How to make aloe vera gel, a homemade Aloe Vera gel recipe that is exactly like store bought gel. I have tried many recipes in the past but have always failed to get the perfect consistency but finally, I found a recipe that I really like. So let's know how to make aloe vera gel at home.
What ingredients are in aloe vera gel?
Apart from freshly extracted Aloe Vera gel which obviously forms the base of this gel is guar gum. We need a stabilizer and a thickener for making this gel and I preferred a natural thickener like guar gum.
Guar gum is got from the seeds of cluster beans. Guar gum is a very common food additive and is a very safe ingredient to use for skin care. We can easily buy guar gum online.
The problem I ran into while making the gel the first few times I tried was clumping while adding the gum to the liquid. But after few trials, I got it right. This gel can be used as a base for all your homemade skin and hair care recipes.
How do you make homemade aloe vera gel?
The recipe and the method I have given has to be followed exactly else you will get a thick lumpy mixture if you add more or a thin watery clumpy liquid if you add less.
Cut a fresh aloe vera leaf and wash well to remove the slimy green juice. The green slime juice causes skin allergy so please take your time to wash it off properly before using.
Now cut the thorns on both sides of the leaf, cut in half and scope out the gel alone onto a cup. To make the Aloe Vera water, take a small piece of the extracted aloe vera gel in a cup.
Add in little water to it. Now grind this mixture to a smooth paste and strain.
Take quarter teaspoon guar gum in a cup. Add in half teaspoon vegetable glycerine to it.
Now mix well with a whisk. Adding guar gum to glycerine instead of to water directly prevents clumping.
After struggling with clumping multiple times I was so happy when I found this trick. When mixing make sure to mix well so there is no guar gum powder left. Now add in 2 tablespoons of the prepared aloe vera water all at once. Now start mixing using a whisk.
If you don't add aloe vera water all at once and add it in stages, it will also result in clumping. After few minutes of vigorous beating, the mixture will start thickening into a gel.
How do you preserve fresh aloe vera gel?
Now you can store this immediately in the fridge but if you want to leave it outside, add a broad spectrum preservative. When using preservatives, add the amount mentioned in the product. Now mix well with a whisk.
This aloe vera gel is good as a base for both oily and dry skin. When making creams with it, add ingredients according to your skin type. Once completely mixed well, store it in a glass jar.
Regarding preservatives, I researched about them a lot and actually there are a lot of myths when it comes to preservatives. Commonly advised or preservatives like vitamin e oil and grapefruit seed extract are good antioxidants and are best for only oil based products.
But when it comes to water based ingredients, we need a broad spectrum preservative that protects against all microbes.
Here quality broad spectrum preservatives especially liquid preservative is very expensive. I will leave a list of broad spectrum preservatives in the description box.
But if you don't want to use it, you can simply store it in the fridge, it will last well anywhere between 4 to 6 days. Do give it a try without fail.
How long does homemade aloe vera gel last?
Prepared aloe vera gel without added vitamin C or E can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week. However, adding one or both of the vitamins significantly increases the shelf life to up to 2 months in the refrigerator.
Does aloe vera gel go bad?When properly stored per the label's instructions, Aloe Vera gel has a normal expiration date of two years. It isn't necessary to keep refrigerated but stored in a cool, dry place free of natural sunlight is a good idea.
Can we apply aloe vera on face daily?For best results, apply aloe vera gel twice daily to the affected area of skin.
What are the side effects of aloe vera?Common side effects of aloe vera include:
blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Burning and itching of the skin (infrequent)
Stomach pain and cramps (high doses)
Diarrhea, kidney problems, blood in the urine, low potassium, muscle weakness, weight loss, and heart disturbances (long-term use at high doses)
Liver problems (rare)
