Published: October 15, 2024
Often referred to as the ‘miracle plant’, aloe vera has been used for medicinal and cosmetic purposes for centuries. This succulent, which is native to the Arabian Peninsula and Africa, is revered for how it can help with a wide array of visible skin concerns, so much so that this ingredient is once again trending in a big way, with the global aloe vera market currently worth more than ever before.
While that may be the case, what, exactly, is all of the fuss about? How would your skin benefit if you were to add aloe to your skincare routine? Read on as Bionyx explains!
Ramps Up Hydration
When it comes to keeping your skin looking bright and healthy, hydration is everything. The more hydrating ingredients you have in your skincare routine, the better, and this is one area where aloe vera really shines.
This isn’t surprising considering the fact that aloe vera gel is made up of 96% water. Apply any form of the ingredient, be it the pure gel or an aloe extract-infused skincare product, to your skin and you’ll immediately boost skin hydration levels.
This is accentuated by the mucopolysaccharides in aloe vera. These compounds have humectant properties, meaning that they’re able to bind moisture to the skin. This provides yet another form of hydration.
Soothes the Look of Inflammation
If 96% of aloe vera consists of water, what’s in the other 4%? Numerous studies have delved into this, confirming that there are more than 75 bioactive compounds within this plant. These are what enable the aloe plant to survive in some of the harshest conditions in the world.
Among these are polysaccharides, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, and more. They each have their own unique positive impact on the skin. One of these is to reduce the feeling of inflammation.
While many skincare ingredients can claim to do the same, aloe vera contains several different compounds that tackle the appearance of inflammation. This makes it more effective than most. Anthraquinones reduce the look of swelling while glycoproteins, lupeol, aloin, and emodin put a stop to the feeling of inflammation and pain.
With inflammation being responsible for so many visible skin concerns while also accelerating the skin aging process, keeping this to a minimum can do wonders for your complexion.
Reduces the Appearance of Skin Aging
If you’ve ever done some research into the best ingredients to tackle the appearance of skin aging, you’ll likely know that vitamins and antioxidants are usually recommended. While every plant extract contains these compounds to a certain extent, aloe vera, once again, takes things above and beyond.
This superstar botanical boasts a selection of skin-loving vitamins. Between vitamins A, C, E, and B12, the latter of which isn’t often found in plants, you’ll be able to give your complexion a big boost. Combined with the other polyphenols in aloe vera, it’s easy to see how this ingredient is capable of reducing the look of fine lines and wrinkles while giving the skin a firmer and fuller finish. This, coupled with the other benefits that aloe vera has to offer, will soon have you sporting younger-looking skin.
Lightens the Visibility of Dark Spots
While dark spots commonly accompany the aging process, they can be experienced long before you start to notice any other signs of aging on your skin. After all, everything from acne breakouts to sun damage can cause dark spots to develop on the skin.
The good news is that there are a few natural ingredients out there that can help you to even out your skin tone and lighten the look of hyperpigmentation, with aloe being one. These properties are largely thanks to the aloesin in aloe vera, a compound that has been proven to target the appearance of excess melanin in the skin. Add aloe to your skincare routine and it won’t be long before those areas of discoloration and darkened skin look even and balanced.
Combats the Appearance of Acne
Acne breakouts occur when a number of different factors come together. Excess sebum, clogged pores, bacteria, and inflammation all need to be present before a pimple emerges. This is why many struggle to put a stop to the appearance of acne. This skin condition needs to be tackled from multiple angles.
Once again, this is something that aloe vera can help with. We’ve already talked about how it can effectively reduce the feeling of inflammation. This alone will go a long way in keeping your complexion spot-free.
The way in which aloe vera hydrates the skin helps with this too. Often, acne is exacerbated by dehydration. When the skin doesn’t have enough water, it increases sebum production. This makes you more susceptible to clogged pores and breakouts. Adding aloe vera to your skincare routine will soon leave your skin looking clearer.
Leaves the Skin Barrier Feeling Stronger
Your skin barrier plays a crucial role in keeping your skin feeling healthy. Not only does it block irritants from entering your skin but it also prevents moisture from evaporating away.
