Aloe Vera or the medicinal aloe, is used in many skin care products for its healing and anti-inflammatory properties. The gel is beneficial in treating burns, reducing scars and dark spots.
With awareness being created on the benefits of Aloe Vera, more and more people, these days, are going in for skin care products made of this plant. The Aloe Vera gel is a clear, thick substance, found in the inside of an Aloe Vera leaf. The treated gel is also directly applied on the skin and is very effective in treating sun burns, tan and pigmentation on the skin.
The benefits of Aloe Vera are manifold. Aloe Vera gel treats skin ailments such as cracked and dry skin, burns, psoriasis, eczema and sun burns. The gel is used as a natural skin moisturizer, is also used to treat wrinkles, used as face packs, facial masks, skin conditioners and even soaps. It is used in hair care products as well.
In addition to its use in skin care products, the pulp is liquefied to make Aloe Vera juice. It is said to be beneficial in treating diabetes and various stomach disorders. It also acts an excellent blood purifier.
"Even as we talk of the various benefits of Aloe Vera, one has to be very careful in identifying the right variety of plants," says G Suma, who manufactures Aloe Vera skin care products and herbal juice. The Aloe plant grown in your garden may not be the right one. "There are 365 varieties of Aloe Vera plants, of which only eight have medicinal properties. One has to be very careful in identifying the plant through necessary lab tests," she explains.
Suma, who holds a degree in Micro Biology, runs Sheethal Herbal Lab in the outskirts of Bangalore that manufactures Aloe Vera-based skin care products, hair care products and Aloe Vera juice. She herself grows the right variety of Aloe Vera plants used in her products. Suma's skin care products include the plain Aloe-Vera gel, cucumber-based and rose-based gels, sandal-based face pack, hair oil, shampoo etc. She keeps trying out different combinations of the products to cater to the requirement of her customers.
Even beauticians have been making using of Aloe Vera products in their beauty treatments. "I recommend regular use of plain Aloe Vera gel as a natural moisturiser to my clients. A majority of them have seen excellent benefits," says Rita Mathew, who runs a beauty salon.
It is important to choose the right Aloe Vera plant if you want to use the gel on your own; else going for a tested product from a reputed brand is the safest, so you don't regret later.
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