Ingredient glossary
Aloe
On your shelf ✓What Aloe does for your skin, who it suits, and what to watch for.
INCI: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice · Also: Aloe Vera
In short: Aloe delivers hydration and soothing, suits most skin types, and the evidence behind it is moderate.
- What it does
- Hydration, soothing
- Best for
- Most skin types
- Evidence
- Moderate
- How long
- Never measured
The Glow take
The kind of ingredient sensitive skin quietly loves.
Aloe earns its place by calming things down: less redness, less sting, a happier barrier. Not a headline active.
— Maya
What it does
- hydration
- soothing
moderate evidencePlant extract with humectant and soothing properties; effects depend strongly on concentration and overall formula.
Who it's for, and who should skip it
Tends to suit
- all
- sensitive
Approach with care
- rare allergy
- Clogs poresLow
- Irritation riskLow
How it fits each skin type
- DrySuits
- CombinationSuits
- OilySuits
- SensitiveSuits
Take extra care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
Where it fits in your routine
Nobody has published how long this takes to work.
What is known, and what is missing
Measured on: stratum corneum hydration and soothing of irritated skin.
Aloe leaf juice is a dilute mixed extract with humectant polysaccharides, and instrumental studies of aloe-containing lotions exist, but the aloe content of commercial products ranges from the first ingredient on the list to a token trace, and no published work establishes when a hydration or soothing effect begins at a stated concentration. The base's own moderate evidence rating and its note that effects depend strongly on concentration point the same way. What is specifically missing is any dose-anchored time course; what is known is only that formulations containing it can raise surface water content.
No dose-anchored time course identified. Instrumental studies of aloe-containing lotions exist but do not fix concentration or onset; sunburn and wound-healing claims are separate and poorly supported.
Plays well with
- humectants
- allantoin
Aloe, answered
Is Aloe safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Aloe is considered safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. As with anything, if you are unsure it is worth a quick word with your doctor or midwife.
Who should avoid Aloe?
Approach Aloe with care if any of these apply to you: rare allergy.
What concentration of Aloe actually works?
Its concentration is rarely printed on the label, so use the ingredient list as your clue: near the top third it is likely doing real work, near the bottom it is more of a sprinkle.
Compare Aloe with
- Hyaluronic acid
- Pro-vitamin B5
- Sodium PCA
- Butylene Glycol
- Propanediol
- Betaine
- Trehalose
- Xylitol
- Hydroxyethyl Urea
- Glycereth-26
- Polyglutamic Acid
- Tremella Fuciformis Extract
- Beta-Glucan
- Hydrolyzed Collagen
- Honey
- Pentylene Glycol
- Crosslinked sodium HA
- Propylene Glycol
- Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid
- Acetylated Hyaluronic Acid
- Fructooligosaccharides
- Hexylene Glycol
This, for every label you own
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