“100% GEL” What This Really Means
100% aloe vera gel, or 100% organic aloe vera gel, in retail speak, often simply means 100% gel, as in gelatinous material. In this context, 100% only refers to the fact that the entire substance within the container is gel, but not necessarily aloe vera gel. Misleading to say the least, and potentially harmful to people seeking aloe vera for skin care, burn relief, or aloe aromatherapy.
Commonly sold organic aloe vera is often touted as beneficial for skin and topical treatment, but usually contains a host of additional chemicals and preservative agents that serve no benefits for the skin, and only reduce the natural effectiveness of the aloe vera plant. Some of these additional ingredients are listed below:
Glycerin: Glycerin is used to help smoothen the solution or act as an emollient. Most skin moisturizing creams, organic body butters, and skincare lotions will include this blending agent. Aloe vera products for skin use will often feature the emollient as a primary ingredient, meaning a large percentage of the “organic aloe vera” moisturizer is really just a creamy chemical mix. If you’ve used aloe for hair or skincare in the past, and found lackluster, or mixed results, check the label for glycerin. Varney’s organic aloe butter and organic hair conditioner contain 0% glycerin, and our aloe is cut fresh from the plant for each blend. Our organic mango butter and shea butter moisturizers are also glycerin free.
Tetrasodium EDTA: Tetrasodium EDTA is a chemical used for preservative effects. Unfortunately it also potentially allows the skin to absorb too much from the surface, meaning that your skin can be more sensitive to harmful chemicals from plastics (and probably other hair and skin products). This chemical is also toxic, which is never good if you’re applying aloe butter conditioner or hair gel to wet hair, or in any situation for that matter. Varney aloe products, mango butter moisturizers, and shea butter blends for hair and skin contain no Tetrasodium, and are all non-toxic.
Polysorbate 20: This chemical compound is found in aloe gel and aloe lotion. The compound is used to make application easier to the skin. The natural aloe vera found within the plant, has a smooth and silky feeling. However filler agents can mimic this texture artificially, and are more cost efficient than the real thing. We use only the real thing, so no need to mimic anything
Benefits of Natural Aloe Vera Extraction
The natural gel housed inside the aloe plant’s leaves contains the most effective, or potent aloe vera compound. Aloe vera extracts conversely, offer less potency and don’t work as well for skin nourishment. The natural plant form includes moisturizing components inherently found in the gel. Many synthetic retail aloe products attempt to replicate the natural benefits of aloe for the skin by combining the extract with some of the emollients and smoothing agents listed earlier.
The Varney method extracts the natural aloe vera directly from the plant itself. Nothing to combine, nothing to smooth, nature’s already done that part. All we do is combine the aloe with shea butter, mango butter, avocado oil, jojoba oil, black castor oil, ginger, and/or apple cider vinegar, depending on the mixture. The result is a collection of hair and skin products that truly harnesses the nourishing power of these organic ingredients, delivering the best results for your skin and hair.
Cold Pressed Aloe Butter
Juice, or extracts from plants, fruits, and vegetables are typically collected through harsh methods. Aloe plants are often shredded whole, by metal blades, then heated during the blending process. All of this extra processing decreases the nutrient levels left in the natural gel. The Varney method cleanly removes the gel inside of the aloe plant from the outer leaf, allowing for maximum skin nutrient retention.
In general, heat application is a no-no for hair and skincare lotions and butters. Aloe is no exception. Both heat and air exposure can rob organic compounds of their benefits, so be careful to avoid over processed products. Cold-pressed methods apply zero heat, and gently remove any air bubbles that may linger during the mixing process. All of Varney’s products are cold-pressed by hand, resulting in a denser skin and hair butter blend. This means a higher quality product, rich with more vitamins, minerals, and natural enzymes than the typical retail product.
