gel for $1.99!
Uses for Aloe Vera Gel
3 DIY Aloe Vera Recipes for Skin
Equipment
- Blender
Instructions
- Combine 1-2 tsp. aloe vera gel, 1 cup of fruit juice (apple, carrot, pineapple, orange, etc), 1 tbsp. lemon juice and optional sweetener (honey or stevia)
- Mix with blender and enjoy!
- (There are people who should NOT consume aloe vera gel, so consult with a medical professional BEFORE you do!)
7 Amazing Homemade Beauty Products with Aloe Vera
15 Aloe Vera Gel Skin Care Recipes
The Ultimate Beauty Food: Aloe Vera
Don’t throw those peels away, they are good for acne as well as puffy under-eyes.
This Post Has 8 Comments
Thanks for all your work sharing sustainable living tips. I especially appreciate this aloa Vera process, I grow we an abundance of Alie and will no we put these leaves to better use. Carolyn.Allen.com
Hey Carolyn! Thanks for commenting! I remember growing up in Florida, we had aloe vera in abundance, envying you!
Oh, I love this! I have a huge aloe vera plant on my front porch that I mostly use for sunburn. I have a sister who drinks it for the health benefits so I’ll have to try that. I especially love the potato peeler suggestion! Something so simple I would’ve never thought of, I’ll be trying it next time I snip an arm off the beautiful, spiky plant.
Hey Chelsea! Thanks for commenting! I really miss having them growing in the landscape from my Florida days, I have to pay for them now, lol!
I love aloe vera gel. This looks so simple. My question is how do you store it and how long does it last?
Hey Lisa! You can store it in the frig for about 2 weeks or in the freezer for longer! Good luck!
This is FABULOUS! I need to go buy a plant.
Susan, thank you for reading and enjoy!