Aloe Vera for Curly Hair: Benefits and Different Ways to Use It

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You likely don’t need that much convincing to appreciate aloe vera.

Whether it’s for skin care, hair care, food, beverage, or even as a simple house décor, the number of ways we can use this plant is astonishing.

Aloe vera gel products are getting more attention from beauty and hair enthusiasts. That’s hardly surprising considering the wonders it can do, especially for curly hair.

Keep reading and discover some of the amazing benefits of aloe vera for curly hair.

If you’re on Team Aloe Vera already, you should keep reading too.

Aside from learning more about the benefits of aloe vera in hair, we also have an easy-to-follow guide for a homemade aloe vera gel. 

What Is Aloe Vera Gel?

Aloe vera is a plant with succulent properties, making it easy to naturally grow and cultivate in various parts of the world. It produces two substances: yellow latex and a clear gel. 

The latter is the main component used in making aloe vera gel, which can be used on the skin and hair.

Studies have shown that aloe vera gel has humectant properties. It’s also one of the most well-known emollient ingredients. 

These two qualities explain why aloe vera gel has been a popular moisturizing ingredient in many skincare and haircare products.

Benefits of Using Aloe Vera Curly Hair

Helps Maintain a Healthy pH Balance on the Scalp

The scalp’s natural pH tends to lean on the acidic side, so shampoos filled with surface-active agents (a.k.a. surfactants) could easily cause irritation and damage. 

But aloe vera gel has a pH level of 4.5 to 5.5 — neutral enough to help the scalp maintain a balanced pH level.

And as we’ve heard in plenty of skincare and haircare commercials, balanced pH is ideal. In this case, a scalp with a well-maintained pH level is less likely to experience irritation, flaking, and dryness.

Natural Solution for Frizzy Hair

The very structure of curly hair means it’s more prone to being dry and frizzy. The curls make it harder for the natural oils to spread well from the scalp through the hair strands.

Curly hair is beautiful, but it requires extra attention to manage the amount of frizz it has. Luckily, aloe vera gel is one of the best and most readily available hair products to hydrate your hair and scalp.

Moisturizing for the Scalp and Hair

It bears repeating that aloe vera is an emollient and a humectant.

And these are the words you want to see on any product and ingredient that claims to have moisturizing properties.

So it’s not surprising that aloe vera has been one of the leading ingredients in creams and moisturizers. And you can count on aloe vera for curly hair to deliver the same benefits. 

Research indicates that the aloe vera plant sugar molecules, including mucopolysaccharides, can help retain moisture.

So the next time your scalp feels dry, apply aloe vera gel, as it’s known to help bring back moisture to the hair strands.

Improves Hair Strength and Elasticity

While we all love aloe vera benefits on hair, including hair growth, the truth is, researchers have yet to find scientific proof to support many of these. 

On the bright side, the aloe vera plant is known to have components that help improve hair strength and integrity.

Some researchers believe that the chemical compound called aloenin found in the aloe vera plant promotes natural hair growth.

Other components found in aloe vera, including vitamins C and E, are believed to help strengthen hair. 

Soothes Scalp and Treats Flaking

Aloe vera’s pH level and moisturizing properties make it one of the best natural ingredients to soothe an irritated and dry scalp.

Scalp dryness is one of the most common causes of flaking. Aloe vera gel can be a top-notch solution for this.

But there are cases where dandruff is also caused by fungal infection.

The good news is aloe vera also has anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties, so it’s known to work great against scalp issues, irritation, dryness, and flaking.

How to Make Aloe Vera Gel for Curly Hair at Home

Plenty of commercial brands sell aloe vera gel that can be used on the hair and skin. But if you want to go all natural and make your own aloe vera gel, you’re in luck!

The ingredients are easy to find, and you can complete the process in just a few simple steps.

What You Need

Aloe vera leaf

Yes, that’s really all you need to make a DIY aloe vera gel at home.

The rest of the equipment you’ll need is likely in your kitchen already, including a knife, spoon, clean bowls, fine sieve, blender, and airtight container.

Directions to Make Aloe Vera Gel

1. Prepare aloe vera plant

While making a large batch of aloe vera gel at once is tempting, please take note that it doesn’t have a very long shelf life. So using your knife, it’s best to harvest just one aloe vera leaf at a time.

Now this is an essential part of the process. After harvesting the aloe vera leaf, you’ll notice a yellow resin coming off the area where you cut the leaf.

Make sure that the leaf completely secretes the resin before you move forward because it contains this resin aloe vera latex that can cause skin irritation. 

Once the latex stops dripping, wash the entire leaf thoroughly with running water.

2. Peel the aloe vera leaf

Remove the aloe vera leaf’s edges. Yes, it’s the part with the tiny spikes. Then start peeling the outer layer of the leaf or the aloe vera skin.

Try to do it gently to avoid slicing off parts of the aloe vera flesh that contains the gel.

