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Aloe Vera Face Masks: Benefits and 3 DIY Recipes
September 22, 2019 • By Haley Walden
Aloe vera has proven medicinal and skin care properties including stimulating collagen production, reducing inflammation, fighting bacteria, and hydrating and tightening the skin.
Aloe vera face masks offer a soothing, deep-penetrating treatment for irritated or inflamed skin.
This substance is an effective treatment for acne and acne scars, sunburns and eczema.
Aloe can be combined with other natural ingredients to make effective DIY face masks.
Aloe vera face masks deliver a concentrated, deep-penetrating dose of skin-revitalizing ingredients to soothe and heal the skin.
Face masks made with aloe are available for purchase, or can easily be made at home. This substance is a popular, natural skin care remedy that’s well known for its beneficial healing properties and ability to tame inflammation. Aloe gel can be combined with other natural and easy-to-find household ingredients to create a simple and effective DIY mask to rejuvenate the skin.
While natural exfoliants like coffee and sugar can help improve the skin’s appearance by removing debris from its surface, they can’t penetrate the pores. Aloe vera, however, does penetrate deeply to moisturize and heal, especially when used as a mask.
Aloe Vera and Its Medicinal Properties
Aloe barbadensis, or aloe vera, is a well-known plant and natural moisturizer that has been used as a healing modality for thousands of years. Its clear gel is a common remedy for sunburns and other skin injuries, and can also be used as an ingredient in skin rejuvenating face masks.
Aloe vera contains vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other nutrients that nourish and heal the skin. It has been shown to speed the healing process, encourage new collagen to form, soothe inflammation and combat bacteria. This gel also moisturizes dry skin and has skin-tightening properties.
Aloe gel vs. aloe extract
Aloe vera gel may be purchased over the counter. It’s also possible to extract the gel from the aloe plant itself, however, the extract is less potent than the gel and less research supports it as an effective face mask ingredient. Store-bought aloe gel is most effective.
Benefits of Aloe Vera Face Masks
Aloe vera can be incorporated into face masks to address a variety of skin conditions including acne, sunburns and eczema.
Acne
Aloe has been shown to help reduce redness, the severity of acne and the number of acne lesions when combined with tea tree oil and bee propolis. In fact, in this particular combination, this gel is proven more effective against acne than erythromycin ointment, which is the most prescribed topical medication for this skin condition.
Acne scars
Aloe vera could help reduce the formation of acne scars when applied to the skin early on by reducing the inflammation that leads to scarring, boosting elastin and collagen production, and strengthening the collagen matrix to encourage proper healing. This gel’s effectiveness against scarring may depend largely on how long you’ve had the scar.
Aloe vera doesn’t necessarily reduce existing acne scars, although it might help lighten their appearance. Aloesin, an aloe vera derivative, has been demonstrated to help reduce the appearance of acne scarring by lightening hyperpigmentation in the scar tissue.
While aloe vera facial masks could help reduce acne-related inflammation and reduce new scarring, applying a leave-on gel a few times a day might be more effective for lightening existing scars because it can help to naturally lighten the skin.
Sunburns
Aloe vera is a long-established natural remedy used to treat the redness and pain associated with sunburns. Although the science is unclear whether it actually helps sunburns heal, it has been shown to reduce the pain they cause.
Eczema and psoriasis
Aloe’s wound healing properties and ability to stimulate the growth of new skin cells could make it a powerful remedy against eczema and psoriasis. One study demonstrated improvement in patients with light-to-moderate psoriasis when treated with an aloe vera cream.
DIY Aloe Vera Face Mask Recipes
It’s easy to make an effective aloe vera face mask with natural ingredients from your kitchen. Aloe vera gel can be used by itself: simply apply a thin layer as a leave-on, overnight mask. If you want to maximize the mask’s benefits with other healing ingredients, you can choose one of the following DIY mask recipes.
Make sure you patch-test a small, discreet area of your skin before you apply this gel to your entire face. This will help ensure you’re not allergic to the gel.
Aloe vera, coffee and sugar face mask for glowing skin
A DIY face mask made with aloe vera, coffee grounds and sugar may serve to brighten the skin by gently exfoliating dead skin cells from the surface of your face.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp pure aloe vera gel
1 tsp coffee grounds
1 tsp raw granulated sugar
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl
Gently apply mask to your face
Wait 10–15 minutes
Wash off with warm water
Aloe vera, turmeric and honey face mask for acne
If you’re looking to reduce acne breakouts or address blackheads and whiteheads, choose a deeper-penetrating formula that helps cleanse the pores. An aloe vera mask made with turmeric and honey can help soothe inflammation and reduce acne breakouts.
Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, has been proven to reduce inflammation in the skin. Likewise, honey has been shown to be anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal.
Turmeric and honey can be combined with aloe vera gel to create a topical paste to be applied as a mask.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp pure aloe vera gel
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp turmeric powder
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl
Gently apply mask to your face
Wait 10–15 minutes
Wash off with warm water
The three-pronged antiinflammatory powerhouse—aloe vera, turmeric and honey—could help soothe inflammation, calm redness and prevent acne breakouts. However, there is currently no research on this particular combination of natural ingredients in a face mask.
Aloe vera, bentonite clay and matcha mask to tighten and soothe skin
Aloe vera, bentonite clay and matcha (green tea) powder combine to form a deep-penetrating face mask that gently tightens skin while soothing sensitivity.
Bentonite clay gently absorbs excess oil from your skin while also cleansing pores, and has been proven to aid in the healing of skin lesions.
Matcha powder is a potent form of green tea that’s packed with antioxidants; green tea has been proven to reduce inflammation and may help soothe sensitive skin.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp aloe vera gel
1 tbsp bentonite clay powder
1 tsp matcha powder
Water to soften clay powder
Instructions:
Mix bentonite clay and a small amount of water in a small bowl to form a paste
Combine aloe gel and matcha powder with the clay paste
Gently apply mask to your face
Wait 10–15 minutes
Wash off with warm water