Make your own refreshing face mask from aloe vera
There are certain herbs you should always have at home for a well-stocked medicine cabinet. Like aloe vera, for example. In summer, you can apply the valuable secretion to cool minor sunburns and treat insect bites. You can benefit from the aloe vera plant year-round as a refreshing face mask. We'll show you how to make one with just a few ingredients. But first, here are a few hard facts about keeping and caring for your aloe vera plant.
Keeping and caring for Aloe Vera
You should definitely keep Aloe Vera in a pot. It wouldn't thrive in your garden bed, as it has very specific soil requirements. So, find a suitable pot for your Aloe Vera plant. If you like, you can hang it decoratively on the edge of your raised bed. A nice side effect of keeping it in a pot: Aloe Vera isn't winter hardy and can be quickly and easily relocated before the first frost. You should mix the soil well with sand beforehand; coarser material like wood shavings can also be mixed in. You hardly need to water the Aloe Vera. But now
Welcome to the city gardeners' beauty palace
Who hasn't heard of aloe vera? Found in creams and masks, aloe vera is often and happily used in cosmetics and skincare to treat skin conditions. It's not the leaves themselves that are of interest, but rather the mucous secretion they contain. This gel contains amino acids, enzymes, numerous minerals, and essential oils and has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
Important! Important! Important!
You should never eat aloe vera! Aloe vera secretions should only be used externally and superficially.
Preparing the face mask
Step 1: Harvest and prepare the aloe vera leaf
The gel-like liquid is found inside the fleshy leaves. To obtain it, use a sharp knife to cut off one of the largest, outer leaves as close to the base as possible. Then immediately hold it over a small bowl or empty glass jar and let it drain. 
Step 2: Extract Aloe Vera Liquid
Take the leaf, hold it over a bowl, and cut it lengthwise. Be careful, there's a risk of dripping! Now you can easily scrape off the liquid with a small spoon. 
Step 3: Mix all ingredients together
The most important part is already done! Now all you have to do is mix in the remaining ingredients. Quark or thick yogurt and a little honey complete the mask. Mix thoroughly until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency.
Apply and enjoy!
Now simply apply the mask to a cleansed face and leave it on for 5-10 minutes. For the ultimate pampering experience, be sure to place two cucumber slices over your eyes and relax. It's almost like a professional cosmetic treatment! Then simply rinse with lukewarm water, and your skin will feel reborn.
Plants that simply do good
Healing sunburns, relieving pain – Isn't it fascinating what nature can do? We're certainly amazed every time! Discover even more little wonders of nature with us:
- Nasturtium: Edible flowers
- Cinnamon basil: Perfect for exotic dishes, desserts and herbal teas
- Echinacea – North American medicinal plant
- Marigold – sunshine for the balcony
- Chamomile – Europe’s most popular medicinal plant
Book tip
You can find more great plant hacks, gardening plans, and recipe tips in our latest book, " Fresh from the Raised Bed ." The book was published by EMF Verlag in February 2019 and has already sold over 6,000 copies. We're delighted to make it easier for all self-sufficiency enthusiasts to get started with raised bed gardening. " Fresh from the Raised Bed " is a fantastic book for all urban gardeners and those who want to become one.
