If you have ever been burned, or you live in a desert climate, you may be familiar with the exotic, gel-filled plant that is known as aloe vera. Although it comes in handy after a sunburn, you may be surprised to find that the plant can also be used on your non-sunburned hair.
The same benefits that aloe vera brings to your burned or irritated skin can also be brought to your scalp and hair. With some insight into how you can use aloe vera on your hair, you may find yourself ready to start including this remarkable ingredient as part of your hair care routine.
Table of Contents:
- What Is Aloe Vera?
- Why Is Aloe Vera Helpful for Hair Treatment?
- How to Treat Your Hair with Aloe Vera
- Find Your Product
- Apply the Gel to Your Hair
- Rinse and Wash
- How To Use Aloe Vera for Your Hair
- Moisturizer
- Dandruff-control
- How to Add Aloe Vera to Your Routine
What Is Aloe Vera?
Aloe vera is a plant that grows in hot, dry deserts and subtropical climates. This plant resembles a cactus but with long, pointy, and spiked leaves. Inside these leaves is a unique gel that is used for treating irritated skin and promoting its health. The plant is commonly used both topically and orally for a variety of purposes.
Communities have used aloe vera throughout history as a medicinal product that promotes wound healing. Today, this product continues to undergo research for further potential benefits, including suspected influence on weight loss and treatment for various diseases.
Regardless, it is still highly regarded as an effective topical treatment for promoting healthy hair and skin.
Why Is Aloe Vera Helpful for Hair Treatment?
Although used mostly in skin care products, this remarkable plant has plenty to offer your hair as well. The gel inside this plant is rich in vitamins A, C, and E. This combination of vitamins plays an important role in promoting healthy cells and protecting against premature aging. Aloe vera also contains fatty acids and amino acids that help to reinforce your hair against potential damage.
Naturally infused with powerful enzymes and anti-inflammatory properties, aloe vera can both cleanse and moisturize your hair. Altogether, aloe vera can offer several potential benefits for your hair and scalp, as it can:
- Hydrate your hair and scalp
- Strengthen hair
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Soothe scalp irritation
- Reduce itching
- Repair dead or irritated skin
- Promote hair growth
- Reduce dandruff
- Minimize hair fall
How to Treat Your Hair with Aloe Vera
With such a long list of benefits, there are more than enough reasons to incorporate this gel into your hair care process. To treat your hair with aloe vera, you should follow a few easy steps.
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Find Your Product
The first step to an effective treatment is figuring out what kind of aloe vera you are going to use. You have the choice of using a store-bought product or using gel straight from the leaves of the plant. Either option works well.
Keep in mind that if you buy an aloe vera product from an untrusted brand, the product may be filled with additives and preservatives that are less than helpful. If you are going this route, just be sure to carefully read the list of ingredients.
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Apply the Gel to Your Hair
Once you have decided how you are going to source your ingredient, you can apply it straight to your hair. Rub it into your hair just as you would a shampoo or conditioner, applying it from your roots out toward the ends of the strands. Don’t be afraid to add too much to your hair, you can always rinse it out later.
After it is fully incorporated into your hair, leave the gel in for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to let it absorb.
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Rinse and Wash
Once you are ready to remove all the aloe vera from your hair, you should rinse it all out. Aloe gel can be a bit sticky, so you may need more than a rinse to get it out completely. The best practice is to plan your aloe vera treatments right before you are planning to shampoo your hair.
How To Use Aloe Vera for Your Hair
Once you know how to apply aloe vera to your hair, you can start to take advantage of its incredible versatility. You can decide to use this super plant for whatever purpose suits you best.
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Moisturizer
The most respected quality of aloe vera is its ability to hydrate and moisturize skin and hair. In order to maximize aloe vera’s moisturizing benefits for your hair, apply it generously to your hair. It is best to apply the gel to already damp hair rather than dry hair. If your hair is already dry, then there will be no moisture to seal in.
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Dandruff-control
When using aloe vera to target and reduce dandruff, be sure to focus your application on the scalp. As you work the gel into your hair, you should massage it gently into the scalp to let it absorb as much as possible. Again, you should apply the gel to damp hair for the best results.
How to Add Aloe Vera to Your Routine
A complete aloe vera treatment is not always necessary to introduce your hair to the excellent nutrients and antioxidants that this plant provides. There are a wealth of hair and skin care products that use aloe vera to provide several great benefits.
For example, WOW’s 10-in-1 Apple Cider Vinegar Mist Tonic uses the power of aloe vera juice in its formula to provide additional hydration to your skin and hair. This mist tonic is a great supplement to both hair and skin care routines. With ingredients like apple cider vinegar, green tea, and tea tree oil, this mist tonic provides your hair with valuable antioxidants.
This mist works as a great leave-in treatment after washing your hair or for dry hair types, bringing added hydration. After spraying this treatment into your hair, you will notice that it maintains an admirable shine. This treatment can be used every day if you wish.
When looking for products that contain natural aloe vera, be sure to avoid products that contain harmful chemicals like parabens and sulfates, as these can dry out your hair and hinder your progress.
Aloe vera has a world of potential benefits for your hair. Whether you want to use the gel straight from the plant or add it to your routine through other products, you won’t be disappointed in the results. At WOW Skin Science, we are here to help you find the best solutions for your hair care process.
To explore all of the possible natural ingredients you can start incorporating into your hair care routine, browse WOW Skin Science’s complete list of natural, plant-based products.
Explore the WOW website for more natural hair care products. From our all natural sulfate, silicone and paraben-free hair care collection we recommend Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Red Onion Black Seed Oil Shampoo. And if you would like to learn more about apple cider vinegar's benefits or onion oil's benefits check out our ultimate guide on how to use them on your hair.
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