Lily of the Desert – Aloe Vera Gel

10 Reviews

1. 

   puzzledGelding8

   Reply

   This is a game changer for my combination/ oily acne prone skin. I love this gel it keeps my skin so soft . It just leaves my face dry and tight but it keep my face from being oily.

2. 

   alertRhino7

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   This is the brand I used years ago. I’ve tried several different brands, but I really do think this is the closest to using it from the plant.

   Now, I see some people saying it dried out/irritated their skin. Here’s the thing with aloe vs a regular moisturizer. Aloe is moisturizing, yes. It creates a barrier on the skin that protects it. However, you really should be adding a good humectant or hydrator before you use aloe to further the absorption and moisturizing qualities. I’ve heard aloe itself is a humectant, but I find that alone it just is not enough to draw it in. Humectants (like glycerin or rose water) and hydrators (products containing hyaluronic acid) encourage your skin to pull moisture in from the air, or in this case the aloe you put on after it. This is REALLY important if you have dehydrated skin. If you have very oily skin, it might be dehydrated- not dry (lacking oil and water overall) but dehydrated (lacking water content on the top layers of skin so your skin produces more oil to “fix” it). This is exactly what I went through with my skin and when I started fixing the dehydration the oil production slowed significantly.

   Long story short- I really recommend using rosewater, glycerin or a hydrator before using aloe in general as a moisturizer. Aloe is a good moisturizer, but it’s a lighter moisturizer. Great for irritated, oily, combination and acne prone skin. Possibly too light to be the only moisturizer if you have dry skin overall, but it definitely has a place in the acne/irritation sufferer’s regimine!

   I apply a rosewater and glycerin mixture (that i buy cheaply from walmart) with a spray bottle after cleansing and toning. Then I apply my vichy mineral 89- let it absorb. Then I apply my aloe with a drop or two of grapeseed oil. It has really been helping my skin. This is the best aloe brand I have found. Yes, the colour, consistency and odour can unfortunately change sometimes. I believe it actually says that on the package because it is such a pure form of aloe (it does still have a few additives). I did have one off smelling one years ago, but I found it still worked fine.

3. 

   insecureIguana5

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   People say aloevera is good for acne and sensitive skin or good as a moisturizer. So I got this aloevera, mine is in the yellow translucent bottle with a green cap. I was afraid first cause some people said they use it as a gel for their hair, I thought it’d be like glue on face- AND I TURNED OUT TO BE RIGHT! After washing my face with Oxy, I decided that I’ll be using it as a moisturizer since i ran out. It dried out my skin, it felt terrible as hell. It felt like glue, peeling off. Not at all moisturizing. I don’t know if it’s a bad batch or I’m just using it wrong, but I stopped using it. Wasted 5 bucks lol

4. 

   anxiousHare7

   Reply

   ***This review is for Lily Of the Desert Gel but not what’s pictured above***

   This is what I use:

   I have been trying to fade my spots (old acne scars) forever and am constantly trying to look for DIY remedies or products that promise to fade dark spots and blemishes – to no avail – until now. Shout out to blogger NaturalNeicy on this recommendation. She applies the gel directly to her face after cleansing with a cotton pad and so I have been doing the same for just over a week and there is a CLEAR difference in my skin. There’s an overall difference in softness, more evenly toned and bright. Best of all, I do see my spots have faded – more than anything else I’ve tried. A lot of blogs and websites say to wash the gel off after it dries but I don’t do that. I cleanse my face in the morning and evening and after I pat my skin dry I apply just over a quarter sized amount onto my cotton pad and wipe it all over my face but spend more time working it into my cheeks where my few dark spots are. I’ve seen some recipes for aloe gel masks and maybe I’ll try them eventually but for now this seems to work quite well.

   I’d love to have an actual aloe plant because I’ve heard thats better than the gel but bottled aloe gel is the next best thing as long as its 100% pure.

   First thing I noticed is that putting on the gel does make my skin feel tight and dry (but not ashy) after it dries but once you moisturize that feeling goes away so no complaints. At night I cleanse, use the gel, follow with my serum and put on my TBS Aloe night cream and I wake up with super soft, glowing skin. In the morning, I do the same thing but with a different moisturizer.

