Aloe vera: benefits for facial skin

We know aloe vera for the cool gel we apply after a sunburn. In cosmetics, the plant does more discreet, everyday work: it provides hydration, it soothes, and it finds its way into formulas where you least expect it. Eleven OMOYÉ skincare products contain it. Here is what aloe vera really brings to facial skin, and how to use it.

Aloe vera: benefits for the skin, in three words

Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is an active ingredient we classify among the nourishing agents in our herbarium. In its ingredient profile, three properties stand out:

• Nourishing: it makes the skin look better.
• Illuminating: it revitalizes dry and dull skin.
• Anti-aging: it helps the skin maintain its elasticity.

Regarding its composition, the leaf provides notably vitamin A and vitamin E. Nothing spectacular when taken in isolation. This is precisely the interest of aloe vera: it works in the background, on comfort and suppleness, while other active ingredients in the formula handle wrinkles, radiance, or blemishes.

A desert plant that stores its own water

Aloe vera is a succulent plant from arid zones. Its thick leaves keep water inside, shielded from the heat. This is the reserve we harvest: the translucent mucilage found at the heart of the leaf.

This logic is found in many active ingredients of our Plant Magic. Plants that grow in dry environments develop strategies to retain water and protect themselves, and these are often the ones that provide the best benefits for dehydrated skin. Shea butter and jojoba oil belong to the same family of ideas, but through fatty substances. Aloe vera, for its part, works through water.

Gel, juice, extract, or powder: what form it takes in skincare

This is the point most articles gloss over, yet it is what changes everything when you read an INCI list. Aloe vera never appears under the same name:

• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: leaf juice, the form closest to fresh gel.
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder: this same juice, dehydrated and then reconstituted in the formula. It allows for precise dosing without diluting the rest of the skincare product.
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract: a leaf extract, concentrated on certain fractions of the plant.
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder: the leaf reduced to powder, which is found in richer textures.

Seeing powder rather than juice in an ingredient list is therefore not a bad sign. It is most often a formulation choice, dictated by the intended texture and the stability of the product.

Which skin types is aloe vera indicated for

The active ingredient profile is clear about the skin types it addresses:

• dehydrated and dried-out skin;
• mature, wrinkled skin lacking elasticity;
• dull and tired skin;
• irritated and sensitive skin.

In other words, it suits almost everyone at one time or another during the year. It is a comfort active, not a corrective one. If you are hesitant about what your skin needs right now, our skin diagnostic will guide you in a few questions to the right products.

OMOYÉ skincare products with aloe vera, and when to use them

Eleven of our products contain it. Four highlight it particularly well, at four different times of the day. All are gathered in the Aloe Vera collection.

Evening, for cleansing: the Kalahari Cleansing Milk

The Kalahari Cleansing Milk removes makeup gently. It is applied in the evening using a cotton pad on the face and neck: it removes makeup and cleanses the skin for a soft, hydrated finish. This is the step upon which everything else rests, as we explained regarding evening makeup removal.

Morning, for waking up: the Beneficial African Mist

The Beneficial African Mist is a refreshing and toning spray. In the morning upon waking, it revitalizes and hydrates the skin. In the evening, it is used as a toner after the cleanser. And during the day, whenever the skin feels slightly tight. Pro tip: keep it in the refrigerator.

Morning and evening, for hydration: the Master Cream

The Master Cream is our comprehensive anti-aging cream, with a rich and creamy texture. A pea-sized amount morning and evening on the face and neck is enough. Aloe vera is featured alongside twenty-two other plant-based active ingredients.

At night, for depuffing: the Precious Marula Mask

The Precious Marula Mask is an anti-aging and depuffing mask that does not require rinsing. Ten to fifteen minutes for an immediate effect, or left on all night like a cream. In case of fatigue, it can be used as a three-week treatment, every evening.

Three reflexes to get the most out of it

A hydrating active only keeps its promise if it is used regularly and if it is locked onto the skin.

• Apply to slightly damp skin. A mist before the cream, and the water has something to cling to.
• Seal with a fatty substance. Aloe vera provides the water; a cream or balm keeps it there. The two go together.
• Count on three weeks. This is the time needed to judge a ritual, whatever it may be.

This is the whole spirit of the difference between a ritual and a routine: consistency does more than quantity.