The health, beauty and
nutrition industries are awash
with products containing aloe
vera. But what’s so special
about this ubiquitous plant?
Humans have been recording the benefits
of natural aloe vera for thousands of years.
Evidence of its use has been found in
Egyptian tombs, in ancient Greek, Roman,
Chinese and Indian texts – and even
in the bible.
The most useful part of the aloe vera plant is the cool, nourishing gel found inside each leaf. This substance can be used topically to help soothe, moisturise and cool the skin, and can also be taken orally as a nutritional supplement.
Benefits include:
Aloe vera as a beauty remedy is by no means a new perception, in fact, this reputation has been around for more than 5,000 years. Studies show that ancient Egyptian legend Cleopatra applied aloe to her skin daily, and even native Americans referred to the plant as ‘the wand of heaven’ because of its beauty properties.
So, what is it about aloe that makes it so great? Well, it’s the inner most gel that contains all the beneficial goodness. Over 75 active nutrients have been identified in the gel, including amino acids, enzymes, saponins, minerals, vitamins and fatty acids.
By 600BC, aloe traders who travelled from Persia to India discovered that they could separate this precious gel from the outer rind by crushing the leaves with their bare feet and scooping the pulp into goatskin bags.
Thankfully this method of extraction has since evolved, and effectively farmed aloe is now delicately hand filleted in order to extract the inner most gel. Scientists are then able to harness the gel’s power and elevate its abilities by adding complementary ingredients that work in synergy with the aloe.
So, let me introduce you to what I consider the purest Aloe Vera you can buy before we investigate it's many amazing properties 😊
Beauty runs far deeper than your external appearance but if you really do want your physical appearance to benefit for years to come, you’re better off addressing beauty from the inside out.
Aloe vera can help since the prized gel can actually be consumed as a drink. During the Crusades, the Knights of Templar created a drink of palm wine, aloe pulp and hemp. It was named ‘the Elixir of Jerusalem’ and they believed that it added years to their health and life.
While this isn’t the drink we’re recommending, a glass of aloe gel each day can work wonders for your overall health and wellbeing!
You may have seen aloe water and aloe vera juices pop up in supermarkets and health food stores but be wary as these often contain only a small percentage of aloe vera, and other parts of the plant may have even been used which can create quite a bitter taste. If you are after something that provides nutrients and results, you want to search for something that contains pure inner leaf aloe vera – the higher the percentage, the better.
Forever Living has mastered its aloe gel extraction process and within hours of harvesting the inner gel is stabilised to ensure its purity remains intact.
The gel then goes through a special aseptic process to further lock in the benefits and prevent harmful bacteria.
The outcome is a fresh and nutritious drink that’s almost as close to drinking the gel direct from the plant. At 99.7% pure aloe vera, Forever Aloe Vera Gel is the ultimate beauty beverage.
Since aloe vera is great for skin, hair and nails, drinking the gel will still benefit these aspects by working from the inside out.
Skincare is where aloe vera really leaves a lasting impression – there’s a reason why people refer to their radiant complexion as their ‘aloe glow’!
Your skin’s pH should be 5.5 but external irritants and harsh cleansers can disturb your skin’s natural balance which can lead to blemishes and uneven skin tone.
Restoring balance is key and because aloe also has a natural pH of 5.5, this ingredient is a great place to start!
Drinking aloe will benefit skin from the inside and if you drink Forever Aloe Vera Gel you will also benefit from added vitamin C.
Vitamin C contributes to the maintenance of collagen in the skin and collagen is responsible for skin’s ability to maintain its shape.
Loss of collagen can lead to sagging, fine lines and wrinkles, but collagen does naturally fade as you age so vitamins that assist are most welcome!
Topical aloe products are also great for skin, particularly those that prioritise aloe as the primary ingredient.
A high percentage of aloe means you’ll benefit from aloe’s ability to naturally soothe, moisturise and it will also work as a natural barrier to protect your skin from aggravators that can lead to a break down in collagen.
If you’re constantly plagued by flaky, weak nails, you may find that aloe vera helps.
While poorly removed gel polish and constant washing up isn’t going to do your nails any favours...
