4 Cool Uses for Aloe

This houseplant is great for relieving sunburn—and that’s just the beginning of its health and beauty superpowers.

Treat those pesky canker and cold sores naturally with a dab of aloe, the Academy of General Dentistry suggests. The plant’s glycoproteins and polysaccharides fight pain and help the sores heal faster—without stinging or an icky taste.

Love the pool, but hate how the chlorine dries out your locks? Once a week, use this pre-shampoo treatment from Lina Hanson, author of Eco-Beautiful—The Ultimate Guide to Natural Beauty and Wellness.

Combine 1/2 cup aloe vera gel, 1/2 cup Castile soap, and 1/2 teaspoon jojoba oil; apply to scalp and hair. Leave in for 10 minutes; rinse, shampoo, and condition, as usual. Aloe’s vitamins C and E thoroughly nourish damaged hair.

Prevent dry scaly feet with this scrub from Lauren Cox’s Eco Beauty. Stir together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons aloe vera gel, and 1 teaspoon coconut oil.

Massage 2 tablespoons onto each foot, especially on rough areas. The aloe and coconut oil soften and soothe, the brown sugar exfoliates, and the lemon juice brightens skin.

Heal small cuts, nicks, and burns with aloe after washing them with soap and water. Aloe’s allantoin stimulates new cell growth, which can help prevent later scarring, says Alan Logan, a naturopathic physician and the author of The Clear Skin Diet.

Keep your aloe plant in the kitchen to soothe minor burns fast.