If there’s a place to go for dubious skincare advice, it’s social media. From DIY skin acid cocktails to at-home teeth bleaching, the list of things to avoid runs long. (To be crystal clear, both of these can leave long-term damage to your skin, health and mouth. Avoid at all costs.)
Recently, I stumbled on something that seemed, on the surface, to be harmless – if a little odd. There, on my screen, two content creators cracked open the leaf of an aloe vera plant and slathered the entire, gooey innards on their faces. Slick and wet-looking, the pair rubbed it into their skin, even taking it up into their hairlines.
Searching “aloe vera skincare” on the app, I was met with a deluge of other videos purporting the benefits of using raw aloe vera on their skin. Could I be missing a trick?
To clear up whether raw aloe vera is good for your skin, I reached out to Dr Anjali Mahto, founder of Self London, and nutritional therapist Farzanah Nasser. Here’s what they want you to know before you start.
What is aloe vera?
Aloe vera is a succulent plant and not a type of cactus, as is commonly believed. It’s been used for centuries across Asia, the Americas, and North Africa for medicinal purposes – both applied topically and ingested. Now, you’re likely to find traces of the plant in your favourite hydrating lip balms and moisturisers, as well as cooling after-sun treatments and burn remedies.
Used in moderation, aloe vera can be extremely effective. However, this recent craze for aloe vera “slugging” is something else entirely, especially as the aloe vera being used is in its raw, unprocessed form.
Why is raw aloe vera trending?
According to Mahto, the cyclical nature of social media means that “raw ingredient” trends resurface regularly. “While aloe vera has been used as a traditional remedy for minor sunburns, this specific trend of using raw plant chunks as a daily facial mask is relatively new,” she describes.
Other viral raw food trends include yoghurt-based face masks, rice water skin and hair rinses and brightening turmeric skin treatments.
When can aloe vera be beneficial?
Mahto explains that aloe vera can be fantastic when used in “professionally formulated skincare,” due to its anti-inflammatory, lightweight, soothing properties. Aloe vera can help calm mild inflammation caused by scrapes, small cuts, burns and irritation.
It does this thanks to its antioxidant profile (a potent mix of vitamins C and E) and anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe stressed-out skin. The high water content can help hydrate thirsty skin, a large part of why it’s found in so many post-sun skincare products.
In cosmetic formulations, however, “the active compounds are carefully extracted, stabilised, and preserved to ensure they are both reliably effective and completely safe for topical use,” she adds.
