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You have certainly already heard of the plant Aloe Vera (lat. Aloe Barbadensis). This undemanding plant is not only a decoration in the apartment, but has been used for thousands of years thanks to its wide range of health and cosmetic effects. It contains more than 70 different active components such as vitamins, enzymes, minerals, antioxidants and others. It has antibacterial and anti‑inflammatory effects, helps with certain skin diseases (acne, psoriasis, eczema), reduces skin irritation, accelerates tissue regeneration and thus helps to heal minor wounds and injuries1. There are even studies that prove the positive effect of Aloe Vera on the treatment of burns and radiation burns2.
Aloe is excellently suited for skin care in summer, when the skin is more strained and exposed to the sun. It is possible to use the pulp from the plant directly; in such a case, however, it is recommended to perform a skin sensitivity test and work carefully with the transparent, fleshy part of the leaf, since with direct use there may also be contact of the skin with the yellow, latex part of the pulp containing anthraquinones (aloin, barbaloin), which irritate the skin and may cause contact dermatitis2,3.
Nowadays it is very simple to incorporate Aloe Vera into your skincare routine; there is a wide range of safe Aloe Vera products of cosmetic grade available on the market. When creating your own cosmetics, depending on what product we are going to create, and also according to our own preferences, we can choose as the starting material Aloe Vera gel, Aloe Vera powder or juice. We can also prepare gel from the juice by adding 2–4 g of xanthan gum to 100 ml of Aloe Vera juice4. In case we are preparing a richer cream for the whole body, we can use a butter containing Aloe Vera and coconut oil. Aloe Vera gel can be applied directly to the skin, but we can also very easily incorporate it into cosmetic products. A simple recipe for a gel cream with Aloe Vera suitable for skin strained by the sun, especially after sunbathing, is given below. Since this is not a classic cream created by mixing a water and an oil phase and an emulsifier, this recipe is ideal for complete beginners in DIY cosmetics making. Thanks to the content of Aloe Vera and oat silk, it is also suitable for soothing the skin after shaving and preventing ingrown hairs. If you suffer from a wheat allergy or intolerance, it is possible to omit the oat silk from the recipe. Allergy to Aloe itself is not common, but it is certainly necessary to be cautious at first use, especially if you suffer from allergy to tulips, onions or other plants of the genus Liliceae.
40 g of Aloe Vera gel
6 g of jojoba oil
4 g of argan oil
2.5 g of oat silk
8 drops of liquid Vitamin E
A few drops of lime essential oil
We disperse the oat silk in the mixture of jojoba and argan oil. A milky white smooth suspension is formed, which we pour, while constantly stirring, into the weighed amount of Aloe Vera gel; we add Vitamin E and lime essential oil (we can possibly replace it with another essential (fragrance) oil). We mix evenly until we achieve a smooth, uniform consistency. The Aloe Vera gel from Handymade already contains preservatives, and since we are not adding any other water phase, we do not have to add additional preservatives to the cream. The beneficial effect of oat silk has already been given attention on the Handymade blog; by adding it to the above recipe we obtain a soft texture and support the anti‑inflammatory and regenerative effect of the product. If we use lime essential oil or other citrus oils (orange, grapefruit…) it is advisable to avoid immediate exposure of the skin to sunlight, since these essential oils may cause photosensitivity.
Be inspired by the instructions for creating the healing gel with Aloe Vera and oat silk and make it at home. It will help you as first aid when treating sunburned skin. We thank our customer and creator Erika Samoľová for the article she has prepared for you.
1. Surjushe, A., Vasani R., Saple, D. G. Aloe Vera: A Short Review. Indian J Dermatol. 2008, 53(4), p 163‑166. doi: 10.4103/0019-5154.44785
2. Shelton, R. M. (1991). Aloe Vera. Its Chemical and Therapeutic Properties. International Journal of Dermatology, 30(10), 679–683. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4362.1991.tb02607.x
3. Ferreira, M. et al. Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Aloe Vera. Contact Dermatitis, 2007, doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0536.2007.01118.x
4. Klimentová, J. (2018). Kozmetika hrou. 2018. Albatros Media. ISBN 978‑80‑566‑0735‑0
