Maybe you have dry or brittle nails and you feel like you've tried everything to fix the problem. Instead of buying yet another product to apply to your already weak nails, try using aloe. While more studies are needed to prove its benefits, many people already use aloe to strengthen and moisturize their nails. Just keep them immersed in aloe vera gel or juice to see them improve. You will also need to massage them with a moisturizing oil and protect them with gloves and creams.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making Aloe
Step 1. Get fresh aloe vera gel
If you have a healthy aloe plant in your home, you can cut an outer leaf to extract the gel. Use a sharp knife to sever it near the base of the plant. At this point, peel carefully, along the flat side, to access the gel inside; after having scraped it with a spoon put it in a small bowl.
The gel extracted directly from the plant should be used immediately, so it is best to choose a small leaf if you only need a small amount
Step 2. Buy aloe vera gel
If you don't have an aloe plant at home, it's easy to find the gel at a drugstore, herbalist, or health food store. Check the ingredients list and make sure the aloe vera gel comes first. In addition to the gel there should be very few other elements.
In some cases, preservatives may have been added to extend the shelf life of the product
Step 3. Buy aloe vera juice
In addition to the gel, you can use juice, but in this case you have to choose a product that contains almost exclusively aloe vera. So make sure it's 100% pure and not just a juice preparation.
Avoid products with water or a sweetener in the list of ingredients. The risk is that the aloe juice has been diluted to such an extent that it is no longer effective
Part 2 of 3: Using Aloe Vera for Nail Care
Step 1. Dip your fingers in aloe vera juice
If you have dry or unhealthy nails or cuticles, soak them in the juice. First pour it into a small boule, then dip your fingertips so that the nails are completely submerged. Soak them for 5-10 minutes.
Soaking your nails in aloe juice serves to rehydrate them and prepare them for subsequent treatments
Step 2. Apply aloe blend to cuticles
To keep them hydrated and healthy, you can prepare a nourishing mask based on extra virgin olive oil, raw honey and aloe. It is a very simple recipe, just mix the three ingredients in equal parts in a small bowl. Once ready, apply the mask on the cuticles with a cotton swab. Massage it into the skin around the nails for a few minutes.
You can also use this healing mask on nails affected by psoriasis (the main symptoms of which are partial detachment, thickening or discoloration of the nail). After leaving it on for a few minutes, remove it using witch hazel water
Step 3. Massage your nails with aloe vera gel
Spread a small amount on the nail bed. Spend at least 30 seconds on each nail to give it time to absorb the aloe. At this point you can rinse your hands or leave the aloe on until it dries.
Before starting, you need to wash your hands carefully to avoid introducing germs or bacteria into the nail bed
Step 4. Apply a cream that contains aloe vera
If you often have dry hands, you probably already use a moisturizer on a regular basis. The ideal is to choose a cream or lotion that contains aloe vera, alpha hydroxy acids and lanolin and rub it into your nails and cuticles to keep them hydrated.
Alpha hydroxy acids and lanolin prevent nails from flaking if they are dry and brittle
Step 5. Protect your nails with gloves
Whenever you wash the dishes or do other household chores, your hands are exposed for a long time to the water and chemicals contained in the detergents. To protect them, you should always use gloves. The ideal is to choose them with an inner lining that contains aloe vera.
The inner layer that contains aloe vera prevents the skin from drying out when in contact with the latex
Part 3 of 3: Making an Aloe Vera Cream
Step 1. Get the ingredients you need
You will need 80 g of aloe vera gel, 115 g of grated beeswax, 110 ml of an oil of your choice (e.g. sweet almond, grapeseed or jojoba), a teaspoon of vitamin E oil and 15 drops of your favorite essential oil. You will also need a clean glass jar to store the aloe cream in. The dose you will get is about half a liter.
Most of these ingredients are readily available in herbalist's shops or in stores specializing in food and natural products
Step 2. Blend aloe vera gel, vitamin E and essential oil
Pour them into a bowl, then mix them until you are sure they are perfectly blended. Then set them aside so they have time to reach room temperature.
If the ingredients are very cold, you can place the bowl in another larger bowl that contains hot water. This way they will heat up faster
Step 3. Heat the beeswax and oil in a separate container
Mix the two ingredients in a glass measuring cup that can withstand high temperatures. Place the glass in a pot and add enough water to cover about half of it. Now bring the water to a gentle boil, then let the wax and oil heat up for a few minutes. Stir to combine the two ingredients. As soon as the mixture is homogeneous, let it cool until it reaches room temperature.
When it's time to remove the measuring cup from the pot, wear oven gloves to avoid burning yourself
Step 4. Blend the two preparations
When the aloe mixture has reached room temperature and the wax and oil mixture has cooled, it's time to combine them together. Pour the beeswax mixture into the blender first, then turn it on for a few seconds on low speed. Remember to close it before starting. At this point, open the opening on the lid and add the aloe vera mixture slowly without increasing the speed.
If the lid has no opening, turn off the blender, add all the aloe mixture at once, then close it and turn it back on
Step 5. Continue blending
You need to get a creamy consistency. Since the ingredients are blended at low speed it could take up to 10-15 minutes. Turn off the blender every 2-3 minutes to push any residue on the side walls to the bottom of the glass.
If the oil tends to stay on the surface, turn off the blender and stir with the spatula before turning it back on
Step 6. Store the cream
When the mixture reaches the consistency of a cream, transfer it to a clean glass jar with the help of the spatula. Close it with the lid and store it in the refrigerator to make the contents last longer. Generally this aloe vera cream can be stored for a month. If you plan on using it within a couple of weeks, you can also avoid refrigerating it.