Aloe Butter for Skin Health
Most people have come into contact with aloe a few times. Aloe is often applied for a variety of acute ailments like minor skin damage, such as cuts or abrasions, and sunburns. The gel-like texture of the aloe vera plant has been used topically, to help improve damaged or sensitive skin. Aloe is applied for several different skin conditions, a few of which are detailed below:
Skin Burns
The natural cooling properties of aloe often help relieve pain, and provide a moisturizing and soothing effect as well. Studies have shown that aloe vera topical use helped to ease symptoms of mild to moderate burns. Participants in the studies recovered from the burns more quickly, and showed better healing results over time. Applying aloe vera directly to the skin each day to affected areas can improve skin conditions over the course of a few days.
Aloe Skin Clearing Lotion
Aloe applied to the face consistently can help clear up acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. Aloe gel naturally helps reduce inflammation and improve skin health. Blemishes can appear less frequently and clear up more quickly with consistent use of aloe vera. Acne treatment using aloe can be more soothing to the skin, and less harsh than alcohol based treatments.
Studies indicate that when combined with acne medication, aloe vera helped effectively treat acne versus placebo results. Aloe application led to reduced inflammation levels, and fewer abrasions and individualized breakouts. This study was conducted over an eight-week duration, indicating that aloe vera for acne treatment can produce both long-term and immediate benefits for the skin.
Aloe Aromatherapy Benefits
Aromatherapy is another area where aloe vera has shown therapeutic promise. The cooling effect of aloe vera gel works well as an essential oil base, balancing with other oils that may produce different sensations from the body. The complement of cool, soothing, aloe can enhance massage, yoga, and other techniques. In the absence of pure aloe vera gel, aloe butter can be used as a moisturizer, combined with essential oils of your choosing, adding a new layer to your aromatherapeutic experience.
User Guide to Aloe Skincare & Aromatherapy:
Key Terms, Applications, and Ingredients
Finding organic aloe vera is easy. The difficult part is understanding the difference between real aloe vera and similarly labeled products, and recognizing how and when aloe products are meant to be effective. Some people who suffer from dry, or easily irritated skin, will try aloe, only to see mediocre or non-existent results.
It’s not the aloe’s fault; it works! The problem begins when aloe body lotion and skin butter manufacturers mislabel products to convey a higher aloe concentration than the substance actually contains. Anyone purchasing such a product would have to really scan the ingredient list to gather even a vague idea of what’s truly inside. Also, purported benefits don’t always match real-world results, so misinformation on application and use cases of aloe can also damage its reputation, along with your skin!
Many popular chemicals used during the manufacturing process can actually harm your skin, and even penetrate below the surface, absorbing potentially toxic materials into your body. The more experienced shopper may opt directly for “pure aloe gel”. “Maybe if I just buy the gel itself, I can avoid the filler products, and really test whether aloe vera works for my skin.” Sound thinking, but even the most responsible product researcher can be duped by some of these labels. The requirements for labeling are rather loose for skincare products, and corporations take advantage of this flexibility, leaving the end-consumer (You!) in the dark, and often, in the dry, ashy, flaky, unforgiving cold.
Don’t worry! We’re here to help. This guide to aloe butter and aloe vera will walk you through all of the important information. We’ll cover which chemicals are the best to avoid. When to use aloe, why it works, and how it works best.
What is Aloe Vera? Does Aloe Work for Dark Skin? Does Aloe Work for Light Skin?
Aloe vera is a common skin remedy, used in households across the globe. People of all skin colors and types use aloe for herbal therapy and topical treatment, among the most popular applications of aloe. However, the aloe leaves produce many benefits beyond typical use cases. The gel-like substance found within the aloe leaves is known to provide several key skin and overall health benefits. Although most households won’t typically feature a live aloe plant conveniently hanging around, several consumer options contain aloe vera gel, and are often marketed as aloe skin nourishing creams, extracts, and lotions.
Organic aloe vera can be found pretty much anywhere in its processed form. Over the counter options, Amazon, and other mass retailers offer affordable “100%” aloe vera products in large quantities. As you may have guessed, there’s a quality compromise at play with virtually all widely available aloe vera products. We’ll start with the “100%” misnomer.