We use aloe vera wherever a formula needs light, water-binding hydration and a cool, fresh feel: in our Detox Gel, our Vitamin C face serum, our hand and body washes, our hand and body creams and our hand sanitizer gel. On the label it appears as Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, the clear inner gel of the leaf. It suits skin that wants moisture without weight, and it plays a slightly different part in each product. Here is where it is, and why.
Why we reach for aloe
Aloe barbadensis is a succulent that stores water in its thick leaves to survive dry seasons, and it is grown in warm, dry regions around the world. Inside the leaf is a clear gel that is almost all water, held in place by polysaccharides, long sugar chains that bind water. The best known of these is acemannan.
On skin, that gel does three useful things for a formulator. It adds hydration that clings to the skin's surface rather than evaporating straight away. It feels cool and fresh on contact. And it absorbs quickly without any greasy film. That combination is hard to get from a single ingredient, which is why aloe turns up in such different products, from a face gel to a hand wash.
Detox Gel: aloe as the base
Our Detox Gel is the product where aloe is most obvious. It is a light, clear aloe gel, and the first touch is cool. It melts into skin in seconds and leaves it fresh, soft and lightly hydrated, never tacky or heavy.
Aloe provides the weightless hydration, and the rest of the formula is built around it. Shea butter adds a touch of cushion so skin does not feel dry or stripped, tea tree oil gives the jar its crisp, herbal scent, and Kalahari melon seed oil, the oil our brand is built on, adds a light, dry-touch softness. The gel sits between toning and moisturizing, so the serums, oils and makeup that follow glide on more easily.
Vitamin C serum: aloe for comfort
In the Vitamin C Collagen Boosting Face Serum with Niacinamide, the lead ingredients are ethyl ascorbic acid, a stabilized form of vitamin C, and niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3. Together they help skin look brighter, more even and more refined. We wrapped them in aloe and cucumber for cooling, light hydration, with sodium hyaluronate and glycerin to help skin hold moisture.
Aloe's job here is comfort. A brightening serum is only useful if you want to put it on every day, and aloe keeps this one feeling like a cool drink for the skin rather than something to tolerate. The serum suits normal, combination and sensitive skin.
Hand wash and body wash: aloe in real soap
Our Hydrating Hand Wash and Replenishing Body Wash are true castile-style liquid soaps, made from organic coconut, olive and jojoba oils saponified the traditional way. Coconut oil lifts the lather, olive keeps it gentle and jojoba leaves skin feeling soft.
Organic aloe vera adds a fresh, comfortable feel to the wash, and a touch of Kalahari melon seed oil finishes it. Hands get washed many times a day, so this matters: the wash should leave them comfortable rather than tight, and aloe is part of how it does that.
Hand cream and body cream: aloe with glycerin
In our Hydrating Hand Cream and Rejuvenating Body Cream, aloe leaf juice and glycerin give a cool, fresh layer of hydration. Kalahari melon seed oil, rich in linoleic acid, helps skin hold that moisture, while coconut, sunflower, jojoba, avocado, argan and borage oils cushion the surface. The aloe is what keeps these creams feeling fresh rather than heavy, even though they are rich.
Hand sanitizer: aloe against the alcohol
Our Hydrating Hand Sanitizer Gel is an alcohol gel scented with essential oils of lavender, lemon peel, marjoram, hemlock spruce and rosalina. Aloe leaf juice and glycerin sit alongside the alcohol so hands feel softer and less tight once it dries.
Where you will not find aloe
Aloe is water-based, so it has no place in our oil-only formulas. The Royal Kalahari Face Serum, the Royal Kalahari Under Eye and Lip Serum Roller Oil, our Imperial Jade body oils and our single-ingredient face oils are all made from oils and contain no aloe. They pair well with it, though: aloe gel first, oil second.
Questions about aloe in our products
Which Marianella products contain aloe vera?
The Detox Gel, the Vitamin C Collagen Boosting Face Serum, the Hydrating Hand Wash, the Replenishing Body Wash, the Hydrating Hand Cream, the Rejuvenating Body Cream and the Hydrating Hand Sanitizer Gel, including their larger sizes and gallons.
Is there aloe in the Royal Kalahari Under Eye and Lip Roller?
No. The roller is a blend of oils, including Kalahari melon, baobab, mongongo and castor, with vitamins C and E. Aloe is water-based and does not belong in an oil-only formula.
Why put aloe in a hand wash?
Frequent washing can leave hands feeling tight. Organic aloe vera adds a fresh, comfortable feel, so the wash cleans well and hands still feel soft afterward.
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