Aloe has long believed to be beneficial for your cuticles and nails so it’s worth investing in a decent hand lotion that’s high in aloe...
as well as drinking the pure gel of course!
Aloe Lotion, with 66% aloe and apricot kernel oil, creates a lightweight barrier which is essential for both your skin and nails, especially when you're constantly using your hands to wash, clean and touch things around you.
Since it's a light lotion, it absorbs quickly into skin - this means no greasy residue - plus it's packed with nourishing ingredients.
You may also be interested to hear that it also contains elastin and collagen.
Elastin helps to give skin its bounce, but like collagen, elastin also diminishes with age
While aloe can’t transform your straight hair into tight curls, it can benefit the condition of your locks thanks to its hydrating and conditioning properties.
Drinking aloe is great for hair but aloe-based hair products will also contribute to its healthy appearance so it’s worth looking out for aloe on your haircare products’ ingredient lists!
Diane Gage, author of ‘Aloe Vera: Nature's Soothing Healer’ says, "Keratin, the primary protein of hair, consists of amino acids, oxygen, carbon, and small amounts of hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphur.
Aloe vera has a chemical make-up similar to that of keratin and it rejuvenates the hair with its own nutrients, giving it more elasticity and preventing breakage."
It’s important to note however that aloe cannot fix what’s already broken.
If your hair is damaged and scattered in split ends, chances are your mane will need a good old trim, but the trick is to protect your hair before it reaches such a state.
In the summer, your hair is at risk of sustaining damage from the sun, sea salt, chlorine, BBQ smoke and who knows what else, but this is where an aloe-rich product like Aloe First can help.
Aloe First contains 80% pure aloe vera gel as well as bee propolis and plant extracts to help protect your hair from such summery threats.
You may be aware of the numerous other aloe vera-based drinks available on the market, some of which are a lot cheaper than our products here at Forever.
Although they may cost less, these drinks often contain fillers and artificial colourings and have a very low percentage of aloe vera within their composition.
What makes our drinks and gels stand out from the rest is the high content of aloe vera pulp, harvested from our home-grown aloe vera crop.
Our aloe vera products were the first to receive the International Aloe Science Council’s (IASC) seal of approval for consistency and purity.
This non-profit organisation works on behalf of the aloe vera industry worldwide, and its certification programme lets customers know that they are using the purest, most beneficial aloe possible.
Our company-owned manufacturing plant, Aloe Vera of America (AVA), ensures all of our products go through a very rigorous testing process before they are distributed.
Thousands of raw materials arrive at AVA every day and every single one is tested before it goes into our products.
This ensures there are no microbes, traces of fungus or heavy metals, etc.
The raw material is then tested again before it goes through the manufacturing process, with a final test on completion.
And if that wasn’t enough, we also carry out a further final check before the products reach our customers.
We control everything from our fields, factory, research and development, packing, shipping and distribution.
The symbols below are shown on individual product packaging, so you can assess the certifications and the ingredients used in each individual product.
This means you can rest assured the products you are using and sharing have been produced with quality and care in mind... see above
Forever is also proud to assert that neither its products or their ingredients are tested on animals.
The majority of our products do not contain animal by-products, so we are able to label them as vegetarian and vegan.
Many of our products are gluten free, so products with this symbol show that the ingredients used to manufacture them are free from gluten.
This symbol is a Kosher rating given to products that meet very rigid standards of purity and quality for the Jewish community. I
There are many religious groups that use the ‘K’ as a guide to safe and quality products.
The L in the KL Kosher symbol stands for ‘Lemehadrin’, and is for those following stricter guidelines.
The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) have qualified a number of our products as ‘Halal’.
In order to be certified within their guidelines, the products must be proven not to contain any alcohol or questionable ingredients of animal origin
Forever is so confident in the quality of its products that we offer a complete 60-day money-back guarantee if you are not entirely satisfied.
If you have any questions, please ask in the comments
If you are considering trying some Aloe Vera and pondering which one to try, or how it could help you, then do get in touch.
I am totally happy to recommend the Aloe vera I drink, and of course the well-being products made from it 😊
If you would like a link to our online catalogue or magazine contact me below!