4 Cool Uses for Aloe

By Susan Hall
May 11, 2012
Credit: Istockphoto
This houseplant is great for relieving sunburn—and that’s just the beginning of it’s health and beauty superpowers.
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Handy Healer

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

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Mouth Soother

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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.

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Hair Revitalizer

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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.

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Feet Treat

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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.

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Scar Minimizer

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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.

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