Put A Little Aloe On It

Growing up, my grandparents had an aloe vera plant that they grew in their home. I remember being so intrigued by the pokey looking leaves - only to find they were actually kind of squishy. Every time one of the grandkids had a cut, sunburn or any other skin ailment, my grandmother would walk over to the aloe plant, slice off a leaf, squeeze the gel out and tell us to 'put a little aloe on it". Although this is one of my fondest childhood memories, I never fully understood the broad healing capabilities or benefits of aloe vera.

Although most of us are use to buying aloe vera lotion in a bottle at the store, it is actually cultivated from a short stemmed succulent with thick, fleshy short leaves. When aloe vera leaves are cut, two different fluids with differing effects exude. One, a yellow, green sap containing aloin is an irritant, however, the transparent fluid exuded from the inner leaf is said to have soothing and healing properties. Aloe vera contains countless vitamins and minerals, enzymes, amino acids and agents which may be anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. Many beauty products including lotions, cremes, body washes and soaps are infused with aloe to assist in including these great benefits in your daily beauty routine, check out our Massaloe and Refresh Your Senses - they both are infused with aloe.

With the official start of summer approaching in just a few short days, and sunburn season starting, it might be wise to make sure to have some aloe vera gel on hand...or if you have a green thumb, grow your own aloe vera plant to keep in your home!