Naturally . . . Why an aloe vera plant is a beauty essential

W e all know that covering up in the sun, whether with sunscreen, long sleeves or a floppy hat à la Brigitte Bardot, is essential for healthy skin, but even the most conscientious among us occasionally miss a spot, or a leg.

I recently returned from abroad with one sunburnt limb as my only souvenir, a little something I think I got while on a boat, presumably preoccupied with the stunning scenery and not falling overboard.

Straight back from the airport, my rucksack had barely hit the ground before I had a pair of scissors in one hand and my aloe vera plant in the other.

Aloe vera has been used medicinally for millennia. Egyptian queens, Cleopatra among them, are said to have used it as part of their regular beauty routines.

Today, the spiny, fleshy grey-green succulent is commonplace in kitchens to quickly doctor minor burns, and tubes of the stuff are carried off to the beach to soothe sun-soaked skin.

Burning causes inflammation in the skin, which is why we turn that lovely scarlet red. Many studies have found that the gel inside aloe vera leaves – a colourless, transparent, viscous liquid consisting almost entirely of water – has anti-inflammatory properties as well as pain-relieving and wound-healing effects.

I’ve tested it following both clumsiness in the kitchen and negligence in the sun and found the same – it takes the bite out of burns and reduces the red.

To nurse a burn with aloe, first take some of the warmth out of the damaged skin. Don’t be tempted to rub ice cubes all over yourself, they’re too harsh. Instead, take a cool bath or shower or apply a cool damp towel to the area. Then gently pat your skin dry.

To remove the skin-soothing goodness from the plant, simply cut an outer leaf off near the base. Stand it upright in a bowl to drain the yellow sap and then slice it open lengthwise. Scoop out the mucilage, the slimy stuff, and the gel, the clear solid stuff, with a spoon and gently rub it onto your skin with your hands.

Alternatively, you can leave the gel on the rind to rub it onto your skin, which is what I prefer to do, but just be careful that it doesn’t graze the burned area – that hurts. To enhance the cooling experience, refrigerate the leaves beforehand, but just remember fresher is better as oxidation effects potency.

Don’t be put off keeping an aloe vera plant if you lack a green thumb – they’re inexpensive and low maintenance, and nothing beats the fresh stuff. They like bright conditions, but do not need direct sunlight or very much water, just keep the soil moist. You should be able to pick one up in any garden shop and you can grow more by removing the offshoots, or aloe pups, and potting them (best when they’re about 5cm long).

You can also find tubes of aloe vera in supermarkets, health food stores and pharmacies. I’ve tried both fresh and bottled versions: the latter is easier, but the pain-relieving power of the former is better. If you’re going to go with the tube, take a look at the ingredient list before you buy: you don’t want something simply made with aloe vera, you want 100 per cent aloe vera, or as close to it as possible.

And kudos to you if you can apply sunscreen properly in the first place.