How long do you keep aloe vera in your hair

We all have subjected our hair to hundreds of chemicals in the form of shampoos, conditioners, and hairsprays. However, over the years, the haircare industry seems to have realized that the best way to take care of our delicate hair is to go the natural way. In fact today, various brands offer natural hair care products and one of the most frequently found ingredients in them is aloe vera!

Aloe vera is a plant that has thick leaves with a gel-like substance inside of them. Not only is it found in most Indian gardens, but it can also be very easily planted at home and is not too high on maintenance. The gel of the plant is cooling and soothing when applied to the skin and the scalp.

Using aloe vera gel for hair can reap you a multitude of benefits
Most of us are aware of the multiple benefits it has for our skin, but did you know that it can actually strengthen your hair and make your scalp healthier? It calms an itchy scalp, deep cleans hair, boosts growth, repairs strands of hair, and even curbs hair fall. The best part is that you can couple it up with things that you can easily find at home and make a DIY conditioner or hair mask in order to reap its great benefits.

The best way to use aloe vera is to extract the gel from the plant and directly apply it on your scalp. You can choose to either scoop the gel out of the leaves if you have a plant at home or you can always find a gel at a pharmacy store. In either case, here are five amazing ways of using aloe vera gel for hair:

1. Aloe vera overnight spray
All you need to do is add 1/2 cup fresh aloe vera gel and 1/4 cup of fresh ginger juice in a blender. Blend the ingredients till they’re well combined. Once that is done, transfer the mix to a spray bottle. Spray on your entire scalp and massage for about 20 minutes. You can keep it overnight and wash your hair the next morning.

2. Aloe vera oil
Blend a cup of aloe vera gel to ensure that there are no lumps. Add coconut oil and the aloe gel to a saucepan. Heat the mixture till it stops bubbling and the residue turns dark. Let the oil cool down. Strain the oil and store it in an easy-to-use bottle. You can use it 3 to 4 hours before shampooing your hair. For even better results, leave it on overnight.

3. Aloe vinegar mask
Mix 1/2 a cup of fresh aloe gel and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Blend until well combined. Transfer it to a spray bottle. Apply it to your scalp as well as the length of your hair. Give your scalp a gentle massage. You can leave it on for 3 to 4 hours before washing.

4. Aloe leave-in conditioner
Mix 1/2 a cup of aloe vera gel and 15 drops lavender essential oil in a bowl. Transfer to an easy-to-use pump bottle. Apply it on the entire length of your hair and on your scalp after a hair wash.

5. Mix it up with castor oil
Castor oil helps reduce hair damage, split ends, hair loss, and dandruff. It also naturally conditions the hair and enhances its luster. Combine this with the goodness of aloe vera and you’ll have the perfect mix!

So, take a bowl and mix 1 cup fresh aloe vera gel, 2 tablespoons castor oil, and 2 tablespoons fenugreek powder until they become consistent and smooth. Apply it on your scalp, on the roots as well as the tips of your hair, and leave it on overnight. Don’t forget to put on a shower cap while sleeping! The next day, you can wash your hair with cool water and shampoo.

No matter which of these methods you use, make sure you do it at least twice a week and keep at it. After all, patience is the mother of all virtues. Aloe vera won’t disappoint you and give your hair the nutrients it deserves.

Aloe vera is the well-known super-hydrator you've likely slathered on your face and body to help soothe sun-scorched skin—but did you know its healing benefits don't stop at sunburns and skincare? Most recently, the cooling, moisturizing plant has wowed the internet with its shine-enhancing and hair repair benefits.

YouTubers and TikTok-ers recently put the succulent in the spotlight with insanely simple DIY aloe vera hair mask videos that revealed head-turning results. One look at the salon-level glossiness (with just one application!) is enough to make us want to scoop out its jelly guts and slather from roots to ends.

To dive deeper, we looked beyond the public praise, trending #aloe hashtags, and millions of video views, and turned to actual experts to see what they think about rubbing raw aloe vera on hair.

"Aloe has long been a remedy for sunburnt skin because of its cooling and hydrating properties, and we have definitely been seeing amazing benefits to using it on your hair and scalp," says Kerrie Urban, an L.A.-based celebrity hairstylist. "The hype is true—aloe contains vitamins, antioxidants, and amino and fatty acids that moisturize your hair and scalp and reduce breakage. It's also chock-full of minerals like copper and zinc that have been proven to promote healthy hair growth."

There is a laundry list of reasons and uses that justify bringing an aloe plant into your life—including the simple fact that it's insanely low maintenance, requiring watering only once every three weeks. (Even those with a black thumb can keep an aloe plant thriving!) Here's everything you need to know about the green goodness—and how it can help you achieve healthier, shinier, and more beautiful hair.

Aloe Vera Benefits for Hair

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Aloe promotes scalp health

Aloe is a natural anti-inflammatory that helps to soothe and nourish the scalp in the same way it does the skin on your face. "It's a great natural conditioner that can penetrate into the hair and scalp to hydrate strands and moisturize the scalp, helping to alleviate inflammation, itching, or irritation," says celebrity hairstylist Sally Hershberger. Aloe's powerful wound-healing properties also help treat and improve any irritations, itchiness, or dry patches that may appear on the scalp, helping to maintain a healthy foundation that promotes healthy hair growth. That doesn't mean it will cure your hair loss, but when applied directly to the scalp, it can serve as an effective scalp treatment and pampering conditioner that improves overall hair health.

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Aloe gently cleanses and hydrates

While aloe is more commonly known as a hydrator, its natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties also make it a gentle cleanser that effectively removes grease without stripping natural oils. "One of the most common mistakes that causes further damage to color-treated hair is over-shampooing, so aloe can be an effective way to get rid of excess oils and buildup without hurting the strands," says Gloria Bonilla, colorist at Sally Hershberger Nomad in New York City.

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Aloe preserves hair color

Speaking of hair color, "that's greatly impacted by sun exposure, too," says Urban. "Color can fade, become brassy, and dry out, causing strands to become more fragile and prone to breakage. Similar to your skin, using aloe on the hair and scalp helps alleviate some of the damage caused by UV rays."

"Since aloe doesn't contain all of the additional parabens, sulfates, and synthetic fragrances in traditional shampoos, it provides a much gentler cleanse that preserves color and keeps hair healthy," says Bonilla.

How to Use Aloe Vera for Hair

While new aloe vera-spiked hair care formulas are appearing on the shelves each week, this healthy hair ingredient is best used au naturale. "The best aloe you can use is straight from the plant—that way you know it's 100% fresh, organic, and has no added chemicals," says Urban.

There's also the added sustainability factor (no wasted plastics and packaging), and the fact that an aloe plant will continue to grow and replenish itself after each use, making it environmentally friendly and cost-friendly. "Just remember, cutting into fresh aloe and using it right away is always best. Similar to when you're juicing veggies, they start to lose certain vitamins and amino acids as they are exposed to air and break down over time," says Urban.

To reap the most benefits when using aloe as a hair treatment, it's recommended for application as a weekly deep conditioning mask to replenish moisture, soothe scalp irritations, and restore vibrancy to both natural and color-treated hair. To apply, saturate the hair and scalp with a thin layer of aloe, and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. "No need to shampoo after; just make sure the hair feels like it's completely rinsed and no residue is left behind," says Urban.

How long can I leave aloe vera on my hair?

Can you leave aloe vera in your hair overnight?

Can you leave aloe vera in your hair too long?

Do you put aloe vera on wet or dry hair?