about aloe vera

Aloe Vera is a member of the lily family. It is a succulent plant which looks rather like a cactus, with thick leaves full of pure Aloe Vera liquid.

These leaves contain many beneficial, natural and non-toxic chemicals and enzymes. If the leaves of an Aloe plant are damaged, the plant uses these properties to protect itself against bacterial invasion and fungi by cleaning, sealing and repairing the damage.

There are more than 300 species of Aloe, five of which are of nutritional value to humans - the most effective of these being Aloe Vera (Barbadensis). The plant can be found growing in hot, dry areas particularly in the US (southern Florida), Africa, Asia and Europe.

Aloe Vera is a wonderful moisturiser which keeps the skin smooth and supple, helping to combat the effects of ageing. As well as being a natural cleanser with a pH balance similar to that of human skin, Aloe is absorbed by the skin four times faster than water.

Aloe skin care products cleanse the skin and open the pores so that the moisture and nutrients can be totally absorbed. It also promotes cell division.

A lot more information on Aloe Vera, its history and useage can be found on answers.com

History of Aloe Vera

While the healing properties of the Aloe plant were first recorded more than 3,500 years ago, the plant’s natural beauty benefits were first acknowledged 2,000 years ago by the young Egyptian queen, Cleopatra.

Cleopatra used gel from the Aloe Vera plant to cleanse and moisturise her skin and to protect it against the harsh, dry heat and harmful rays of the sun.

She not only put Aloe directly on her skin, but also added it to her bath water, and even mixed it with the elaborate and colourful make-up she used on her face.

Aloe Vera is recorded throughout history for its beauty-enhancing and natural healing properties. A written testament to the versatile powers of Aloe was found in the tomb of an ancient Egyptian mummy in 1550 BC, and Sumerian clay tablets dating from 1700 BC refer to the plant.

Aloe is a natural cleanser and a wonderful moisturiser, which can penetrate the layers of skin and promotes cell division. It can also act as a local anaesthetic. When applied to skin Aloe accelerates the healing of burns, insect bites, cuts and abrasions.

Alexander the Great recognised the healing properties of Aloe gel, particularly for burns. He captured the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean in the 14th century so that its abundant crops of Aloe Vera could be used to treat his wounded soldiers.

Aloe is mild, safe and non-toxic, containing only natural, organic chemicals.