Is aloe vera moisturizing?

[lynnala]

I've been searching the threads, I see some people say that they found aloe drying. Is there a consensus on whether aloe is moisturizing? I've been using the gel lately (no added ingredients) on my wet hair after I've washed it to tame the frizzies, and my hair dries very nicely with it. I also use it on my bedtime braid to keep it smooth. I'm crossing my fingers that it's moisturizing!

[Heidi_234]

From what I understand it is. That's why it is used in the SMTs and such. :agree:
I think it is like honey, regarding the moisture, so it could be drying if the air around is dry, but I'm not 100% positive about it.

[Jeni]

I'm one of those people that has hair that hates aloe. Aloe makes my hair dry and crunchy and prone to even more tangles then normal. After I wash it off, my hair feels normal never noticed it feeling more moisturized.

I don't know, it should be moisturizing right? I mean its ALOE! Maybe my hair hates something else in the aloe so that the moister it gives my hair doesn't get noticed?

[Nizhoni]

For me aloe works really well when mixed with shea butter and coconut oil, but aloe alone is very drying on my skin (haven't tried it alone on my hair).

[ChloeDharma]

I find aloe alone not so good, unless i use it on wet hair, but mixed with a drop of oil it turns out lovely. I do wonder if sometimes the additives in the gel you buy make it act differently to the way it would straight from the plant.

[GlebeGirl]

I get different results with different aloe, but overall my experience with it hasn't been great. I tend to get crunchy ends from it.

The Fruit Of The Earth aloe, which is commonly used, was AWFUL on my hair. Super crunchy ends and no discernible benefits on any other part of my hair.

Lily Of The Desert, which I bought at my local health food store, was better but using it for too long a period also resulted in crunchy ends even though most of the length felt nice. My guess is that my hair doesn't like the plant proteins much.

[burns_erin]

Since it is a humectant it definitely depends on the air around you.

Additionally, depending on the other ingredients, it can also have a different effect. I tend to use the 100% pure aloe gel you find at organic/health food stores for drinking. It is gel like pulp in a viscous liquid. That works best for me.

[spidermom]

I liked using it with 1 or 2 drops of oil mixed in. But it wasn't anything special. In my case, I think it was moisturizing, but I live in a wet climate -- everything is moisturized.

[Anje]

Is it officially a humectant? I find it rather drying on my face, and that would explain a lot.

[burns_erin]

Is it officially a humectant? I find it rather drying on my face, and that would explain a lot.

You might want to check out this article, I found it interesting.

http://www.desertharvest.com/physicians/documents/104-0.pdf

[Sokudo Ningyou]

Aloe vera butter is moisturizing. I've been using a chunk of it on my legs and it works really well. Don't know about hair, but it seems kind of light enough to work like a shea butter.

[lynnala]

You might want to check out this article, I found it interesting.

http://www.desertharvest.com/physicians/documents/104-0.pdfburns, can you translate that for me? I take one look at those scientific papers and my brain wires fizz out!:eek:

[lynnala]

Aloe vera butter is moisturizing. I've been using a chunk of it on my legs and it works really well. Don't know about hair, but it seems kind of light enough to work like a shea butter.I've never heard of aloe vera butter. Is this something you make yourself?

update: I just looked it up. The one I found is made with coconut oil. The reason I'm using the aloe alone is that oil leaves my hair stringy in between washes. But the aloe butter sure does sound nice for after shower slathering ons!

[Sunshine69]

the mucilages that aloe contains can act as a humectant, but I find that it will just dry out and feel very sticky when used on its own.

[burns_erin]

burns, can you translate that for me? I take one look at those scientific papers and my brain wires fizz out!:eek:

Bearing in mind that I am NOT a chemist;

1. There is a great variety between types of aloe, and their preparations and their effects.

2. The humectants properties of aloe are such that messing with them change how effective they are.

3. Aloe alone is not as effective a humectant as glycerin.

4. Mixing aloe and glycerin makes them more effective at retarding water loss. (I am discounting propylene glycol since I have not heard of anyone here who uses it but lots of people, myself included use glycerin).

I chose not to mix aloe with my glycerin because with the high humidity here it is just too much. I use them both separately but not together. I also chose the kind that is simply pulverized aloe vera "meat" for drinking because there is less stuff in it to bother me.

I would suggest if you are looking for a humectant, and aloe alone is not great for you, try glycerin alone, or glycerin mixed with aloe.

