Aloe vera is one of the most common and oldest medicinal plants. The robust plant thrives in warm climates on calcareous and sandy soils. Aloe vera is grown in large plantations in Central America, the USA, China and many other countries. It is harvested from plants that are at least 3 years old. A maximum of 4 outer leaves are cut per harvest. The leaves are first washed. Then peeled and the gel is removed.
The original gel is a viscous mucus of 5% heteropolysaccharides in water and is not stable. Therefore, only gently stabilized and concentrated forms are offered: gel that is 10 or 40 times thicker and freeze-dried powder that is about 200 times concentrated. The clear aloe vera gel is pasteurized, stabilized, filtered if necessary and packaged or further processed by drying. The extraction of aloe vera gel depends on the interplay of care, experience and know-how. Satcotek’s suppliers are renowned producers who have mastered the process well.
Pure aloe vera gel has a pH value of approximately pH 4.5 (TDS). The most important ingredients of the cosmetically used “inner leaf gel” are: polysaccharides such as acemannan, glucomannan and mannose derivatives. There are also small amounts of vitamins (B1, B2, tocopherol), amino acids (lysine, threonine, valine), enzymes (oxidase, amylase, lipase) as well as anthraquinones (e.g. aloin, barbaloin, emodin) and other minor components (e.g. phytosterols, salicylic acid). The anthraquinones (alonin) originating from the leaf and cell tissue have been removed to amounts of less than 10 ppm. A maximum of only 50 ppm is recommended.
The combination of more than 200 active ingredients makes Aloe Vera unique: Pure aloe gel has an anti-itching, cooling, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and moisturizing effect. The antioxidant effect of Aloe Vera gel is well known. Animal studies have shown evidence of an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect. Aloe Vera gel stimulates collagen and elastin fiber production as well as cell division, thereby improving skin elasticity.
Because of its wide spectrum of effects, aloe vera gel is used in an almost incalculable range of cosmetics. In cleansing milk and body lotions; in lip care, makeup and face masks; in hair shampoos and conditioners, in shower gels, as an ingredient in sun cream and self-tanners; in depilatories and moisturizers. For sufficient effectiveness in cosmetics, around 10-20% aloe vera gel 1:1 should be added. The slightly acidic pH value must of course be taken into account when formulating. The product with the most active ingredients is aloe vera gel 1:1 . Spray- or freeze-dried, pure aloe vera powder 100:1 and 200:1 is available as an alternative to fresh gel . These concentrates are sterile and preservative-free and are easy to formulate.
Aloe Vera Gel 200:1 is used at 0.1–0.5%. The gel made from it with water can easily be incorporated into warm O/W emulsions.
0.1% Aloe Vera powder 200:1 corresponds to approximately 20% Aloe Vera 1:1 gel. With 0.5% Aloe Vera powder 200:1 or 1% Aloe Vera powder 100:1 in water, you get a liquid product that corresponds to pure Aloe Vera gel 1:1.