Aloe Vera has been used as an organic healing and skin conditioning treatment for thousands of years. We have evidence of its wide-spread use in ancient Egypt where it was referred to as the “plant of immortality.”
Today, with the resurgence of natural and organic skincare products, aloe vera based products are once again front and center for those seeking a more natural, gentle, way to treat, condition and maintain healthy skin.
What is Aloe Vera Good For?
While the ancients knew and trusted in the healing and beneficial qualities of aloe vera, modern scientific studies confirm that the gel extracted from the Aloe Vera Barbadenis genus of the plant is an effective ingredient for all skin types and ideal treating a variety of skin conditions, including:
Dry skin
Burns
Cuts and Abrasions
Bruises
Sun Damaged Skin
Irritated and inflamed skin
Skin infections
Eczema
Psoriasis
Acne
Antiaging
What Makes Aloe Vera Effective?
Quite simply, aloe vera gel is packed with tons of healthful, skin-benefiting ingredients:
200 Active Compounds
75 Nutrients
12 Vitamins
20 Essential Minerals
18 Amino Acids
The presence of these vitamins, minerals and amino acids slows the aging process, nourishes, conditions and protects the skin. More importantly, aloe vera gel has a molecular structure that is capable of penetrating the skin’s surface, delivering it to the lower layers. This allows it to effectively rejuvenate and rebuild healthy skin cells, to restore damaged skin, and reverse or prevent aging by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin which are the building blocks of youthful skin.
Not all active ingredients have a molecular structure that can penetrate the skin’s surface, which means that many products are not as effective as you might think.
Aloe is a powerful moisturizing agent that not only draws moisture from to air into the skin, it slows down the natural evaporation of moisture from the skin. It is also an effective, yet gentle cleansing and detoxifying agent that aids in the removal of dead skin cells, toxins, and waste while purifying the pores.
Do Aloe Vera Based Skincare Products Work?
To test whether aloe-based skincare products perform as well as the ancients believed, and as effectively as science tells us, we tested a purely aloe-based line of skincare products called L’Bri Pure n’ Natural Skincare, a company that has been making pure aloe-based products since 1998.
Products are paraben free, contain no mineral oils, artificial dyes or fragrances and their formulas contain Aloe Barbadensis, a blend of essential oils and herbs, ocean seaweed and antioxidants, and alpha hydroxy fruit acids (AHAs) to reduce wrinkles and improve skin clarity.
Their packaging is attractive, yet economical. This enables them to keep true to their mission which is to ‘provide affordable aloe vera-based skin care…”
The cornerstone of their product line is a 3-step skincare kit comprised of:
Gentle Cleansing Lotion
Gentle Freshener
Gentle Moisture Lotion
We tested the 3-step skincare products on a 34-year old volunteer with Skin Type II, with some sensitivity and a few broken capillaries. (Learn more about Skin Types and to find out what Skin Type you are. Read our article Do You Know Your Skin Type).
Using the 3-step skincare regimen twice a day as recommended, we made the following observations:
Gentle Cleansing Lotion: This is a mild, creamy lotion with a pleasant, natural scent, designed to remove make-up, oils and debris from the skin while restoring moisture balance. The product did effectively remove all traces of makeup and oil from the skin. The face felt smooth and soft after washing, not tight and dry. Ingredients include Aloe Vera, Evening Primrose Oil, Jojoba Oil, Vitamins A, C, E and Natural Botanical Extracts
Gentle Freshener: This is an alcohol-free toner designed to restore the skin’s normal pH balance while toning, conditioning and preparing it for better absorption of creams and serums. We used the Gentle Freshener after cleansing as directed. It removed all traces of cleanser, pores appeared more refined but not dry. The product performed as expected and our tester loved the smell.
Gentle Moisture Lotion: This is a lightweight lotion formulated with Aloe Vera, Vitamins A, C, E, Deep Ocean Sea Plants, Squalene and Natural Botanical Extracts to hydrate, condition and protect the skin from moisture loss. The lotion quickly penetrated the skin, left no greasy residue – just a soft, conditioned feel that smelled fresh and natural.
Conclusion: Products tested are ideal for those with sensitive skin, dry skin or normal to dry skin. After four weeks of using the 3-step skincare regimen, our 34-year old subject found that her skin felt softer, smoother and less irritated.
L’Bri Pure n’ Natural Skincare products are affordable and are a great alternative for someone seeking a purely natural skincare regimen. Remember, when trying any new product line, allow at least 4 – 12 weeks to evaluate the results. While you might see an immediate difference in the way your skin feels after just one use, more meaningful changes to dark spots, enlarged pores, fine line and wrinkles take time to correct.
Note: Healthy Skin Solutions (HSS ™) never accepts any form of compensation for a product review. Our findings are based on a professional assessment of the product, tested in a clinical setting by Diane Heinz, a licensed para-medical esthetician, who has been practicing skincare for 30+ years.
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