Aloe vera: why Nicki Minaj, Drew Barrymore, Salman Khan love it – and Cleopatra and Christopher Columbus too – and how it can help you
- The jelly-like substance taken from inside aloe vera leaves can be applied to the skin to heal and moisturise; aloe juice can be drunk for a wealth of benefits
- Celebrities swear by it, Christopher Columbus and Alexander the Great treated their soldiers with it, and even Cleopatra was a fan
Long before beauty lotions and potions became trendy, I remember my 93-year-old grandmother slathering aloe vera gel on her face every night.
Inspired by her glowing skin that made her look years younger, I too would scoop the jelly-like substance from inside the leaves of the aloe plants she grew in our backyard and massage it into my face.
The gel’s cool texture, and its translucence on my skin, made me take an instant liking to it.
Over the years, an aloe vera massage has become part of my beauty regimen even though grandma isn’t around to see me reap its benefits.
Reading up about the aloe vera plant, known also as the Lily of the Desert, I was thrilled to know that, as a fan, I was in august company.
Egyptian queens Cleopatra and Nefertiti, as well as Bollywood and Hollywood celebs, have applied aloe vera gel and consumed its juice for its health and beauty benefits.