How do I find good aloe vera?!?!??!!?!?

[FallingDarkness]

Title. All the aloe vera at Walgreens/Target seems to be weird gel stuff that's like 50% NOT aloe vera. :/ Help.

[TreesOfEternity]

Have you considered buying natural aloe vera plants? I bet they must be easy to take care of :)

[FallingDarkness]

I have whatever the opposite of a green thumb is...lol

[jane_marie]

Do you live in the US? If so, there is a nationwide store called Fresh Thyme. I buy Aloe vera leaves from there. They are huge and only 1.99 each. :)

[Cg]

I have whatever the opposite of a green thumb is...lol

Luckily, you don't need a green thumb to keep an aloe. They thrive under wildly varying conditions. I never fertilize, water ~ monthly, and always have leaves at hand when needed or wanted.

[MusicalSpoons]

Lilly of the desert? It's liquid more than gel though, depends what you want to use it for.

I've also seen people mention Fruit of the Earth, or something like that.

Or powder, actually, then you can make up your own to the desired consistency and only the amount you need.

[Begemot]

Luckily, you don't need a green thumb to keep an aloe. They thrive under wildly varying conditions. I never fertilize, water ~ monthly, and always have leaves at hand when needed or wanted.

Seconded, my aloe doesn't seem to need much attention at all! Monthly watering seems to keep it happy.

[Kalamazoo]

I like buying George's Aloe Vera Juice by the gallon. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Health-Beauty-Georges-Aloe-Vera-Juice-Supplement-No-Preservatives-Additives/383068371035?hash=item5930a7785b:m:mY1bTFW9IIqfKI6 W07YfNwQ

It does NOT need refrigeration, contains NO preservatives, and tastes wonderful. :bottomsup:

Some grocery stores sell individual, gigantic, aloe leaves, so you can take one home & slice it up without bothering to grow your own plant. Here in Houston, Food Town is one such store. I suspect there are several others.

[Reyn127]

Try looking for food grade aloe. Usually health food stores sells it in the refrigerated supplements area.

If not that, then I would also try to find a live plant. Even if you can’t keep it alive, you can harvest it all right away and freeze what you don’t use within a few days.

[curly girl fla]

i totally neglect my aloe plants on my porch, yet they still live, lol. I have one planted in the front garden and it thrives on it's own-huge leaves. no maintenance. unfortunately my hair doesn't love straight aloe, but my i use it on my face daily.

[renia22]

I buy mine from a Mountain Rose Herbs (mountainroseherbs.com). It needs to be refrigerated after opening.

[ExpectoPatronum]

Also want to chime in and say aloe is the easiest plant to take care of. Mine ended up getting frost bitten at one point and it's somehow still alive. I water it maybe once a month. All it needs is a lot of sun. I've murdered many a plant in my day, but my aloe plant is doing just fine.

[Deborah]

To slick back wispy hairs around my face I sometimes use Trader Joe's aloe vera gel in a green bottle. It works pretty well and does not leave anything behind.

[MoonRabbit]

Check the produce section in your local grocery store. They usually sell aloe leaves.

[iforgotmylogin]

+1 for actual plants. It's hot and often doesn't rain here for extended periods, and ours never perished

[Chromis]

I've killed multiple aloe plants, it is possible! (I tend to overwater them or they die when I pot them on after many years in a small pot....)

Anyhow, some grocery stores sell aloe leaves as well. I have often seen them in Mexican stores in particular.

[Jo Ann]

Wal-mart has Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel--no alcohol or coloring. It's in the Pharmacy section, with the lotions in Cosmetics. I've had a bottle for almost 15 years now, and it's still good.