You can buy aloe vera gel from stores. Look for a product that has 100% aloe vera, without any added ingredients like fragrances and alcohol. You can also extract the gel from aloe vera leaves. Some natural food stores sell the leaves, or you can grow it as a houseplant.
Here’s how to remove the gel from an aloe vera plant:
- Remove a leaf from the plant. Pick the older, thicker leaves from the outside of the plant.
- Let the yellow latex drain away from the leaf. Discard the latex.
- Rinse the leaf.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the spiny ends.
- Run your knife or peeler lengthwise along the leaf to remove the skin.
- Cut out or scoop the clear gel.
Fresh aloe vera gel doesn’t last very long, but you can store it in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it.
Hair and scalp treatment. You can directly apply the raw aloe vera gel to your hair and scalp. Work it in with your hands into your scalp, hair, and ends. To help seal in the moisture, apply a few drops of castor oil and massage in. Leave the aloe vera in for about 30 minutes and then rinse off.
For greasy hair. Mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 cup of water. After shampooing, rinse with this solution, leave for a few minutes, and then rinse again.
