Do you wash aloe vera out your hair

We all have subjected our hair to hundreds of chemicals in the form of shampoos, conditioners, and hairsprays. However, over the years, the haircare industry seems to have realized that the best way to take care of our delicate hair is to go the natural way. In fact today, various brands offer natural hair care products and one of the most frequently found ingredients in them is aloe vera!

Aloe vera is a plant that has thick leaves with a gel-like substance inside of them. Not only is it found in most Indian gardens, but it can also be very easily planted at home and is not too high on maintenance. The gel of the plant is cooling and soothing when applied to the skin and the scalp.

Using aloe vera gel for hair can reap you a multitude of benefits
Most of us are aware of the multiple benefits it has for our skin, but did you know that it can actually strengthen your hair and make your scalp healthier? It calms an itchy scalp, deep cleans hair, boosts growth, repairs strands of hair, and even curbs hair fall. The best part is that you can couple it up with things that you can easily find at home and make a DIY conditioner or hair mask in order to reap its great benefits.

The best way to use aloe vera is to extract the gel from the plant and directly apply it on your scalp. You can choose to either scoop the gel out of the leaves if you have a plant at home or you can always find a gel at a pharmacy store. In either case, here are five amazing ways of using aloe vera gel for hair:

1. Aloe vera overnight spray
All you need to do is add 1/2 cup fresh aloe vera gel and 1/4 cup of fresh ginger juice in a blender. Blend the ingredients till they’re well combined. Once that is done, transfer the mix to a spray bottle. Spray on your entire scalp and massage for about 20 minutes. You can keep it overnight and wash your hair the next morning.

2. Aloe vera oil
Blend a cup of aloe vera gel to ensure that there are no lumps. Add coconut oil and the aloe gel to a saucepan. Heat the mixture till it stops bubbling and the residue turns dark. Let the oil cool down. Strain the oil and store it in an easy-to-use bottle. You can use it 3 to 4 hours before shampooing your hair. For even better results, leave it on overnight.

3. Aloe vinegar mask
Mix 1/2 a cup of fresh aloe gel and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Blend until well combined. Transfer it to a spray bottle. Apply it to your scalp as well as the length of your hair. Give your scalp a gentle massage. You can leave it on for 3 to 4 hours before washing.

4. Aloe leave-in conditioner
Mix 1/2 a cup of aloe vera gel and 15 drops lavender essential oil in a bowl. Transfer to an easy-to-use pump bottle. Apply it on the entire length of your hair and on your scalp after a hair wash.

5. Mix it up with castor oil
Castor oil helps reduce hair damage, split ends, hair loss, and dandruff. It also naturally conditions the hair and enhances its luster. Combine this with the goodness of aloe vera and you’ll have the perfect mix!

So, take a bowl and mix 1 cup fresh aloe vera gel, 2 tablespoons castor oil, and 2 tablespoons fenugreek powder until they become consistent and smooth. Apply it on your scalp, on the roots as well as the tips of your hair, and leave it on overnight. Don’t forget to put on a shower cap while sleeping! The next day, you can wash your hair with cool water and shampoo.

No matter which of these methods you use, make sure you do it at least twice a week and keep at it. After all, patience is the mother of all virtues. Aloe vera won’t disappoint you and give your hair the nutrients it deserves.

New plant, who dis? Ok, not quite so new but it feels like now the “plant of immortality” a.k.a. aloe vera is hotter than ever. Case-in-point: You may have been one of 6.5 million followers who were transfixed by DIY beauty vlogger Farah Dhukai's viral video demonstrating how aloe is the perfect low-cost hair mask. She even calls it "one of my personal hair care secrets."

And, according to experts, her claim isn’t that far off: Aloe has a similar pH level to your hair's natural pH level, a high water content, and is filled with vitamins and minerals. Penny James, a salon owner and trichologist, co-signs Dhukai’s obsession, citing aloe contains 75 active ingredients like "essential amino acids and minerals like copper and zinc that have been clinically proven to help with healthy hair and hair growth."

The transformative gel helps aid in soothing a dry (or sunburned) scalp and easily transforms into a multi-purpose styling product. "As a conditioner and detangling agent this, again, would be beneficial for the strength of the hair shaft and hopefully stimulate growth," adds James (more on if that claim stands up, later).

But, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows—Stephen Ko, a cosmetic formulator likes to level set about the plant’s proposed benefits. "Aloe has been traditionally seen as a soothing, healing, antimicrobial, and moisturizing ingredient," he explains. "However, controlled scientific studies haven't shown results that backup how it's marketed." Read on for everything else you need to know about using aloe for hair.

Aloe vera is best used as a conditioner

For most of us, aloe vera is better known for its soothing skincare benefits rather than its haircare properties—but it’s no secret that it’s a powerful plant. According to Chaz Dean, WEN Hair + Body Care founder, aloe contains proteolytic enzymes which help repair dead skin cells on the scalp. "It acts as a great conditioner and leaves your hair smooth and shiny," he explains. "It also helps promote healthy hair growth, prevent itching on the scalp, reduce dandruff, and condition your hair."

Recently, more and more hair care companies have been tapping into aloe as a star ingredient. "Often, aloe is included in formulas because it is a recognizable and marketable ingredient," explains Stephen Ko, cosmetic formulator. "Aloe vera contain polysaccharides which can form a film on the skin or hair, which may provide some styling and water-binding properties," he adds.

Aloe's uses are pretty endless.

Chimere Faulk, hair stylist and creator of Dr. Locs, notes that there are several ways to use both raw aloe vera as well as aloe vera gel. She suggests mixing raw aloe vera with your favorite carrier oil as a hydrating deep conditioner or simply mixing it in with your current conditioner for an extra kick of moisture.

"Anything raw and made solely from home without preservatives will need to be kept in the refrigerator to keep aloe vera from going rancid," she cautions."This is also why I recommend washing raw aloe vera gel out after having it in your hair for a few minutes up to a few hours."

Another drawback? Pure aloe vera gel can form a film on the hair, so those with very fine and dry hair may find it gives their hair too much of a "crunchy" texture, explains Ko."I think it'll depend on your hair type, curly or straight, coarse or fine, dry or oily on how well it will work for you. Aloe vera doesn't contain cationic moisturizers that many conditioners use, so most of if will be rinsed off in water. [However] it might work for some people as a leave-in conditioner."

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Is Aloe Vera THE BEST Hair Mask for Hair GROWTH + DRY Hair?! | T'keyah B

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Aloe can potentially help with scalp irritation.

By nature, aloe vera is naturally anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antibacterial. By helping moisturize the scalp, it effectively helps prevent or reduce overall dandruff. "Aloe will work to hydrate the skin, though less so than other ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin," adds Ko.

Dean also makes the case that those with oily scalps or dry, brittle hair will glean those most benefits for using products containing aloe vera. "Although moisturizing, aloe vera can be very heavy, so I would recommend cleansing the aloe vera out of hair diligently before using other styling products, especially if your hair is thin.”

Board-certified dermatologist Michelle F. Henry, M.D. says if dandruff is just due to dry scalp then, yes, aloe can help. "However, [aloe vera alone] will not treat more severe dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis," she adds. Don't anticipate results overnight.
"[According to a 2014 study], aloe vera only has mild effects in terms of improving skin irritation measured by redness," cautions Ko. "While it is true that aloe vera contains antimicrobial chemicals like salicylic acid, they're at too low of a concentration to be effective."

The jury is still out on aloe for hair growth.

Claims of aloe vera’s ability to increase hair growth are a bit shaky—there’s not much clinical evidence this is actually true. Ko shares one chemical found in aloe—Aloenin—was shown to slightly speed up hair regrowth in mice, but the experiment used a concentrated extract of Aloe arborescens. "Plus, working on mice doesn't mean it'll work on humans."

Henry acknowledges, "Aloe is a soothing humectant that is deeply hydrating and has anti-inflammatory properties. [However] Aloe does not stimulate hair growth. It might feel like your hair is longer because it increases the hair moisture levels, it may help retain growth, and prevent brittle locks which are prone to breakage,” she explains.

Do you have to wash off aloe vera from hair?

Is it OK to leave aloe vera in your hair?

How long can aloe vera gel be left unwashed on hair?