Aloe Vera Powder for Hair & Skin

For Hair and Scalp

Worked through wet hair and rinsed out, Aloe Vera Powder usually leaves the hair with slip: strands slide past each other instead of catching, so you detangle with less pulling. Once dry, hair usually feels softer, less rough and easier to manage, and a loose scalp mask can leave a dry-feeling scalp comfortable. In henna paste it usually leaves hair feeling softer and less dry after colouring, without changing the colour.

For Skin

As a rinse-off face mask it usually leaves skin feeling soft and comfortable and looking fresher. It's a simple base if you like to know exactly what goes into your mask. Follow with your usual moisturizer, especially if your skin is dry or mature.

Who It Suits

Anyone who mixes their own hair or face masks. Dry lengths, curls and coils get the most from the slip; fine hair does better with a thinner mix and a shorter time. If your skin is easily irritated, patch test first and use it every 2–3 weeks. It isn't a leave-on gel, a styling gel or a replacement for your moisturizer.

For Hair and Scalp

1. Put about 2 tablespoons of powder in a non-metallic bowl and whisk in about 120 ml (½ cup) of comfortably warm water a little at a time, until it looks like runny yogurt. For short hair use about 1 tablespoon with 60 ml (¼ cup); for long or thick hair, about 3 tablespoons with 180 ml (¾ cup).
2. Leave it about 10 minutes to hydrate and thicken. If it's too thick, whisk in a splash of warm water.
3. Wet your hair thoroughly.
4. Apply to your scalp if you like, then smooth the rest through your mid-lengths and ends.
5. Leave it 10–20 minutes, covered so it doesn't dry hard.
6. Rinse thoroughly with warm water until no residue is left.
7. Condition your lengths afterwards if they need it.

For Face

1. Put 1 teaspoon of powder in a small bowl and stir in 2–3 teaspoons of comfortably warm water a little at a time, until smooth.
2. Leave it about 5 minutes to thicken to a spreadable paste.
3. Apply a thin, even layer to clean skin, avoiding your eyes, the skin around them and your lips.
4. Leave it 5–10 minutes. Rinse sooner if it feels tight or uncomfortable.
5. Soften it with lukewarm water or a damp cloth before removing it, rather than scrubbing it off dry.
6. Rinse thoroughly, pat dry and moisturize as usual.

How Often

Hair: about once a week if your lengths feel dry, otherwise every 1–2 weeks. Face: about once a week, or every 2–3 weeks if your skin is easily irritated. Use it less often if your hair feels coated or your skin feels tight. Mix it fresh every time and don't keep leftovers.

Blends

• Hair mask: 2 tablespoons of Amla, Bhringraj or Brahmi Powder with 1 tablespoon of Aloe Vera Powder, warm water added gradually to a runny-yogurt paste, rested 10 minutes, about 20 minutes on wet hair and scalp, then rinsed thoroughly.
• Hair wash: 1 tablespoon each of Aloe Vera Powder and Shikakai or Reetha Powder, warm water added gradually to a thin, pourable wash, rested 10–15 minutes, massaged into wet hair and scalp for 60–90 seconds, left 3–5 minutes and rinsed very thoroughly, away from the eyes.
• In henna: 2 tablespoons per 100 g of henna (1 tablespoon if coverage matters most), whisked into the dry henna before any liquid. The henna method is otherwise unchanged.
• Face mask: 1 teaspoon each of Aloe Vera Powder and Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti) or Neem Powder with 3–4 teaspoons of warm water, rested 5 minutes, 5–10 minutes on the skin, rinsed before it dries hard.

Full methods: for hair and for skin.

Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder – 100 %

Patch Test First

Patch test 24–48 hours before first use, with the mix you plan to use. Put a little of the mixed paste on a small patch of clean, unbroken skin and leave it there; rinse it off straight away if it burns or itches. Don't use the product if it causes redness, burning, swelling or itching that doesn't settle. If you add another powder, yogurt or oil, test that finished mix.

Using It Safely

For external use only. Don't eat or drink it. Keep it away from your eyes and the skin around them, and rinse with plenty of clean water if any gets in. Don't use it on broken, grazed or badly irritated skin or scalp. Stop using it if irritation or discomfort occurs. Keep out of reach of children.

Storage

Keep the pouch sealed in a cool, dry place, away from moisture and direct light, and use a clean, dry spoon. The dry powder keeps for 2 years from the date of packaging. Mix only what you need and throw away leftovers: there's no preservative, and the fridge doesn't change that. Colour, smell and texture vary a little between batches, which is normal for a whole plant.