What Happened When We Tried Six Aloe Vera Beauty Hacks

Aloe vera gel can be used for more than soothing uncomfortable sunburns— it can be used as an eyebrow gel, shaving cream, and more! Find out what happened when one beauty editor tried four aloe vera gel beauty hacks, below.  

If you looked at my beauty arsenal right now, you’d find a few of my go-to beauty staples, lined up neatly next to each other, awaiting my next morning or nighttime regimen. Alongside my cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen, and lip balm are two multi-purpose beauty ingredients that I—truthfully—cannot live without: coconut oil and aloe vera gel. Both are known for their soothing, hydrating properties, and are beauty ingredients that can be used in a multitude of ways to help you achieve your beauty goals. Since I’ve already given coconut oil a run for its money with these eight coconut oil beauty hacks, I thought why not do the same with my beloved aloe vera gel? Find out what happened when I put four aloe vera beauty hacks to the test, ahead.

HACK #1: USE ALOE VERA GEL AS AN EYEBROW GEL

As a beauty editor with a skin care obsession, my go-to makeup look is always—I repeat: ALWAYS—a no-makeup makeup. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found out that aloe vera gel can be used as a natural-looking eyebrow gel. You can tame your brows with aloe vera gel in a couple of ways: either by applying a dollop of gel to a disposable mascara wand and applying it to the brows or, you can purchase an empty mascara tube online, fill it with the aloe vera gel, and use the wand to apply the gel to the brows. For this experiment, I tried the latter. 

After thoughts: After carefully squeezing aloe vera gel into my empty mascara tube and applying a few flicks of the wand to my eyebrows, I was immediately hooked! My eyebrows are naturally pretty dark, so I don’t need the extra color that comes with most eyebrow gels... so, this aloe vera beauty hacked did the trick! Upon application, my eyebrows appeared tame and under control without the added dark pigment.

Editor’s Tip: If you want to try this aloe vera beauty hack at home, I suggest applying the gel once your makeup look is complete and allowing the gel to dry on your brows before touching them. If you want to add a little color to your brows, you can dust a little eyeshadow (in a color that matches your brow’s natural shade) on first before applying the gel.

HACK #2: ALOE VERA GEL AS BODY LOTION

When I found out that you can use aloe vera gel in replace of body lotion, I was equally intrigued as I was skeptical. Whenever I have used aloe vera gel on my body, I have found that it can leave a sticky residue behind. However, I wanted to give this beauty hack one last try before nixing it all together. In the past, I have used regular, store-bought aloe vera gel…so this time, I bought an actual aloe vera leaf, cut it open, squeezed the plant’s gel directly onto the skin on my legs, and massaged it in as best as I could.

After thoughts: Even though the gel from the aloe vera leaf was easier to massage into my skin, my legs still felt sticky upon application. I even tried giving it a few minutes to see if anything would change, but it didn’t. That being said, if you want to use aloe vera gel as a body lotion, I would recommend finding a body lotion or body butter formulated with the soothing ingredient— such as, this one from The Body Shop.

HACK #3: ALOE VERA AS SHAVING CREAM

I don’t know about you, but when I run out of shaving cream, I often forget to add it to my shopping list. This results in me either using bar soap, shower gel, or anything else I can find to lubricate my legs before shaving. So, when I read that you can use aloe vera in place of shaving cream when you’re in a pinch, I was definitely willing to give it a try!

After thoughts: I am pleased to announce that this aloe vera beauty hack worked (and was much more comfortable than using soap or... GASP... just water). What’s more? It left my legs feeling soft, moisturized, and soothed after shaving.

HACK #4: ALOE VERA AS A SUNBURN SOOTHER

When it comes to soothing uncomfortable sunburns, aloe vera can be a beach bag staple! Packed with vitamins A, C, E, enzymes, amino acids, and minerals, aloe vera can help soothe sunburns and hydrate the skin. To use, simply apply the gel of an aloe vera plant—or, use store-bought aloe vera gel—to the sunburned area as needed.

After thoughts: Aloe vera has always been one of my go-to’s for soothing uncomfortable sunburns. I love that it can provide dry, uncomfortable skin with a cooling effect and leave the affected area feeling hydrated and well-nourished.