Aloe Vera Gel as a face primer

While surfing the web I came across quite a few posts about using Aloe Vera gel as a makeup primer. Well, being bored and since I knew I had a tube of Aloe Vera gel in my medicine cabinet from last summer I decided to put it to the test.

 Now, many people recommend Fruit of the Earth 100% pure Aloe Vera Gel (which isn't truly 100% aloe vera, it does have other ingredients).  Fruit of the Earth is cheap enough and can be found at most Walmart's.  However, what I had in my cabinet was a generic green Aloe Vera gel from CVS drug store. Regardless, I think most cheapy aloe vera gels will work as long as the ingredient list is short, contains no alcohol, and aloe vera is listed close to the top.  I donot think clear or green tinted aloe vera gel makes a difference as the green does not show up on your face.  Pure Aloe Vera is way to sticky for this purpose, so save it for your scrapes and burns.

After cleansing and moisturizing (if you so choose. I have very, very oily skin so I do not moisturize in the am.) Apply a thin layer of Aloe Vera gel over your face avoiding your eye area. Let it dry completely before applying foundation.


 Performance-

 Upon initial application the aloe vera gel felt slightly sticky but dry, an odd combination to me. However, when it dried completely all I could feel was a slight tightness to my skin which was actually kind of pleasing. My skin felt firm.

 After applying my foundation and powder I was seriously impressed. My skin looked perfect. Poreless and fresh. I usually use Milk of Magnesia as a primer and while it keeps oil at bay for a long time, it can tend to make my skin look a bit dry until my makeup "sets up". I loved how I looked.

 However, after a few hours I started to look shiny. I have never had this when using Milk of Magnesia as a primer. I needed to do a powder touch up to regain that perfect look. I do not want to have to touch up ever few hours. I am a fix- it- and -forget- it kind of girl when it comes to makeup. I know I cannot go touch up free but I can easily go 6 to 8 hours without a touch up with my normal routine.



   So, based on personal performance Aloe Vera is a no go for me. My skin is just to oily for this. I need to stick with Milk of Magnesia as my primer. But if you have normal, normal/combination to even dry skin it may be worth your while to give aloe vera gel a try before investing in pricer primers. It may just work beautifully for you.