Possibly stupid aloe vera question

[Beesweet]

Is there one aloe vera gel that everyone uses? I was at Whole Foods today looking at their gels and they all have "stuff" in them besides the aloe vera gel. Plus 8 oz. was over 10 bucks.
What should I look for in a product?
Any source for pure other than my yard? And speaking of such, can I just use my plants? I have a feeling that I would kill my plants from over harvesting, but it's a thought.

Thanks.

[happylynngilmer]

I use Fruit of the Earth aloe vera gel. You can see our reviews for it here:
http://reviews.longhaircommunity.com/showproduct.php/product/38/limit/views

[alys]

doesnt fruit of the earth still have alcohol and other odd things in it? i echo your question Bee...so far ive never been able to find (in any store)'aloe gel' that was just that, simply aloe gel. and i just dont see the point of putting aloe gel with alcohol in my hair, when the point in the 1st place is to add moisture. Alcohols, most of them anyhow, dehydrate the hair...
i terrorize my actual aloe plant at times, but even that is messy and overall just not worth it...
try googling 'aloe butter' or 'aloe juice'...theres some interesting hits there

picked an ingredient from the post below and just researched it real quick. If you dont like using animal-derived ingredients this might not be for you -
heres what it says about Diazolidinyl Urea on cosmetics database:

About DIAZOLIDINYL UREA: Diazolidinyl Urea is the heterocyclic substituted urea.

This ingredient may be derived from animals. From PETA's Caring Consumer: Excreted from urine and other bodily fluids. In deodorants, ammoniated dentifrices, mouthwashes, hair colorings, hand creams, lotions, shampoos, etc. Used to "brown" baked goods, such as pretzels. Derivatives: Imidazolidinyl Urea, Uric Acid. Alternatives: synthetics.
Known human immune system toxicant
Human skin toxicant - strong evidence
One or more in vitro tests on mammalian cells show positive mutation results

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=701923

[Stagecoach]

I use Fruit of the Earth tool... the clear stuff. Mine contains

Aloe Vera Gel,
Triethanolamine
Tocopheryl Acetate
Carbomber 940
Terasodium Edita
Dmdm Hydantoin
Diazolidinyl Urea.

I've been using this for the past two years, without the slightest negative side effects! Recently I've started scenting it with a drop of clove bud oil. I get mine at WallMart.

FotE does NOT contain alcohol.. at least not the clear stuff that I've always used.

ETA: If you live by a Giant, I just noticed the other day that they carry organic jell, for taking internally... so if it has additives, it's probably nothing that would harm your hair.

[Catladyintown]

Hi Beesweet I bough Lily of the Valley Aloe Vera Gel. Here is a link to the ingredients.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=1339&highlight=lily+valley+aloe+vera
Also the Aloe Vera Gel is 32oz for $7.23 for right now.
http://www.internatural-alternative-health.com/ingr/ingr199330.cfm HTH

[happylynngilmer]

This is what chloeishere posted in the review thread:


Really, I'm posting this review because there's a lot of long-named ingredients in this product, so I'm going to briefly explain what they are.

Aloe Vera- no explanation necessary, I hope. Moisturizing, healing, etc.

Triethanolamine- pH balancer.

Tocopherol acetate-- tocopherol is vitamin E, acetate reduces the acidity of vitamin E. Antioxidant, good for scars, skin, etc. Great stuff!

Carbomer 940- Gelling agent.

Tetrasodium EDTA- chelating agent, removes metals and minerals from a liquid.

DMDM hydantoin- preservative. It does work by releasing miniscule amounts of formaldehyde into the solution, though.

Diazolidinyl urea- same basic thing as DMDM hydantoin.


hope that helps.

[Jaime]

another satisfed customer of FOTE here :waving: . I too use the clear stuff - started using it ALOT during the awkward stage, but don't use as much now. I put some on my ends after CO'ing, and use a little bit in the mornings to minimize flyaways and frizz.

8) Jim

[MeMyselfandI]

Beesweet,

Of course there is nothing more pure then squeezing a freshly cut aloe vera.

I wish there were different types of perservatives used, but I would not use anything store bought that did not have a perservative in it. I am more worried about the mold or bacteria that will grow if they did not have anything to combat this.

I use the fruit of the earth as well. I have not been looking for one with less ingredients in it. Maybe I should keep my eyes open.

[girlcat36]

I like Trader Joe's aloe vera gel. It has very few extra ingredients. Of course when I ran out and went to get some they didn't have a single bottle in the store! Now I am having trouble finding a gel that doesn't contain dimethicone. Even at the health food store.

[Kirin]

GNC aloe vera gel, comes in 99 cent tubes usually. You'll usually find it in a bin (sometimes they dont always have it) with tubes of cocoa butter. 99% pure, the rest is citric acid and a gelling agent.

[squiggyflop]

i just bought a bottle of 99%pure aloe gel... i bought it in the dietary supplement section of vitamin world... the only thing about it is that you have to refrigerate after opening it because its free of all the chemical preservitives that other gels have

[girlcat36]

Thanks, kirin, I'm going to GNC! Forgot to check there. But it's inside the mall and I don't like going to the mall.

[teela1978]

so far ive never been able to find (in any store)'aloe gel' that was just that, simply aloe gel.

My understanding is that aloe gel quickly turns into aloe juice after it's removed from the plant. If you want to use a pure aloe product that you purchase, it will be juice. If I recall correctly, loads of folks used to use it in their sprays (Seems like no ones mists anymore. Maybe I should start again this summer, it was nice). Any aloe gel will have added ingredients to either stop the de-gelling proccess, or to re-gel the juice.

This info is from a long time ago though so I could be remembering it wrong. Personally I use the FOTE, it's cheap and I can get it at the grocery store near my house.

[xrosiex]

I really like Fruit of the earth aloe. I buy it at walmart,24ozs. for under $5.00.

[Beesweet]

Thank you to all who took the time to reply! I learned a lot.
24 oz. for 5 bucks sounds good to me. I love me some Wal-Mart.
I need something new as the shoulder-length-layer-stage is messing with me.
I feel gross.

[harley mama]

I use Fruit of the Earth. I get it at Walmart in the section where they sell sunscreen. I think it is also carried in the section where the skin care stuff is.

[Beesweet]

I just got some from Wal Mart. Now I need to find old posts to figure out how to use it.
I just washed and used a different conditioner. My hair is totally frizzy and it is only half dry. Should have stuck to my Whole Foods 365 mint. I used a swanky Elusence and hated it.
Now my hair smells like perfume and looks like I just licked a light socket.

[theindecisiveon]

I have a large tube of aloe very gel I bought in Thailand for sun burn. Unfortunately almost all of the label is written in Thai so I don't know if it has anything added to it! Funnily enough, when I got back from Thailand I found an identical tube in the cupboard that my brother had bought in Thailand a couple of years ago.