Aloe vera is a tropical succulent plant that has been used for centuries for both internal and external healing. You can easily make your own aloe vera oil, so you always have a ready-made product on hand when you need it.
Fresh aloe vera leaves have a limited shelf life once you cut them from the plant. If you don’t have a plant, or simply prefer ready-made aloe vera products, there are several available. A very good one is Allhydran, which is used for burns.
Many aloe vera products are also available in stores, but some contain so little aloe that they don’t really provide the beneficial properties of the plant.
If you’re not sure which product is right for you, or you want something without preservatives, you can easily make your own aloe vera oil.
The advantage of an oil is that it has a longer shelf life than fresh, homemade gel or a cut leaf from the plant.
Making this oil doesn’t take much time, perhaps only fifteen minutes. The oil only needs to steep for a period of at least a month.
This time is necessary for the fat-soluble parts of the plant to be released into the oil. This allows the aloe vera’s active ingredients to dissolve in the carrier oil.
Therefore, choose your carrier oil carefully as well.
My personal preference is almond oil or olive oil. In a previous blog post, you can find more information about what a carrier oil is, plus an overview of some common carrier oils you can use.
What can you use aloe vera for?
Aloe vera is known for its soothing, cooling, disinfectant, and antifungal properties. These properties help reduce infections and regenerate damaged cells.
The gel also contains dozens of other vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Aloe vera is used for burns and sunburns, inflamed cuts, scars, eczema, acne, shingles, dry, itchy patches, and even wrinkles. It’s also said to help with ringworm. And it works well as a mouthwash for sore gums.
Numerous studies have confirmed the medicinal properties of this succulent.
In a previous blog post about how to make aloe vera gel for facials, I also discussed the active ingredients in aloe vera and various studies.
Do not use aloe vera oil on open wounds. And if you have a (severe) skin condition or other type of wound or rash, it’s always advisable to consult your doctor or specialist about using pure aloe vera, gel, or oil.
What you need to make your own aloe vera oil:
- 1 fresh aloe vera leaf and several smaller leaves
- Knife and paper towel
- Jar
- Vegetable oil
You can use any type of vegetable oil, such as almond oil or olive oil. - Cheesecloth or coffee filter for covering with an elastic band, string, or ribbon.
- Sieve
- Optional: A container for collecting the oil and a funnel for pouring it into the bottle.
- Dark bottle for storing the oil
How do you make aloe vera oil?
- Cut off a large leaf near the stem of the plant, or several smaller leaves.
- Blot the aloin (the yellow sap) onto paper towels or toilet paper. The aloin is released immediately when you cut the leaf.
- If necessary, cut off the sides of the leaves where the sharp points are.
- You can leave the peel on.
- Cut the leaves into small pieces; cubes of about 1 cm x 1 cm.
- Place the pieces in a glass jar.
- Pour vegetable oil into the jar.
- Cover all the aloe vera pieces.
- Cover the jar with a piece of cloth or a coffee filter and secure it with string or a rubber band to allow the moisture to evaporate and prevent dirt from getting into the oil.
- You can also use a lid, but this will prevent evaporation.
- Now let everything steep for at least a month.
- After steeping, strain the oil through a sieve into a separate container. Or,
- Using a funnel, pour the oil into a brown or green bottle and seal tightly.
- If you don’t have a dark bottle, you can also use a clear one, but make sure to store it in a cool, dark place.
- It’s a good idea to label the bottle or attach a tag with the aloe vera oil and the date.
Allergy test if you use aloe vera leaf directly on your skin
I often use aloe vera directly on my skin. But sometimes, someone’s skin doesn’t react well to it. I think that’s mainly because someone hasn’t removed the aloe vera properly. In any case, it’s always wise to do an allergy test.
To do this, first dab the cut leaf on a paper towel to absorb the aloin. Then cut the leaf in half and rinse briefly with water if necessary.
Then rub the gel side of the aloe leaf on the back of your neck and wait a few minutes. If a rash appears, your skin is allergic and you cannot use aloe.
Once your homemade aloe vera oil is ready to use, it’s wise to do an allergy test as well.
Video explaining how to make your own aloe vera oil
This video is only available in Dutch, but you can see visually how to make the oil. The information aligns with what I wrote in this blog post.
If you’d like to learn more about how to care for your aloe vera plant and some fun facts about it, check out my other blog post about making aloe vera gel for facials.
Did you know you can also make your own aloe vera juice? How? That I show you on the page Make your own aloe vera juice
Hi, my name is Jolinda, and I work as a holistic health practitioner. I provide yoga and meditation classes and massage and Reiki treatments, mindfulness training and happiness coaching,.
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