The soothing plant, which stores and attracts moisture and calms inflammation, isn’t only found in your skin care.
Aloe vera has long been dubbed the ultimate skin soother in the name of sun-scorched skin, but its benefits don’t stop at sunburns — or aloe-infused skin care, for that matter. More recently, the beloved botanical ingredient has made its way into some of our favorite hair-care formulas. Aloe vera hair products promise shinier, smoother, and glossier results, and tout impressive reparative benefits.
The short-stemmed succulent is a super hydrator that stores water in the slimy flesh of its leaves and is full of minerals, like copper and zinc, that have been proven to promote healthy skin and hair. “Since the scalp is skin, it can therefore benefit from ingredients proven to be helpful for skin,” explains New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Hadley King, MD. “Aloe vera has humectant properties, which means it can help hydrate the scalp and hair.” So, just as we love aloe vera juice infused into some of our favorite skin-care products (especially those targeted towards dry skin), you can use aloe vera to promote lush, healthy hair and, by extension, prevent breakage.
Stylists are in agreement, too. “Aloe is very beneficial for the hair because of its moisturizing and hydration benefits,” shares Georgia-based hairstylist Alexander Armand. “It also offers many other benefits such as strengthening the hair, promoting hair growth, helping with minimizing an itchy scalp, and protecting against UV damage.” Some studies have also pointed to aloe vera as a formidable treatment for dandruff (also known as seborrheic dermatitis).
If you think that’s where the list of benefits of aloe vera ends, think again. Aloe vera gel also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can be especially beneficial for soothing an itchy, dry scalp. “Aloe vera is not highly allergenic, so it’s relatively safe,” Michelle Henry, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City told us, in addition to noting that the plant can play an important role in treating conditions like eczema or psoriasis. Not only that, but “aloe can also help protect the scalp and hair from damage [caused by] free radicals, like sun exposure and pollution, and protect hair color from becoming oxidized,” adds Dr. King. This helps to preserve that fresh-out-of-the-salon vibrancy and enviable softness that continue to top our #hairgoals.
While you could theoretically DIY your own aloe hair treatment by scraping gel out of an actual aloe vera plant or cutting off a chunk of the plant à la Drew Barrymore, it’s much easier to pick up one of the aloe-infused hair-care products below, as recommended by editors and experts.
Best Scalp Serum: DpHue ACV Daily Scalp Serum
If your scalp is in need of a little extra TLC, consider picking up the DpHue ACV Daily Scalp Serum and thank us later. Don’t be fooled by its weightless formula, though: This pH-balancing scalp serum is spiked with a slew of noteworthy ingredients. In fact, New York City-based, board-certified dermatologist Brendan Camp, MD, previously credited its hero ingredient, apple cider vinegar, with promoting “a healthy scalp by [targeting] dead skin cells that contribute to dandruff, thereby reducing flakes.” This aloe-infused serum, which is suitable for daily use, also contains glycerin and ginger root; speaking of the latter, Ginger King previously told Allure that it has “antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects.”
Best Shampoo for Thinning Hair: Rossano Ferretti Rejuvenating Shampoo
If you’re prone to hair thinning, consider investing in the Rosanno Ferretti Rejuvenating Shampoo, as this thickening shampoo is specially formulated for dull, delicate strands. Soothing aloe, along with anti-inflammatory staples like ginseng and green tea, “work together to stimulate the scalp, encourage hair growth, boost strength and elasticity, and effectively address concerns related to hair shedding,” Grace explains. Its fresh scent is an added bonus: Inspired by the Tuscan countryside, it features mandarin, patchouli, oud, and spice notes.
Best Leave-In Conditioner: Fable & Mane MahaMane Detangling Leave-in Conditioner
Founded in 2020 by siblings Akash and Nikita Mehta, Fable & Maine is a South Asian-owned hair-care brand that’s taken the beauty world by storm with Ayurvedic-inspired staples like the Allure-editor-approved HoliRoots Hair Oil. With moisturizing powerhouses like glycerin, triglycerides, and safflower oil, the MahaMane Detangling Leave-in Conditioner is another favorite for its lightweight, frizz-fighting formula, which pulls double duty as a heat protectant. Lastly, we’d be remiss not to highlight this leave-in conditioner’s lovely floral scent, which has notes of Indian Jasmine Sambac, red champaca flowers, cedarwood, and tonka beans.
Best Hair Mask: Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting Hair Mask
This fast-acting Christophe Robin Hydrating Melting Hair Mask is formulated with aloe leaf juice and glycerin to combat dryness. While it feels rich out of the tube, this hair mask melts into a lightweight, pampering lotion as you massage it onto your scalp and hair.
The silicone-free mask works its magic in as little as two minutes and rinses cleanly to reveal smoother, silkier hair that doesn’t feel coated or weighed down. Expert tip: “Apply a shower cap over your hair and place a warm towel over the shower cap to help ensure that the aloe vera penetrates through the hair shaft,” recommends Armand.
Best Pre-Shampoo Treatment: SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Pre-Wash Masque with Vitamin B3
For an extra dose of moisture, slather your damaged strands in a pre-shampoo treatment. At under $15 per four-ounce bottle, the SheaMoisture Aloe Butter Scalp Moisture Pre-Wash Masque with Vitamin B3 is among the best drugstore hair masks on the market. That’s because it’s enriched with hair-care staples like aloe, shea butter, and vitamin B3 (a.k.a. niacinamide, known for its nourishing properties). These ingredients, along with anti-inflammatory rosemary extract and fatty acid-packed coconut oil, help promote overall hair health by way of conditioning, hydrating, and smoothing.