Unfortunately, there’s so much out there that can interfere with skin barrier function. This leaves it unable to perform as it should. Certain ingredients can help to rectify this, with aloe vera being particularly impressive.
Research has found that aloe vera has positive effects on the skin barrier, thanks to a compound known as isoorientin. This compound is being increasingly studied due to its potential pharmacological properties. It’s one that your skin barrier would very much benefit from!
Adding Aloe to Your Skincare Routine
Now that you know more about the many ways in which aloe can benefit your skin, how do you go about adding the ingredient to your skincare routine?
You have a few options. The first, and easiest, is to find a couple of skincare products that have been formulated with aloe vera leaf extract. Alternatively, you could also purchase the pure gel, or bag yourself an aloe vera plant and extract the fresh gel yourself. Let’s take a closer look at each option:
The Bionyx Rhodium Intensive Eye Serum
At Bionyx, we have a few products that boast aloe vera, one of which is the Bionyx Rhodium Intensive Eye Serum. Thanks to aloe vera’s gentle nature, it’s a great ingredient for using around the eye area. After all, the skin here is known for being particularly thin and delicate. This serum actually contains two forms of aloe vera, doubling up on its benefits.
There are several other noteworthy ingredients in this eye serum too. Like aloe, apple fiber and purslane extract help to reduce the look of swelling and inflammation while elastin gives the skin a smoother and bouncier finish. Meanwhile, shiitake mushroom extract is loaded with potent antioxidants that will work to reduce the appearance of aging and free radical damage.
The Bionyx Rhodium Advanced Eye Cream
If you want to take your skincare routine to the next level, try pairing the eye serum above with the Bionyx Rhodium Advanced Eye Cream. Again, this formula provides two forms of aloe vera, perfectly complementing the serum.
In addition to aloe vera, you’ll also find amino acids in this eye cream. This is a great ingredient for strengthening the feel of the thin skin around the eyes. Golden chamomile is in this blend too. This is an ingredient revered for how it soothes the look of inflammation. At the same time, it offers up an array of powerful antioxidants.
The Bionyx Platinum Transformative Thermal Mask
For maximum benefits, aloe should really be included in your daily skincare routine. However, it would also be worth giving your complexion an extra dose of the ingredient once in a while, which is where the Bionyx Platinum Transformative Thermal Mask comes in.
While this mask can be used on all skin types, it’s particularly beneficial for those with oily or congested skin. The kaolin clay in this mask will absorb excess sebum, leaving your pores feeling clear and clog-free. This allows the aloe vera in the mask, along with the vitamins and botanical extracts, to work their magic without having to fight past obstacles.
Using Pure Aloe Gel on Your Skin
If you would like to try using pure aloe vera gel on your skin, you have two options…
The first is to purchase the already extracted gel. These gels are widely available but it can be difficult to find a quality product. Aloe vera gel is naturally clear in color yet many of the processed gels are green, indicating that a dye has been added in. Be very wary if you also see a product being advertised as 100% gel. This isn’t possible as some sort of preservative will always need to be added to keep the aloe stable and safe. Sure, the bottle may contain 100% gel but what’s actually in that gel? This can sometimes be very hard to determine, meaning that you won’t know what you’re applying to your skin.
This is why many would say that purchasing an aloe vera plant and extracting the gel yourself is the better option. However, this can be time-consuming, as well as messy! Once you’ve snipped off a fleshy leaf, you’ll then need to clean it. After this, give the latex within some time to drain out. This is important as latex can irritate the skin. After this, you’ll be able to cut the spikes away and access the fresh gel. However, this quickly breaks down with exposure to light and temperature fluctuations so you’ll need to refrigerate it. It will last for a week in the fridge, or longer in the freezer.
Summary
There’s no denying the many skin benefits offered by aloe, making it hardly surprising that more and more people are now seeking ways to add this ingredient to their skincare routines. Whether you’re struggling with the appearance of inflammation, dark spots, wrinkles, dehydration, or just about anything else, there’s a good chance that aloe vera can somehow help. Try adding this botanical to your own skincare routine and it won’t be long before you’re also a big fan!
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