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WHAT IS ALOE VERA?
6th Aug 2026
Aloe Vera is a natural ingredient in many of Dr. Barbara Sturm’s products due to its soothing, healing effect on the skin. Read on to learn what makes this unique plant such a valuable skincare ingredient for repair and recovery.
What is Aloe Vera?
As one of the earliest recorded healing botanicals, Aloe Vera has played an important role in our history for thousands of years. It originally comes from the Arabian Peninsula and flourishes in tropical and subtropical regions like the Caribbean island Aruba, where Aloe is one of the main exports, and it has long been used in Chinese and Indian medicine as a health elixir, wound healer, and gastrointestinal treatment. The Aloe plant stores water in its juicy leaves in the form of a gel and it’s this which contains most of the bioactive compounds found in the plant, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants.
What Does Aloe Vera Do For Skin?
Studies have shown Aloe Vera has powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties and can be used particularly well in treating damaged skin including sunburns or scars. Its cooling effect, which occurs as it evaporates on the skin, has soothing benefits and it contains six antiseptic agents: Lupeol, Salicylic Acid, Urea Nitrogen, Cinnamonic Acid, Phenols and Sulfur, which exhibit antibacterial and astringent effects on the skin. It’s why you’ll often find Aloe Vera in products that target blemishes and breakouts, for which bacteria is one of the causative factors.
How Can I Add Aloe Vera To My Skincare Routine?
Aloe Vera is most effective when combined with complementary ingredients that help hydrate, soothe and support the skin barrier. Incorporating Aloe Vera into your daily skincare routine can help replenish moisture, reduce the appearance of irritation and leave skin feeling balanced and refreshed.
Start with Dr. Sturm’s Aloe-enriched foaming CLEANSER to gently cleanse without stripping the skin, then follow with the HYALURONIC FACE MIST for an instant boost of hydration. Perfect for warm weather or an on-the-go moisture boost, this lightweight face mist combines Aloe Vera with Dr. Sturm’s signature multiple-weight Hyaluronic Acid to deliver immediate and lasting soothing hydration.
For an intensely hydrating weekly treatment, apply the FACE MASK. This restorative formula combines Aloe Vera with Chamomile to help calm the appearance of redness, Kaolin to gently purify without disrupting the skin's moisture balance, and Purslane, Dr. Sturm's signature anti-aging ingredient, to help defend against oxidative stress while helping to reduce visible irritation. Skin is left feeling hydrated, comfortable and visibly refreshed.
Is Drinking Aloe Vera Juice Good For Me?
Aloe Vera juice, which is a popular choice of beverage at many health food cafes and natural food stores, has been proven to have many potential benefits, including reducing gum inflammation, controlling blood sugar levels, increasing intestinal water content, and providing Vitamin C, a natural antioxidant that helps fight inflammation. You can make your own Aloe Vera juice simply by adding the contents of one Aloe Vera leaf to half a gallon of water and mixing in a blender. Add lots of crushed ice and enjoy as part of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.
“As a child, my mother kept an indoor Aloe Vera plant in the kitchen, and we would apply the raw pulp directly to minor cuts and burns. It was wonderfully healing. That early experience stayed with me and is one of the reasons I continue to value Aloe Vera in skincare today. When formulated alongside complementary ingredients, it helps soothe the skin, support hydration and promote a healthy-looking complexion.”
- Dr. Barbara Sturm