Best Overnight Treatment: Philip Kingsley Overnight Scalp Barrier Serum
Philip Kingsley’s Overnight Scalp Barrier Serum comes highly recommended by New York City-based hairstylist and salon owner Mahogany Grace. This overnight serum “promotes a healthy scalp environment, improves hydration, regulates oil production, and balances microflora (microscopic bacteria/fungi),” according ot the pro. Aside from aloe, key ingredients include exfoliating lactic acid, oil-absorbing witch hazel, moisturizing oat kernel oil, and vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. The soothing sensation from the addition of menthol is a bonus.
Best Vegan Formula: Verb Hydrating Shampoo
This gentle Verb Hydrating Shampoo is formulated with a cocktail of super-hydrators like argan oil and aloe leaf juice, which manages to effectively lift buildup off of the scalp while also soothing flaky patches and reducing itchiness. The intensely moisturizing cleanser replenishes hair, instead of stripping it, leaving hair clean, soft, and more manageable. It’s also spiked with sunflower seed extract which offers natural UV protection and guards color-treated hair from fading.
Best Hair Oil: Ceremonia Hair Oil Mist con Aloe Vera
The bottle may be small, but a little goes a long way with this restorative aloe vera oil. The ultra-fine Ceremonia Hair Oil Mist delivers a dose of hydration for dry hair in need of extra TLC. Despite the pampering mix of nourishing extracts (aloe vera extract), butters (murumuru seed butter and capuacu butter), and oils (Mexican chia seed oil and pequi oil), this formula is impressively lightweight, restoring healthy shine and smoothing frizz, without weighing hair down in a coat of grease.
Best Shampoo & Conditioner Set: Carol’s Daughter Wash Day Delight Shampoo and Conditioner
Carol’s Daughter Wash Day Delight Aloe Vera Shampoo and Conditioner duo is unlike any we have used before it, and that is precisely what we love about it. The Best of Beauty-winning shampoo is a micellar-water formula that transforms from a liquid into a foamy lather as you massage it onto the scalp. The targeted applicator nozzle helps you easily deposit the liquid throughout natural hair, and works like a magnet to gently loosen and wash away dirt and grime.
Followed by a scoop of the jelly-to-cream conditioner, this aloe vera duo effectively replenishes moisture and softness to curly, kinky, and coily hair without weighing down that sought-after springy bounce. And in case you can’t get enough aloe-infused goodness, Carol’s Daughter also offers a Gel-to-Foam Styler to complete your wash day routine.
Best Spray: R+Co Dallas Thickening Spray
Consider this unassuming clear liquid spray as your secret weapon for achieving salon-level volume and glossiness. R+Co’s Dallas Thickening Spray is formulated with pro-vitamin B5 for thickening and building up impressive volume at the roots, and aloe leaf and ginger root extract for smoothing and conditioning. The results? Big hair with salon-worthy shine at home. Plus, Dallas acts as a heat protectant prior to blow-drying, thanks to its amino acid complex.
Best Styling Gel: IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air Dry Styler
When you’re looking to achieve soft, piecey texture with little to no effort, the IGK Rich Kid Coconut Oil Air Dry Styler delivers. The lightweight hair gel creates beautifully tousled texture without the crunch, gifting you the easiest one-minute morning routine imaginable. When applied to clean, towel-dried hair, the combination of coconut oil, aloe vera, and castor oil, this styler gives your hair just enough hold, while keeping your whole head feeling soft and pampered as you air-dry.
Most Versatile Styling Product: Garnier Fructis Pure Clean 10-in-1 Care + Styling Leave-in Cream
It’s hard to find a do-it-all formula that delivers on all of its promises, but this Garnier Fructis’s Pure Clean 10-in-1 Care and Styling Leave-In Cream lives up to the impressive résumé stamped on its bottle. The aloe- and vitamin E-spiked formula dispenses as a gel-cream out of the pump but melts into a clear, watery texture when it hits your palm — making it easy to apply by combing your fingers through the lengths of your hair.
No matter if you choose to apply it as a detangler, a heat protectant, or shine enhancer, the results are the same: softer, glossier, and better-looking hair.
Best Detangler: Briogeo Be Gentle Be Kind Aloe + Oat Ultra Soothing Detangling Spray
Briogeo’s Be Gentle, Be Kind Aloe + Oat Milk collection is formulated specifically for those with ingredient sensitivities. A combination of aloe vera, oat milk, and green tea extract delivers antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits that soothe and treat dry, irritated scalps. The Ultra Soothing Detangling Spray “can be used as both a leave-in treatment or detangler because it feels weightless while controlling frizz,” Los Angeles-based hairstylist Kerrie Urban explains. “I find it’s best for coarse or curly hair because of how much moisture it adds to the hair, but it’s a little too rich for fine hair.” She also notes that it’s cruelty-free, paraben-free, and fragrance-free — so those with sensitive scalps need not worry.
Best Mist: Function of Beauty Straight Hair Leave-In Milk Mist
Function of Beauty’s Straight Hair Leave-In Milk Mist is more of a targeted spray than a diffused mist, but one spritz of the delicious, sweet-peach spray is enough to have you clearing off counter space and adding it to your starting lineup.
The leave-in conditioner is formulated specifically for straight hair with aloe vera and watermelon seed oil that seals the hair cuticle and delivers weightless shine. The formula can also be customized to target specific concerns — like frizzy hair or flatness — by adding single-dose ampoule Booster Shots (sold separately for $3 each) directly to the bottle.