I have always heard people who say that Aloe Vera is great for the skin and that I should use it... I have tried many products before with Aloe Vera (antibacterial hand gel, soaps, face washes) and it seems to be gaining popularity in the health and beauty product market. However, how can we use Aloe Vera as a plant?

Firstly, Aloe Vera is very easy to grow, and we used to have a pot of them which reproduced quickly and we soon had many pots. Unfortunately they dried up after we took a long holiday away during the summer, and now we are in the process of finding new ones to plant. Aloe Vera "leaves" or "stalks" (the long spikey pointed things that radiates from the centre) as I'll call them should be green and plump when slightly squeezed. You do not want them to be really soft. The plumper it is, the more water it has and the more "juice" it contains.

You can cut off a bit of the leaf/stalk and use the exposed end to wash your face. Just gently wipe over your face. You will feel a cool sensation which is a bit weird at first, as the liquid is slightly slimy but this will effectively tighten skin cools it down. You could even peel off the outer layer and leave thin pieces on the skin and create a mask with the liquid which also works. For acne prone skin, you can leave a small piece to cover the affected area to cool it down.

Apart from externally using fresh Aloe Vera, they can also be eaten. I would not advise eating it raw, as they have to be washed and cleaned, but I have drunk fresh Aloe Vera juice (as well as bottled ones called Aloe Vera King) which can be bought. I do not know how to make it, but it tastes lusciously sweet with a lovely refreshing taste. The juicy bits inside are also lovely and textured.

Overall, I have had a very positive experience with Aloe Vera on the whole, whether it is through products containing Aloe Vera or the fresh plant itself, the cooling properties it contains and the benefits it brings to skin is one natural remedy that works.