Why I ..... Use Aloe Vera Juice?

My Pros 

Very Moisturising

Decreases shedding

Reduces dandruff

Relieves scaly and itchy scalp

Softens new growth

Balances the pH level of hair so cuticles are closed allowing moisture to be locked into the strand

Smooths the hair cuticle reducing friction and tangling

Natural product

Excellent detangler

Can be added to leave in conditioners and moisturising spritz to give them an extra added boost

Fantastic addition to my henna gloss recipe

Stretches and improves the performance of my deep conditioners

Widely available on the high street or local ethnic grocery stores

Excellent value for money

500ml bottle lasts for a long time

My Cons

The smell is gross [I really dislike it!]

Has to be kept in the fridge and anything you add it to also needs to be kept in the fridge

*Note: rancid AVJ smells even worse than normal/fresh AVJ

I Use  

Venus Herbal Aloe Vera Juice £3.99

Available from most Indian and West Indian grocery stores.  

You can also buy many different brands of aloe vera from Boots, Holland & Barrett, Ebay and health food stores.  

My family are Bajan and I have been lucky enough to visit the beautiful island of Barbados were my mother was born and spent her early childhood years.  I have actually been there on holiday about 5 times and during my very first trip I was introduced to the wonderfulness that is the aloe barbadensis plant [aloe vera].

On the Island, the aloe vera plant is used by locals and holidaying tourists as a sunblock or to help soothe sunburned skin it can also be used to repel mosquitos!

Unfortunately during my first visits I didn't know a single thing about the amazing moisturising benefits that it has for hair and on my most recent trip I was more than a little apprehensive about putting on my hair whilst in braids.  I know better now though and would be rubbing a whole natural leaf on my hair every-single-day if I could turn back time! 

Aloe vera has a naturally acidic pH level of 4.4 to 4.7.  Healthy hair has a pH level of between 4.5 to 5.5 with the average being 5.0.  When we apply products to our hair like shampoos, conditioners and leave ins, or chemicals such as a relaxer, the pH level of the hair is altered and can be thrown into a more alkaline state which is not the natural healthy pH level for hair.  Products which are more alkali in their composition cause the cuticle to lift up making it look and feel rough.  The cuticle when looked at under a microscope should lay very much the same way as the scales of a fish.

Source

When the hair is in its optimum acidic state the cuticles will be laying almost flat, giving the look and feel of smooth hair.  With the cuticles laying almost flat, the strands of hair are less prone to snagging on themselves, therefore reducing the number of tangles and breakage caused through manipulation.  This is one of the main reasons why I use AVJ, I lightly spray it onto my hair and let it soak in for a minute prior to detangling.

I also use AVJ as an additional ingredient in my conditioner mixes.  I find that it really amps up the moisturising capabilities of my deep conditioners and also bulks them out which makes them last a lot longer - whilst maintaining the original intended benefits of the conditioner and then some!

I have seen aloe barbadensis listed as an ingredient in many shampoos, conditioners and other products since I started my HHJ in 2010 however, before this time I wouldn't have thought that it was included as a moisturising ingredient, I just thought it was some fancy new-fangled addition to the likes of hair colourants and other things I wasn't interested in using.  I now know better and wouldn't dream of removing this from my regimen. Even though I dislike the smell I am happy to put up with it as it is such a great all-rounder as you can see from my list of pros - it is definitely a keeper!  (",) 

Aswell as the benefits to hair, aloe vera juice also has fantastic health benefits and is great when ingested!  It is a wonderful internal cleanser, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure along with tackling a number of  other ailments.  Although I have/had been planning to try it I really don't think I will as I just can't stand the smell.... so the thought of drinking this stuff is making me feel more than a little bit queasy!!!

Ciao 4 Now