   It’s only been a week but I have definitely seen my spots fading. I have to point out that the current results I’m seeing are on new spots (ones I’ve gotten recently from a bad break out – i’m talking within the last 3 months or sooner). In my research I’ve read that it can take as much as 3 months to a year depending on your skin type, ethnicity and regimen to fade spots using aloe. I’m hoping my skin clears up on the earlier end of that scale. Obviously, this isn’t an overnight fix and something like clearing up acne or fading scars will take time and patience is key – i didn’t expect to see results so soon but I have and it gives me hope to keep at it and continue using the gel twice a day.

   My skin had absolutely no reaction to the gel whatsoever. Other than the tight feeling, my skin loves this stuff. It’s very soothing and calming, especially since you have to keep it refrigerated – applying it after a hot shower to close your pores is a dream. I’d imagine someone suffering from an acne breakout or cysts would benefit from this. It’s not pore clogging nor is it irritating but people with an allergy to aloe beware. If you aren’t sure patch test it somewhere else on your body. I’ve heard of some people getting rashes after using this.

   The price is great. It’s less than $10 a bottle (i got the largest size available for $8 at my local health food store) for 100% pure gel and it will last you a LONG time.

5. 

   pitifulPudding7

   Reply

   I USE THIS BRAND ALOE VERA GEL I TAKE 1/2 tsp.,4 DROPS VEGETABLE GLYCERIN LEAVE IT ON 20 MINUTES,MY SKIN IS PLUMP,MOISTURIZED,AND PORELESS.

6. 

   crushedBoa5

   Reply

   (This is actually for the juice, not the gel)

   Well, the absolutely worst thing about this stuff is the smell is reminiscent of how I imagine an infected armpit boil might smell.

   Now I think about it, that’s not the worst. If you thought it was impossible to beat the diabolically evil odor, then you haven’t tasted it. Trust me. This is one for the brave and by gosh if you can get past both of those things, you’ll need a medal or something.

   So here’s what happened:

   Face: I mixed with a bit of grapeseed oil, a bit of rosehip oil and a drop of essential oil. Mixed it up and used as a moisturizer. It worked. Seriously.

   Hair: Some days my hair loves it, and some days my hair wants to divorce me for subjecting it to cruel and unusual punishment.

   Other: Drinking an ounce a day will… how can I put this? It’s a bit of a laxative. So to speak. If you get my meaning. Oh, it’s also very good at soothing whatever skin ailments you may have.

   You just have to get past the smell. And the taste, if you’re using it for that.

   (It’s pretty cheap, too)

7. 

   boastfulCockatoo9

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   Made me look old and haggard the next morning as if I had a rough night the night before. Too bad, because I liked the way it felt on my skin.

8. 

   empathicRuffs6

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   My grandmother kept huge aloe plants on her porch and I used to crack a stem and rub it on any bug bites or burns. A few years later I was used to the bright neon green aloe sold in stores, but I never used it on my face for obvious reasons. I bought this in a local health food store for under $5. I don’t notice any scent at all and it does many jobs at once. Soothes, moisturizes, and reduces redness. I don’t have overly sensitive skin, and I agree that real aloe plants are amazing. I just prefer the tube and lack of mess that this provides.

9. 

   blissfulZebra7

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   this came in the yellow transparent tube and I bought it for 6 dollars at the health food store. I don’t know if mine is a bad batch or something but I read other reviews saying this has an odorless scent, mine smells terrible and has left my skin with dry patches that are itchy and red after 2 days of use. Won’t be trying this again.

10. 

    enragedGelding5

    Reply

    I have been acne prone since I was 13 years old (now 30) and started researching ‘lotions’ for acne prone skin. My internet research kept bringing up websites that were raving about aloe vera gel. So I went out to purchase an organic brand and fell in love with Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Gel.

    I started using the gel during the summer and I instantly noticed how well the oils in my skins were balanced (due to the pH in aloe vera) and for the first time during the summer in my entire acne prone life, I did not experience an oil slicked face. This has truly been a “miracle” purchase for my skin. And I still use it as a moisturizer during the winter and I do not feel like it’s too drying (because I wear liquid makeup). If I’m just lounging around the house during the winter time without makeup, I’ll slather my favorite face cream (Now Vitamin D3 Cream) over the aloe vera gel for extra hydration.

    Also, I typical buy the 4oz flip top tube for less than $4 dollars and it last me at least 3 months.