Aloe Vera Gel for Hair
Aloe vera gel is the holy grail for any natural looking to introduce and maintain moisture in their hair. It is also a great detangler and can be used in your leave-in conditioner, as well as in your pre-poo treatment. Looking at its host of benefits, it is no wonder that this gel is a firm natural hair favorite.
Preparation time
30 minutes
Benefits
Aloe vera gel promotes hydration and softness of your hair and is a handy product when it comes to addressing most of your hair needs. It also contains essential hair amino acids, Vitamin B, C, and E as well as beta carotene, which is great for hair health.
Also, if you have a little one and need help with natural hair care for your kid, then introducing aloe vera gel into your hair regime will help reduce the tears on wash day.
Ingredients
- Aloe leaf
- Optional: Honey
Preparation
Before extracting the Aloe Vera gel, it is important to prepare the aloe leaves properly. You can soak the cut piece of aloe vera in a bowl of water so that the yellow latex that comes from the skin of the plant is extracted. This is an important step, as this irritates the skin. You can soak it for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Alternatively, you can stand the cut end of the leaf in a sink to allow the yellow sap to run out. Once the latex has stopped dripping, rinse the leaf and you can start making your gel.
Instructions
- Using a vegetable peel, peel the skin off the aloe leaf to reveal the inside layer of the plant. Then use a sharp knife to cut off the sharp edges of the aloe plant.
- Using a forward motion, scoop out the gel from the leaf with a spoon. Make sure you scoop out all of the clear, inside layer, leaving behind only the thin leaf of the plant.
- Transfer the scooped gel to a blender and blend on a medium pulse, until the gel has a smooth consistency. Transfer the gel to a clean, glass jar and it should then be ready for use.
Storage
Store the ready-to-use aloe gel in the fridge, and use it as required. It has a short shelf life and discard it once the smell and color changes (usually after 14 days).
Should you wish to increase its shelf life, you can add honey to the gel and blend it in a blender, before storing. This increases its shelf life and means that you can use the gel for longer.
Usage
You can use aloe vera gel in your styling, as a leave-in conditioner and it is also a great detangler when taking down your protective style. It is an all-out great hair product to have on your shelf.
NaHaZo tip
You can pour the excess gel into ice cube trays and then freeze it. This is quite a handy hack as you can simply defrost the gel that you need, without having to waste the excess gel or worry about shelf life.
Also, if there is one product that Nahazo would recommend when you do the big chop and start your natural hair journey, then aloe vera gel is it. It is great for styling your TWA as well as nourishing your hair.
*Allergens
With homemade aloe gel, preparation is key. Make sure that the yellow latex is properly drained out to avoid any itchiness, skin irritations, or other allergic reactions.
An alternative DIY gel should you have adverse reactions to aloe vera gel is flaxseed gel.
Are you an Aloe vera gel fan? What has your hair experience been using this gel? Let us know in the comments below.
