Ingredients
– 2-3 large aloe vera leaves
– 2 cups water, for boiling
– Optional: 1 tbsp coconut oil or castor oil, to turn it into a hair oil
– Optional: 5 drops rosemary essential oil or 1 tbsp dried rosemary, for growth
– Optional: 1 tsp vitamin E oil, as preservative
Instructions
*Step 1: Prep the aloe*
1. Wash the leaves well. Cut off the spiky edges and base.
2. Stand them upright in a glass for 10-15 min. You’ll see yellow liquid drain out. This is aloin/latex — you must remove it. It’s a skin irritant and laxative.
3. Rinse again. Slice the leaf open and scoop out the clear gel only. Avoid any green skin. You want the clear cubes like in the top-left photo. You should get about 1 cup of gel.
*Step 2: Boil & extract*
1. Roughly chop the clear gel cubes.
2. Add to a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 10-12 min like the top-right photo. The water turns green and slightly thick.
3. Turn off heat and let it cool completely.
*Step 3: Strain & bottle*
1. Blend the cooled mix 10 seconds to break up chunks, optional but gives more extract.
2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean glass bottle, like bottom-left. Press to get all liquid out.
3. If making hair oil: Warm 1 tbsp coconut or castor oil, mix into the strained liquid, and shake. Add vitamin E oil and essential oil now.
*Step 4: How to use*
1. *As a tonic*: Part damp hair, apply directly to scalp with a dropper or spray bottle. Massage 2-3 min. Leave 30 min or overnight, then wash out. Use 2-3x per week.
2. *As a leave-in*: Use a small amount on ends for shine. Don’t use too much or hair gets crunchy.
3. *Store*: Refrigerate in a sealed bottle. Lasts 7-10 days without preservative, or up to 3 weeks with vitamin E. Toss if it smells off.