DIY Beauty Fridays: The Miracle of Aloe Vera

Man, does my skin ever have a fantastic relationship with aloe vera.  Because I'm so paste-y pale, all I ever do in the sun is burn.  Now don't get me wrong, I always always always wear a sunscreen to prevent this but sometimes, after swimming or being on a boat all day, you forget to reapply.  (At least I always do).  This means Allan has to bolt to a drugstore and lather me, from head to toe, in green aloe vera goo.

I don't know about you but once your skin is thoroughly covered in the gel it feels much cooler, of course, but also extremely moisturized.  Which brings me to today's topic, the skin care uses of Aloe Vera.

1. Aloe vera is an excellent eye gel and wrinkle smoother.  Apply in the morning, under your eyes, and watch your skin firm up.

2. For my girls with oily skin, alternate aloe vera gel with your moisturizer.  You'll notice that over time your skin will be less oily.  (A major perk of aloe vera)

3. For my girls with dry skin, mix aloe vera gel with your moisturizer and you'll notice a big difference in your skin's texture.

4. Use after moisturizer as a natural primer.  Honestly, I've been doing this for the past few days and it works wonders.  My skin is exceptionally smooth and noticeably softer when I have this product on.

5. Have any pimple redness or swelling?  Rub some aloe vera gel on clean skin and you'll notice that the swelling and redness will almost disappear.

Why this works?  Aloe vera has been used for medicinal purposes for many years because of it's healing abilities.  Aloe vera contains vitamin C and E, plus zinc, all of which contribute to healing.  Aloe vera is also an adaptogen which makes it very effective for all skin types.  Quick tip: Ensure you're using pure aloe vera gel or at least as close to 100% pure as possible.  (I'm using one that's 99.7% pure.)  The last thing we need is an aloe gel on our skin that's jam packed with preservatives and additives.

I've been using my aloe for the past four nights, before bed, and when I wake up my skin is so supple and soft, it's amazing.  The best part is that my HUGE bottle of aloe only cost me $6.99.  (I got mine at Rite-Aid).  I love cheap skin care!!

Have any of you ladies tried this before?  What do you think of this tip?

PS - Happy weekend to everyone and a big happy LONG weekend to all the gals from Canada....woohoo.  Allan is taking me away for the whole weekend so I'll be back posting for Tuesday....xo