Plants are the best form of decoration in any space. My whole window sill is full of different green friends. It’s gotten to the point where they’re starting to invade each other’s spaces, especially my aloe plant, which is starting to poke through my window shades. For only $3.99 at Ikea, I had to buy it. I knew I could cut off the leaves and use the gel inside for sun burn, but let’s be real, it’s November now which means us Minnesota girls haven’t even had a chance to get a tan since July. I started to look into other uses for aloe gel, and here’s what I found:
Hair Masks
Because of the moisturizing properties in aloe, it can be used alone, or in combination with other natural ingredients, such as coconut oil or honey, items you can pick up at Target Express! For dry hair, combine 4-5 tablespoons of fresh aloe, three tablespoons of coconut oil and two tablespoons of honey. Work the mixture into your hair from root to tip, and let sit for 20-25 minutes, then simply wash your hair the way you normally would.
Growing Your Hair
Aloe helps reduce the amount of hair that a person loses, which means your hair can grow faster. Massaging aloe into your scalp and washing it out after an hour with warm water can promote hair growth. You can also run it through your lashes or eyebrows with a clean mascara wand for a similar effect. It even can double as clear brow gel!
Acne Scars
There’s a reason our moms lathered us with aloe when we were little after our first major sunburn. Aloe has major skin healing properties, which means it can heal acne scars. Wash your face how you would normally, then take the gel out of the leaf and apply it to your face. Let it dry for about a half hour, then rinse it off. For best results, use 2-3 times a day, everyday for a week.
Drink It
If you’ve ever been to a protein shake shop, like Go 4 Nutrition, they usually have little shots you take before drinking your shake. Now you can do it at home! Take 2 tablespoons of your aloe gel and put it in a blender with a cup of water, and blend until smooth and enjoy! Add any citrus juice you like for some more flavor. This can give your heart, digestive system and immune system a boost.
Razor Burn
This’ll be the last time I mention the healing properties, I swear. As a part of the healing process, aloe also cools the affected area, soothing razor burn almost immediately. Just apply the gel to the area that needs some love. It can also be used as an after shave.
And that’s it! Finding something that is natural and can be used for so many things is awesome, especially when you’re a broke college student. If you want more ideas on what to use your Aloe Plant for, check out Pinterest!