Is Aloe Vera Good For Oily Skin? We Investigate

Written by Nishtha Bhalla23rd Feb 2022
Is Aloe Vera Good For Oily Skin? We Investigate

If there's one skincare hero that's fantastic for every single skin concern and skin type out there, it's aloe vera. The good old house plant which has been around for centuries and is used as a medicinal herb also doubles up as a fantastic skincare ingredient thanks to its nourishing properties. However, we completely understand that when you have oily skin, you may treat skincare ingredients with a little apprehension, so when many people ask us the question 'is aloe vera good for oily skin?', it doesn't come as a surprise. However, we're here to put those doubts to rest — ahead, we're listing down all the ways aloe vera is good for oily skin.

03. Cleanse Regularly

01. Natural Astringent

Astringents are both a blessing and a curse for oily skin. While they are effective for sebum-control, most products like toners actually have alcohol as astringents, meaning they dry out the skin and may often be counteractive. Not aloe, though; since it's naturally occurring, aloe vera is a gentle yet effective astringent that absorbs excessive impurities from the face while helping with sebum control and neutralising free radicals on the face in the process.

02. Non-Greasy Moisturisation

Using a moisturiser can be a tricky situation for those with oily skin, since many a time, moisturisers can make the face oily and greasy. Aloe vera, on the other hand has a high water content which hydrates and moisturises oily skin with none of the grease.

03. Cleanse Regularly

03. Breakout-Preventing

If you have oily skin, chances are that your skin is pimple and acne-prone. Since aloe vera manages to absorb the excessive acne-causing grime on the face and is antibacterial, it manages to keep excessive acne and zits in check.

04. Soothing

Those with oily skin often have to deal with inflammation caused by acne and pimples —they are notorious for making the skin red, after all. Luckily, aloe vera's got a few enzymes that make it an anti-inflammatory staple since it manages to calm down all annoying flare ups, redness, and irritation.

05. Skin-Healing

One of the drawbacks of having oily and acne-prone skin? All the acne scars that get left behind and refuse to leave the face! While you may have tried just about every remedy under the sun, turn to aloe to heal the skin from acne scars, since it contains glycol-proteins that have anti-inflammatory properties that promote the healing of these scars.

03. Cleanse Regularly

06. Neutralising Free Radicals

Free radicals are unwanted molecules that can basically destroy the skin's collagen, and cause skin blemishes on oily skin. We don't want that now, do we? Well, luckily, since aloe vera has antioxidant properties, it manages to neutralise the free radicals on the skin, and takes care of any impending damage these threaten to cause on oily skin.

 

How To Make Aloe Vera Gel At Home

03. Cleanse Regularly

If you're a little wary of store-bought aloe vera gels and would prefer to keep things DIY when it comes to aloe vera gel, here's the good news: aloe vera gel can be made at home! And is aloe vera good for oily skin when used as a gel? Well, of course it is — you're reaping all the benefits of it, completely unfiltered too! Here's how to make aloe vera gel at home:
 

Step 01: If you have an aloe plant at home, you can take a leaf out of it. Otherwise, store-bought works just fine too! Wash the leaves well as you would with any fruit or veggie, and let it sit in a cup or bowl for 10-15 minutes.

Step 02: Then, peel off the skin of the leaf using a knife or a veggie peeler. Once you've peeled off the skin, you'll be able to see the natural aloe gel.

Step 03: Take a small spoon, and start scooping out the gel straight into a mixie. Be sure to not include any pieces of the skin of the aloe plant, since that contains latex which can be a skin irritant.

Step 04: Blend the gel well, until you have a liquid, slightly frothy consistency. And that's it! Your gel is ready — you can use it as is, or combine it into a face pack, which brings us to what we are going to talk about next.

 

How To Use Aloe Vera For Oily Skin

03. Cleanse Regularly

The answer to the question 'is aloe vera good for oily skin?' also depends on how you use it! If you're mixing it with the wrong ingredients, you could be counteracting all its benefits — therefore, you need to have the right mask recipes in place to help. We've got your back, of course, so ahead, we're listing down all the ways to use aloe vera for oily skin.

01. Aloe Vera And Cucumber Mask

Perhaps one of the most cooling face masks out there, turn to an aloe vera and cucumber face mask when you have flare-ups, or just need some soothing hydration to get you through the day.

Prepare this by blending half a cucumber and fresh aloe vera gel together until you get a paste. Apply it onto your face, leave it on for a period of 15-20 minutes, and rinse it off for hydrated, soothed, nourished skin.

03. Cleanse Regularly

02. Aloe Vera And Multani Mitti Mask

If your skin is extraordinarily oily, or if you have a problematic T-zone, this is the one for you. Multani mitti or Fuller’s earth is an absorbent clay that soaks up all the oil and grime on your face, and when used with aloe vera, it's a total winner!

Add a tablespoon of multani mitti to your aloe vera gel in a bowl. Mix the two together until you get a paste, and apply it onto your skin. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes — no more — to reveal sebum-free skin.

 

03. Cleanse Regularly

03. Aloe Vera And Tea Tree Oil

An antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial superhero, turn to a combo of tea tree oil and aloe vera when you want to keep the oiliness and the zits at bay.

To create an aloe vera gel and tea tree oil moisturiser that you can use regularly without drying out your skin or making it greasy, add a few tablespoons of aloe vera gel to tea tree oil. Mix it completely, and store in a clean container to use it everyday.

