Aloe Vera
The Fountain of Youth
Aloe Vera is the oldest and the most applied medicinal plant in the world and she is the ‘Queen’ ingredient of the CocoPlum skincare line. One of my earliest childhood memories regarding plants is with the aloe vera. My mother always kept a potted plant on our back porch within hands reach in the event of kitchen or sunburns.
When I had my first child, one of my favorite baby creams consisted primarily of this key ingredient. It is no surprise to me at all that when I began making skincare, I immediately reached for the aloe vera plant.
The succulent leaf of the plant is filled with a clear, jelly-like substance. This watery gel is both soothing and cooling to overheated, irritated and burnt skin. Aloe Vera, also known as the First Aid Plant is well documented as a plant that helps rebuild collagen in wounds & burns.
It was Cleopatra and Queen Nefereti who left us the knowledge that aloe vera offers a nourishing juice that was used in both of their daily skincare and beauty regiments. They called it the Plant of Eternity.
Also called the Plant of Immortality, it offers protection against UV gamma radiation and helps prevent the formation of free radicals, which are the molecules that cause cell damage. It unclogs pores, soothes & softens the skin and offers antiseptic qualities to help clean the skin.
Aloe Vera gel has Vitamin C & E, and beta-carotene in abundance which offers anti-aging properties by eradicating skin blemishes, diminishing age lines and encouraging collagen production. As well, it has shown signs of being effective in treating melasma - dark spots on the skin.
Aloe vera contains naturally occurring salicylic acid which is currently one of the best ways to prevent acne since it sheds dead cells from the outer layer of the skin and decreases redness and inflammation.
It is anti-inflammatory which helps with flare-ups of psoriasis—an inflammatory condition that causes red, itchy and scaly patches. This condition is better managed with this plant ingredient in your skincare regiment. Aloe Vera is also anti-microbial which helps with eczema, a skin condition that causes your skin to become red and itchy and more prone to fungal and bacterial infections.
Aloe Vera is such a coveted plant, wars have been fought over it. Alexander the Great in 333 BC captured the land of of Socotra for its famed aloe vera supplies to treat his wounded soldiers. Again, this rather unassuming plant, the Potted Physcian is the oldest and the most applied medicinal plant in the world.
Is it any wonder is has gained all these wonderful names? The Royal Plant, the Holy Plant, the Medicine Plant continues to be a plant of immense benefit to our skin & health. We are proud at the Cocoplum Company to have her as our Queen!
If you’d like to try this plant miracle on your skin, simply buy an organic leaf of aloe vera at your local grocery store, cut it lengthwithse to remove its interior gel and apply onto face to feel the tightening, moisturizer benefits, OR grab anything from the Cocoplum Compassionate Skincare line - all our products have Aloe Vera as an active ingredient.
