Help With Aloe Vera Gel; Irritated Face, But Looks Nice And Smooth?

Hey everyone

Some aloe vera gel I ordered just arrived (this one, just for ingredient reference etc.: https://www.vitaminshoppe.com/p/lily-of-desert-aloe-vera-gel-whole-leaf-32-fl-oz-gel/lv-1011), so I was excited to try it on my face as an anti-aging kind of thing.  So I applied just a little bit only to my cheeks, and after a nice cooling feeling, they started to turn pretty red and feel just a tiny bit hot (maybe the heat was because I was worrying about it though lol).  So I checked again and my skin seems nicer than before I put it on, but still a bit red...So I'm confused...I'm thinking perhaps its the citric acid, carageenan, or mold inhibitor (I'm leaning towards the acid) that is mixed with it.  It specifically says that it can be applied topically to treat sunburn, etc., and as a skin moisturizer.  

So did I use too much?  Or what?  Maybe my skin just wasn't used to it or something?  Am I supposed to wet the skin first, or maybe mix the gel with some water to dilute it?  I got worried and washed my face with water.  I'd like to use this on my hair/scalp as well.

Also I should mention when I used aloe vera juice by the same company my skin was fine (as in no irritation). This leads me to believe it's one of the other ingredients I mentioned, not the aloe itself, right?

Thanks everyone

Hi john,

I also get this when using aloe, although it seems to be worse with some brands than others, which makes me think it's not the juice itself, but one or more of the additives as you suggest. How long does the redness last? One thing I have found that helps me is to wash my skin first and then apply. I think perhaps if there is a build-up of oil/dirt from the day, it the aloe can act as some sort of carrier/solvent for this and allow it to penetrate deeper into the skin, causing irritation. One other thing I've dabbled in is mixing it is mixing it with my standard moisturiser (50/50) - that used to work well.

So many people use aloe for skin benefits and there is even a few studies showing that it's helpful, so I'm determined to use it! If the inflammation is very short-lived, I reckon it's fine, but if the redness lasts for longer than a few minutes, I'd give something else ago. I guess the ultimate test would be use the sap straight from the plant, which some people seem to prefer.

Hope this helps.

jamesj wrote:Hi john,

I also get this  when using aloe, although it seems to be worse with some brands than others, which makes me think it's not the juice itself, but one or more of the additives as you suggest. How long does the redness last? One thing I have found that helps me is to wash my skin first and then apply. I think perhaps if there is a build-up of oil/dirt from the day, it the aloe can act as some sort of carrier/solvent for this and allow it to penetrate deeper into the skin, causing irritation. One other thing I've dabbled in is mixing it is mixing it with my standard moisturiser (50/50) - that used to work well.

So many people use aloe for skin benefits and there is even a few studies showing that it's helpful, so I'm determined to use it! If the inflammation is very short-lived, I reckon it's fine, but if the redness lasts for longer than a few minutes, I'd give something else ago. I guess the ultimate test would be use the sap straight from the plant, which some people seem to prefer.  

Hope this helps.

Hey thanks

I don't remember exactly how long it lasted, but it was really just redness, it didn't really hurt or anything.  It was more than a few minutes though.

Also about the aloe vera juice I used to use with no irritation, I actually used that straight without diluting it and applied it to my face with no irritation at all.  When I sprayed it on my hair/scalp though I diluted it to make it last longer.  Same company too.

I wonder if it's the citric acid causing this, the only other thing is the potassium sorbate as mold inhibitor.  You're right I'll try diluting it though.  Maybe I'll try 50-50 gel-water next time.

EDIT:  I intend to take it internally too, but I guess that won't be a problem since it will be heavily diluted in a cup of water, but just to be sure I'll start with very small amounts, like 1/8 teaspoon. I took like 1 tablespoon at a time of the juice and it was fine.

^ My post is too old to edit:

Also, is there really a difference between using the gel vs the juice topically and internally? I read that the juice is best (I guess they mean easiest) to take internally and the gel is best topically, but is that just because it's easier to get it to stay on? Because when I used the juice on my face I poured a little bit into a cup and then used a cotton swab to apply it to my face. So if I can't use the gel topically I hope I can switch back to the juice for the same benefits?