How To Add Aloe Vera To Your Skin Care Routine

Aloe vera has been revered for thousands of years as a powerful skin care ingredient, thanks to its moisturizing and soothing properties. Yep, those aloe vera benefits are real. While you’ve probably used aloe vera gel before, since it can provide temporary relief (that’s why it’s often used to soothe a sunburn), you may not know all that much about aloe vera skin care just yet. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about aloe vera and how to add it to your skin care routine with our three best aloe vera moisturizers and more.

WHAT IS ALOE VERA?

First things first: Aloe vera is the gel-like substance that comes from the aloe plant—it’s cooling, refreshing, and hydrating, making it a major beauty must during the summer months when you may have spent too much time out in the sun without regularly applying a sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF (ouch!). 

When it comes to aloe vera skin care, you’ll likely find aloe water listed on the label. So, what is aloe water? Well, like aloe vera gel, aloe water is also hydrating. Aloe water is the clear liquid extracted from the aloe plant—and it’s actually a juice that has a subtle bitter flavor. It turns out that you can even find aloe water in a bottled form to drink. 

HOW TO ADD ALOE VERA TO YOUR SKIN CARE ROUTINE

In addition to aloe water that you can drink and aloe vera gel that’s commonly used to soothe sunburn, this ingredient is becoming super-popular in water- and gel-based skin care formulas. Whether you have normal skin, oily skin, dry skin, or very, very dry skin, products formulated with aloe vera—from aloe vera face masks to moisturizers—could help to provide the hydration your skin needs. Sweet! 

OUR BEST ALOE VERA SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

It’s time to hop on the aloe vera skin care bandwagon. If you’re ready to add this ingredient to your skin care routine, there’s never been a better time to do so. Here are our four best aloe vera skin care products you should consider making a regular part of your beauty regimen.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 10% Pure Glycolic Acid Serum: This glycolic acid serum is not only formulated with 10% pure glycolic acid to help visibility even your skin tone and reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots. What makes this glycolic acid serum unique is that it's also formulated with aloe, helping to soothe your skin in the process. 

How to use it: Apply four to five drops of serum to clean, dry skin every evening before moisturizer. For sensitive skin, start by using the face serum two to three times per week and build to nightly use. 

L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care - Normal/Oily Skin: When you have normal or oily skin, external factors like pollution, UV rays, and excessive cleansing can damage your skin’s moisture barrier, potentially causing a loss of moisture. That’s why moisturizer should be part of your daily skin care routine. This one is formulated with aloe water and hyaluronic acid. The aloe vera moisturizer helps remove the appearance of excess sebum for a fresh feel and leaves skin looking mattified (read: not shiny). 

How to use it: Apply to clean skin every morning under makeup and every night after cleansing, gently smoothing over face and neck.

L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care - Normal/Dry Skin: When it comes to normal to dry skin, the same external factors that affect oily skin—pollution, UV rays, and excessive cleansing, can also damage dry skin’s moisture barrier. That loss of moisture could cause your skin to become drier—leading your complexion to look dull (bye, bye, glow!). This moisturizer is formulated with aloe water and hyaluronic acid, enveloping your skin with moisture and improving your radiance.

How to use it: Apply morning and evening as the last step in your skin care routine, smoothing over your face and neck.

L’Oréal Paris Hydra Genius Daily Liquid Care - Extra Dry Skin: Extra dry skin can have a very fragile moisture barrier—and those external factors we’ve told you about may damage it. This can cause your skin to help lose its ability to retain moisture, leading to your complexion feeling tight and uncomfortable. Not fun. Enter this moisturizer, which is formulated with aloe water and hyaluronic acid. It leaves skin feeling comforted, soothed, and nourished with moisture. 

How to use it: Smooth onto face and neck as the last step in your skin care routine.

Next up: If you want to revisit another ingredient we touched on earlier, here’s Your Glycolic Acid Skin Care Routine.