ETA: I do occasionally use both the aloe and the glycerin with my SMT's. And I suspicion that is what makes an SMT so effective for many people, adding the aloe to a conditioner, most of which do contain propolyne glyco and/or glycerin.

[kwaniesiam]

Aloe and my hair are weird together. It moisturizes, but makes it sticky at the same time. I use it a lot when my fine, slippery hair refuses to stay in an updo. On skin, it moisturizes well but I almost always cut it with oil because my skin is extremely dry and sensitive. If its working for you, I don't see why you shouldn't continue using it, but just be careful what kind you use.

I got a tube of aloe from the health food store and it contained demithicone. Didn't think to check the label because it was a natural brand from the health store (their own stuff, so brand not worth noting as its not sold elsewhere) I usually use FOTE gel from the drugstore which does not :shrug:

[lynnala]

Bearing in mind that I am NOT a chemist;

1. There is a great variety between types of aloe, and their preparations and their effects.

2. The humectants properties of aloe are such that messing with them change how effective they are.

3. Aloe alone is not as effective a humectant as glycerin.

4. Mixing aloe and glycerin makes them more effective at retarding water loss. (I am discounting propylene glycol since I have not heard of anyone here who uses it but lots of people, myself included use glycerin).

I chose not to mix aloe with my glycerin because with the high humidity here it is just too much. I use them both separately but not together. I also chose the kind that is simply pulverized aloe vera "meat" for drinking because there is less stuff in it to bother me.

I would suggest if you are looking for a humectant, and aloe alone is not great for you, try glycerin alone, or glycerin mixed with aloe.

ETA: I do occasionally use both the aloe and the glycerin with my SMT's. And I suspicion that is what makes an SMT so effective for many people, adding the aloe to a conditioner, most of which do contain propolyne glyco and/or glycerin.Glycerin, hey! After a year on LHC, this is the first time I've run into a mention of it. Off to research...and thank you for the translation!

[HotRag]

I just wrote this in another thread, but I rewrite it here:

Do you use aloe gel blended with oil on your ends?
If so, does it stiffen the ends.

I like gel so much to blend with oils, it gives such a moisturizing, oil giving and light cream. I always use that on my face.

If gel can stiffen, what gel would "stiff" the least?

If humectants can be drying in dry climates, how do you moisture your hair then?
Where I live, it is the opposite to dry air, so I do not have to worry, but I wonder anyway.

[burns_erin]

Glycerin, hey! After a year on LHC, this is the first time I've run into a mention of it. Off to research...and thank you for the translation!

Oh, glycerin is just fabulous, for me anyway. I use it in stuff and also like a hair serum instead of those coney ones.

[burns_erin]

I just wrote this in another thread, but I rewrite it here:


If humectants can be drying in dry climates, how do you moisture your hair then?
Where I live, it is the opposite to dry air, so I do not have to worry, but I wonder anyway.

Hmmm, I would assume with just water based stuff...

[karenpetal]

I use aloe a lot - use a soothant after exfoliating/waxing on hands and legs and use with a little olive oil and shea butter to smoothen hairstyles - infact use it lots to give a sleek look -

[rose_in_bloom]

I'm not sure how moisturizing it is, but it sure does keep my frizzies at bay. :) It is a bit drying on my face, though.

[lynnala]

Aloe is not drying on my face at all, so perhaps that's a good sign for using it on my hair.

[Deborah]

I found that aloe had a drying effect on my hair and skin. I don't like it at all. Glycerin is another that is not beneficial for me, hair or skin. By the way, I live in a dry climate. Maybe that has something to do with it, maybe not. :shrug:

[Jeni]

Aloe is not drying on my face at all, so perhaps that's a good sign for using it on my hair.

Aloe is moisturizing on my skin and absolute crap on my hair. I have tried it on wet hair, dry hair and mixed in things, all bad.The good news is as funky as it makes my hair, once washed out my hair seems fine so by all means try it.

[HotRag]

Hmmm, I would assume with just water based stuff...
Maybe as spraying water on, then applying oil. :shrug:

[HotRag]

I tried aloegel blended with camellia oil, on my ends. Two nights in a row.

Day after, hair feels soft and great, but directly after applying, when drying, ends feels a bit stiff.
Maybe I just got to get the crunch out and then it gets soft. I would like a gel that do not give crunch. Aloe alone do not blend with oil, and I'm not sure I want emulsifying wax.