04. Aloe Vera And Oatmeal Mask

If your oily skin has been bogged down with dullness, let us turn your attention to the aloe vera and oatmeal face pack. By thoroughly exfoliating the skin of all dirt and dead skin layers, this one will reveal a glowing complexion — while aiding extra oil-removal in the process.

Mix oatmeal powder and aloe vera gel in a blender together — you can add cucumber or rose water for that extra touch of hydration — and massage it onto your face. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes, and then rinse it off by exfoliation with a wet washcloth.

 

03. Cleanse Regularly

05. Aloe Vera And Honey Face Mask

Oily skin needs hydration too, and what better hydrating ingredient to turn to than the natural humectant honey? It will help maintain the oil production on the skin, and work as an antioxidant too.
To make this, combine a cup of aloe vera gel with a spoonful of honey. Mix it well, and apply it over your face for a hydrated, moisturised, and nourished complexion that's oil free.

06. Aloe Vera And Neem Mask

Neem not only controls excessive sebum secretion, it has healing and antibacterial properties too that makes it great for the skin. Use it in combination with aloe vera for a nutrient-rich, oil-fighting face mask.
Make this mask by combining a spoon of neem leaf powder with a little bit of honey, and a good amount of aloe vera gel. Apply it onto your face for a few minutes, and rinse it off for super healthy skin.

03. Cleanse Regularly

07. Aloe Vera Face Mist

Apart from using aloe vera in face masks, it's good as a mist too! Aloe mists can be super calming and hydrating, not to mention refreshing during the summer months, making them a must-have.

Simply mix fresh aloe vera gel along with a little bit of clean water in a spray bottle. Add a few drops of rose water, and shake it well. So, so refreshing — and great for keeping the oiliness at bay!

08. Aloe Vera And Green Tea

Let's not leave out toners! If you want a natural astringent with antioxidant properties to tone your face, we're giving you two — aloe vera and green tea.
In a bottle with a pump, pour some cooled-down green tea along with a few spoons of aloe vera gel. Shake it well, and you'll have an astringent toner that will nourish your skin instead of making it dry or over-oily!

09. Aloe Vera And Apple Cider Vinegar Mask

People with pimple-prone skin, we hope you're listening! Apple cider vinegar is all about unclogging the pores, taking care of zits thanks to its antibacterial properties, and is overall a great sebum-control ingredient. And with aloe vera? This is second to none!

Take equal parts ACV and aloe vera in a bowl, and apply the slightly watery mixture onto your face. Let it rest on your face for about 20 minutes, making sure it soaks in properly, and then rinse it off.

 

03. Cleanse Regularly

10. Aloe Vera And Turmeric Mask

Turmeric's antioxidant properties have been well-known for centuries, and mixed with aloe vera, it is great for skin purification, oil-control, and lends the face a visible glow.

To make this mask, take a spoonful of turmeric powder with some aloe vera gel and honey, and mix it all together. Leave it on the face for 10-15 minutes, and wash it off.

Preventing Tips For Oily Skin

Of course, we won't need to ask 'is aloe vera good for oily skin' if we didn't have oily skin to begin with! While there is no surefire cure for oily skin, there are a few tips you can follow to keep your skin's oil production in check, to avoid getting greasy skin. Here they are:

03. Cleanse Regularly

01. Moisturise

One of the biggest things people with oily skin neglect is moisturising their skin. Not moisturising can make the sebaceous glands produce more oil and overcompensate, thus making the skin even oilier. So, if you have oily skin, invest in a moisturiser that hydrates your skin without making it greasy — or use the one with aloe vera gel as mentioned above!

02. Eat Healthy

Your skin reflects what you put in your body, so if you have a steady diet of sugar and carb-heavy, greasy junk, your face will reflect that. Eating healthy can dramatically take your skin from oily to normal, so lifestyle changes are important.

03. Cleanse Regularly

03. Cleanse Regularly

Washing the face with a gentle cleanser that's non-drying can take care of the skin's oiliness. Regular cleansing won't just remove the oil from the face — it will ensure that the skin doesn't accumulate dirt and grime either, thus ensuring that you can kiss pimples goodbye too.

04. Clay Masks

Natural clay masks like multani mitti or calcium bentonite clay are easy ways to soak up all the oil on the skin without drying it out. When used regularly — a couple of times a week — these can restore the skin's natural balance by taking care of oil production.

FAQs

01. I have oily skin. What should I apply on my face during summer?

All skincare products that are meant for oily skin! You can use a regular cleanse-tone-moisturise routine along with SPF if you need a good place to start for the summer. And don't forget to look for aloe vera as an ingredient!

02. Is it safe to apply aloe vera gel on the face overnight?

Yes, you can leave it on overnight — in fact, you'll wake up with glowing, nourished skin, so it's completely safe to use it.

03. Does aloe vera darken the face?

No, it doesn't! In fact, aloe vera can be used to treat hyperpigmentation and there's anecdotal evidence where people claim that it has managed to lighten their dark spots.

04. What are the side effects of aloe vera?

Unless you forget to remove the latex on the outside of the plant or apply it without cleaning first, there are no side effects to applying aloe vera topically.

05. How do you wash your face with aloe vera?

You can use aloe vera gel as a face wash by simply taking a coin-sized amount and massaging it onto your face using your fingers or a facial massage tool in circular motions. Rinse with water, and you're good to go!

Nishtha Bhalla

Written by

Nishtha is a freelance writer who loves all things beauty, fashion, culture, and lifestyle. With content covering a variety of topics, she brings a holistic, nuanced perspective to her writing. In her free time, she can be found watching reruns of The Office, reading anything she can get her hands on, and experimenting with astrology.

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