Say aloe to my little friend!

Having good makeup is only half the battle. You need to take care of what lies beneath. Good quality makeup can be expensive so I like to save money and use natural, yet effective, homemade concoctions for my skincare routine. I used to use expensive bb creams, day creams, night creams, moisturizers and serums but not anymore!

There are so many amazing products you can make with natural and cheap ingredients. Ever tried a coffee and honey face scrub? Or how about a lemon juice and egg white acne cleanser? Since using homemade and natural ingredients, my bank account and skin have been much happier with the results of my beauty regime.

My absolute favourite ingredient to use is Aloe Vera. One of the reasons Aloe Vera is so favourable, is how easy it is to grow yourself. I have gathered together a list of recipes that I have tried, past and present, all worthy of spreading the news of the effectiveness of this funky looking house plant.

1. Aloe hair care:

-Leave in lotion for thick hair. Mix Aloe Vera, olive oil and a few drops of vitamin E oil for silky smooth locks.

-For dry, damaged and lifeless hair, apply pure Aloe Vera gel onto your straw strands. Leave to soak in for 30 minutes before rinsing off in cool water to revitalise mistreated hair.

2.Aloe face care.

-Apply Aloe Vera gel onto a cotton pad for an effective means of removing your stubborn makeup.

-Mix Aloe Vera and brown sugar for a purifying exfoliant, which will leave your skin looking radiant after just one use!

-For oily skin apply Aloe gel and turmeric to the affected areas and say goodbye to unflattering oily skin.

-Aloe unclogs pores, helps refresh dried-out skin and contains anti-fungal and antibacterial compounds. These key elements alongside its salicylic acid and water base, are perfect for helping you battle against breakouts.

-You can also use Aloe on your eyebrows. By applying the gel to your brows with a clean mascara brush, you can achieve a more sculpted, natural look that will hold in place.

You're not limited to beauty products either. Dry skin? Aloe. Need lube? Aloe. Craving a smoothie? Aloe. The possibilities are endless for this remarkable plant. Bug bites, jelly. juice and even vodka! Cracked lips in winter? Make a scrub from Aloe gel and sugar. Why not try making hand sanitizer? Looking good and taking care of your hair and skin need not be so expensive. Do you need anymore reasons to own this wonderful plant?

Times are tough at the moment and cash may not be flowing as well as it did, but that doesn't mean you need to ditch the self-care. Grow an Aloe plant! Trust me when I say you'll have too many uses for it, I have 5! To me, it really is the holy grail of beauty products. It's natural, cheap and extremely versatile.

Taking care of your skin ensures you have the perfect canvas to create beautiful makeup. I believe natural ingredients are the way to go. Aloe is not the only plant or natural ingredient you can use for beauty products. There is so much more to discover, but due to it's numerous and effective uses, it's a great place to start.

So add natural ingredients to your beauty routine and tell Instagram to keep the filters!