New Delhi: You can drink it, you can put it on your face and you can even eat it. Aloe Vera is an ingredient that needs no introduction. It has become a rage in the beauty and health world because of its beneficial properties.

The green prickly plant that grows in dry regions is not just great for your skin; it’s also packed with nutrients and is rich in anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Ithas the ability to help treat everything from constipation to diabetes. 

Aloe Vera, sometimes described as a "wonder plant," is a short-stemmed shrub. Aloe is a genus that contains more than 500 species of flowering succulent plants. Many Aloes occur naturally in North Africa.

You can consume aloe vera juice for a healthy body and use aloe vera gel in your beauty regime to get a flawless and radiant skin. It also works wonders for your hair. 

This green colored plant stores water in its leaves making them fleshy and thick. When you slice through an aloe vera leaf, what you get it fresh aloe vera gel. Apart from the gel, the leaf also produces sap called aloe latex. This sap is loaded with nutrients and is beneficial for your body and hair.

Be it sun burn, dull lifeless skin, a rash or a cut, dry frizzy hair, aloe vera will help you with a lot of your skin and hair problems. It is also known to fight acne and blemishes effectively. Mix aloe vera gel with a few drops of lemon and use this as a night treatment. Use it regularly and you’ll see blemishes and dark spots reduced. 

There’s a reason why it’s a pet ingredient of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, health and food industries.

Aloe Vera for Beauty:

Skin needs nutrition of its own, Aloe Vera, when formulated into a properly designed personal care regimen, can treat, exfoliate, restore, reveal and provide constant, impressive nutrition to the human skin. It fights dry and flaky skin by keeping it hydrated and moisturized. If your skin is feeling dull and tired, you can use aloe vera gel as a quick face pack, you can add aloe vera gel in your DIY face packs to make them more effective. 

1. Prevents Premature Aging 
Fine line and wrinkles are first signs of pre-mature skin ageing. Rather than spending a bomb on cosmetic treatments and chemical products, it is a good idea to take care of your skin from an early age. 
Use aloe vera gel for face and let it work its magic. Aloe vera leaf is enriched with a host of antioxidants like beta-carotene, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. All these ingredients improve your skin’s texture and help keep the natural firmness intact. 

Aloe Vera face pack:

Mix 1 tsp each of aloe vera gel and instant oatmeal with ½ tsp olive oil to form a smooth paste. Apply it all over your face and neck and let it dry for 30 minutes. Rinse off with cold water. While oatmeal will scrub your face, olive oil with add nourish, and aloe vera gel will replenish the lost moisture. 
2. Helps Soothe Sunburn and Reduce Tan 
Aloe vera gel acts a protective layer for the skin to replenish the moisture. It provides great healing activity at the epithelial level of the skin. Because of its high antioxidant content, the skin heals faster. 
Refrigerate aloe vera gel for a couple of hours and apply a generous amount on sun burnt skin. It would give instant cooling and would also heal your skin.
3. Effective In Treating Rashes and Cuts 
Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, aloe vera gel is effective in calming insect bites and rashes on the skin. You can use it as a topical treatment even for small cuts. 
The soothing property of aloe vera gel makes it effective to be used as an after shave lotion. You can also use it after waxing or shaving your arms and legs. It’ll cool your skin and replenish the lost moisture.
Some remedies for different skin problems:
1. Aloe Vera for Dry Skin: Take some aloe vera, a pinch of turmeric, a teaspoon of honey, a teaspoon of milk and a few drops of rose water. Blend this mix till you get a paste. Apply it and leave in for about 20 minutes or so.
2. Aloe Vera Scrub: Grab half a cup of fresh aloe vera gel, a cup of sugar and two tablespoons of lemon juice. The sugar will help exfoliate and scrub off dead skin, the aloe vera will deep clean the skin and the lemon will help fade out scars and tan. Stir the three ingredients together and use it to scrub both face and body.
3. Aloe Vera for Acne: Take some aloe vera gel, blended walnuts with flour like consistency and honey. Aloe vera's healing properties coupled with the anti-oxidantsfrom honey will leave you with smooth and clear skin.
4. Aloe vera for Sensitive Skin: Grab some aloe Vera gel, cucumber juice, yoghurt and rose oil and blend them to a paste. Apply and leave for around 20 minutes, then rinse it off.

Aloe Vera Uses for Health:

1. Reduces Inflammation 
Using aloe vera juice can reduce inflammation. The cause of inflammation in our body is the oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Aloe vera is rich in antioxidants. For these antioxidants you can easily buy aloe vera drink and drink it. Using aloe vera capsules is also a good idea. Aloe vera juice can also prove useful in arthritis and rheumatism. 
2. Aids in Digestion 
Consuming aloe vera juice every day is a healthy practice. Using Aloe vera improves digestion and provides relief from ulcers. But it is highly recommended that you talk to your doctor to avoid any aloe vera juice side effects.
3. Boosts immunity 
Aloe vera is known to boost immunity. Aloe vera causes cells to produce nitric oxide and cytokines which give that much-needed boost to your immune system. 
4. Great for oral health
Various studies have revealed that aloe vera is as effective as any toothpaste when it comes to maintaining oral health. It treats wounds in the mouth and helps keep your gums moisturized. It also reduces swelling and inflammation of gums. The anti-bacterial properties keep cavity-causing germs at bay. 

Aloe Vera for Hair:

Aloe vera contains something called proteolytic enzymes which repairs dead skin cells on the scalp. It also acts as a great conditioner and leaves your hair all smooth and shiny. It promotes hair growth, prevents itching on the scalp, reduces dandruff and conditions your hair.

1. A Great Conditioner 
The conditioning power of aloe vera is such that it can even give high-end conditioners a run for their money.  Aloe vera is rich in proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes remove dead cells and help in cell regeneration, thus, repairing your hair. 

Aloe vera is moisturizing in nature. It nourishes and strengthens your hair and gives it a natural shine as well. You can use aloe vera gel as a conditioner after shampoo, or even as a leave in conditioner. 
Mix equal parts aloe vera gel and water in a spray bottle. Spray this concoction at the ends of your hair. It’ll keep frizz at bay and give you silky smooth hair.
 2. Maintains pH Balance Of The Scalp 
The ideal pH balance of our scalp is 5.5. When this balance is disrupted, it leads to hair problems. A large number of shampoos contain surfactants. Since these are alkaline in nature, they may alter the normal pH of your scalp. 
To restore moisture and pH of your hair, aloe vera is a great ingredient. It gives your hair a smooth texture and helps in hair growth.

3. Helps get rid of dandruff 
If you are battling dandruff and problems related to dandruff like flaky, itchy scalp, then aloe vera enriched shampoo can come to your rescue. Dandruff can be caused either due to the oily scalp or due to an infection on the scalp. Aloe vera gel is the solution to all these problems. It is very effective in removing dead skin cells and unclogs your pores. The anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties fight against infection. 
Hair Pack: Add Aloe Vera and coconut oil and apply the hair mask once a week or every fortnight. Apply and leave it in for as long as possible for strong, smooth and bouncy hair.