3. Gather aloe vera gel from the leaf

Using a spoon, start scraping the leaf’s flesh to collect the aloe vera gel. Make sure you’re not scraping off any part of the aloe vera skin. 

4. Filter, blend, and store the aloe vera gel

To ensure you remove unwanted particles from the aloe vera gel, run it through a fine sieve. Next, blend the aloe vera gel for a few seconds until its consistency is slightly runnier.

And there you go! You now have a homemade and all-natural aloe vera gel that you can apply on your hair, scalp, and skin.

Make sure to store the aloe vera gel in an airtight container, making the gel last for an entire week. You can extend its shelf life by adding powdered vitamin C and/or vitamin E to act as preservatives.

But if you want to keep it all-natural, you can freeze the gel for up to six months.

How to Use Homemade Aloe Vera Gel

Leave-in conditioner

One of the most common uses for aloe vera gel is as a leave-in conditioner.

But if you’re using aloe vera gel this way, you should mix it with an equal part of water. You can also add your choice of carrier oil for some extra curly hair shine: jojoba oil and argan oil are highly recommended!

Using aloe vera gel as a leave-in conditioner should work well for curly, dry, or frizzy hair. 

Hair mask

If you’re planning to apply aloe vera gel while doing house chores or reading your favorite book, using it as a curly hair mask is the way to go.

One of the ingredients commonly added to aloe vera gel to turn it into a curly hair mask is coconut oil. 

Other recipes call for honey and apple cider vinegar, among others. Whatever ingredient you wish to add, make sure to mix your aloe hair mask well.

It’s best to apply on dry hair, massage onto your scalp, and make sure you don’t miss any strand from root to tip. Leave it on for at least 30 minutes and wash thoroughly with your favorite shampoo.

Soothing gel

As we’ve mentioned, dryness and other scalp issues can result in irritation and damage. Luckily, aloe vera is known to have a cooling effect, making it a great soothing gel. 

Massage the aloe vera gel onto your scalp; it should provide instant relief if you have an itchy scalp.

Aloe vera is also a great skincare ingredient. So, yes, your homemade aloe vera gel can also be used as a soothing gel for your skin or used as a moisturizer.

 Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Aloe Vera Do for Your Hair?

Aloe vera is one of the best things that nature has to offer. Aloe vera has many benefits when used on hair, even though it’s easy to grow and cultivate.

It’s proven to help rehydrate our hair and skin and lock in moisture. It can also protect our hair from extreme sun and UV radiation exposure, which can result in hair damage and breakage.

Its direct effect on hair growth is still being debated, but aloe vera is known to have components that help strengthen the hair. So if you’re having issues with split ends and hair fall, consider using aloe vera gel for your hair.

It also has soothing properties, making it a great solution when experiencing scalp irritation or itchiness.

Can You Use Aloe Vera on Curly Hair?

Because of its immense moisturizing properties, aloe vera gel is best used for curly hair. It helps treat frizzy hair and rehydrate dry scalp.

Curly and textured hair is more prone to breakage as well. But with aloe vera’s rejuvenating components, curly hair can grow stronger and gain more elasticity.

As mentioned, curly hair can get dry quickly. But aloe vera is popular for its humectant qualities, which means it can help the hair retain water so that hair stays shiny and hydrated.

Is It Safe to Use Aloe Vera Gel for Hair Every Day?

Pure aloe vera gel, especially if you made it without too many extra ingredients, is generally safe to use daily.

It’s best to always observe your hair’s condition. In case you achieve too much hair moisture, you run the risk of having weaker hair follicles that can cause split ends and lessen your curly hair’s volume.

So it’s advised to use aloe vera gel as a hair mask once a week. Depending on the other ingredients you mix with the aloe gel, your hair mask will likely have a thicker consistency.

So ensure you rinse it off thoroughly from your hair to avoid buildup on your scalp. 

Is It Easy to Grow Aloe Vera at Home?

Aloe vera is a home gardener’s best friend. It’s not a demanding succulent plant, and you can grow it indoors for the entire year. Although it’s best to place it where it can get plenty of light, it can survive with less light inside your home.

You don’t even have to water it daily. The general rule in taking care of an aloe vera plant is to water it once every two weeks. Too much water is bad as it might cause the plant to rot.

If you want to skip all the trouble, you can buy an aloe vera plant from a local nursery whenever you’re in the mood to make your own gel!

Take Care of Your Curly Hair With Aloe Vera Gel

Aloe vera gel, or in other forms, is undoubtedly one of the best things you can have. It has a wide range of purposes for skin care and even more so for your hair. 

With its moisturizing properties and components that improve elasticity, you definitely need to include aloe vera for curly hair routines!

Read here to learn more about curly hair care:

• The Max Hydration Method: A Complete Guide For Curly Hair
• How To Deep Condition Curly Hair + Deep Conditioning Tips
• The Fool-Proof Guide To Dyeing Curly Hair Without Damage