Is aloe vera juice good for anything hair-related?

[DarleneH]

I bought a huge jug to drink and need to use it up before it goes bad. Since some of us use aloe vera gel regularly in our hair, I'm wondering if aloe vera juice has a hair use?

[In2wishin]

I bought a huge jug to drink and need to use it up before it goes bad. Since some of us use aloe vera gel regularly in our hair, I'm wondering if aloe vera juice has a hair use?

The juice is excellent for hair. In many cases it is better than the gel because it doesn't have the added thickeners that can coat and build up on the hair. Assuming your hair likes it, you can dilute your shampoo and/or conditioner a little with it, mix with some distilled water in a mister bottle for a leave-in, use in place of water if you make a defrizz spray or deep conditioner, and other things I can't think of right now.

[EndlessSunshine]

I use gel on my scalp so I could see putting the juice on scalp would be great too.

[Hootenanny]

You can also incorporate some into a deep-conditioning treatment. Just mix it with your favorite conditioner and maybe a little heated-up honey and some coconut oil (and anything else your hair likes!), apply to dry or damp hair, cover your head with plastic (I use a plastic grocery-store bag), and leave it on for as long as you like. Works great that way!

[DarleneH]

Thanks! Would it work as a light setting product? I may pour a 1/2 cup through my hair, then plop it tonight and see.

[Hootenanny]

Thanks! Would it work as a light setting product? I may pour a 1/2 cup through my hair, then plop it tonight and see.

It might! One of my favorite styling products (Kinky Curly Custard) is mostly just aloe gel, and it works great as a setting product. Give it a shot! :)

[DarleneH]

I am going to take a large bowl from my kitchen, a half-cup of the aloe juice, put all my hair in the bowl, and pour the juice on until it's all captured in my hair. If this works and I use a half cup at a time like that, I'll be through with this jug in no time. :)

[In2wishin]

Thanks! Would it work as a light setting product? I may pour a 1/2 cup through my hair, then plop it tonight and see.

i would be surprised if it worked. Just remember that the juice is the gel without the thickeners. It is the most pure form of aloe you can get without extracting it directly from the plant. The thickeners that they put into juice to make the gel may be what is working as the setting agent.

[Nae]

I think we need a report of how the plopping went. :D

[LAG93]

It's awesome! I pour a half and half aloe juice and cold water mix on my hair after my usual wash and condition. I don't rinse that out and just let it dry my hair dries so smoothly and mostly tangle free which is great for my tangly hair!

[Killahkurlz]

I have it mixed in a spray bottle with water and a leave in. I use it when I need to reup my moisture. can't really say if it is magical for my hair because I seal that in with a Shea butter mix so who knows

[Firefox7275]

Depends on your hair properties and dew points - aloe vera is a humectant (attracts water) so may not be beneficial straight up for porous hair and/ or in very humid weather. It's also acidic pH and a film former so can help the cuticle lay flat if it's right for your hair properties/ type/ weather conditions. Some get on better with it as a minor ingredient than straight up.
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/ingredients/the-science-of-aloe-vera-gel

Having said that, there is such a large body of published research for aloe in skincare - anti inflammatory, healing, collagen inducing, moisturising, possibly anti ageing - that I'd use it primarily for that.

[meteor]

It's really great for scalp - cleansing, soothing, anti-inflammatory, moisturizing - and may be good for your hair (depends). I know some people had great success using aloe vera juice instead of gel in SMTs.
I like shampoos with aloe vera juice as a top ingredient, so I would add it to shampoo.


Having said that, there is such a large body of published research for aloe in skincare - anti inflammatory, healing, collagen inducing, moisturising, possibly anti ageing - that I'd use it primarily for that.
I absolutely agree! My first thought was: "add it to your daily moisturizer, toner or even baths!"

That said, I'd love to know how your hair likes your aloe vera juice experiments, DarleneH! :)

[DarleneH]

It made my hair very soft and seems like it made it straighter. So if softer and straighter are part of your goals, this might be worth a try for you. :)