I love, love, this plant. The glycoproteins and polysaccharides contained in the liquid part of the plant is where the anti-inflammatory, cooling, skin growth and repair properties are. Works wonders for minor burns, sunburns, and those ooooh, so painful steam burns. The thick liquid inside those leaves provide a protective layer over the burn which helps to retain moisture, cool the burn and aide in healing.
One of my favorite ways to use fresh aloe is to squeeze the liquid in my hands and gently apply that to my face and neck before bedtime.
Before applying to your face, rinse with warm water as this will open your pores and allow the aloe to soak into your skin better. Then the next morning, rinse your face with warm water, then with some cold- to shrink the pores which helps to keep air borne pollutants out. I just love what this does for my complexion. It doesn't clog my pores or leave my skin feeling dry or greasy. Feels very soft, refreshed and hydrated. Gives the skin a bit of a glow too.
Also increases collagen production which firms the skin and reduces the look of wrinkles. Some people have had good results in using aloe for acne by applying the liquid to areas on their face. Also, my granddaughter had fallen and skinned her knee, it was like a bad rug burn, after applying fresh aloe to the sore for a couple of days, it was already well on it's way to being healed. Yep, most definitely "one" of my favorite plants.
