Aloe vera oil is made by infusing dried aloe vera leaf pieces into a carrier oil, allowing the plant’s beneficial compounds to transfer into a shelf-stable, easy-to-use form. Unlike squeezing oil from a seed or nut, this is a maceration process, similar to making herb-infused oils. The key challenge is removing aloe’s high water content before it meets the oil, since moisture breeds bacteria and mold.
Why You Need to Dry the Aloe First
Fresh aloe vera gel is mostly water. If you drop raw gel into oil, you’re creating the perfect environment for microbial growth, and the mixture will spoil quickly. Drying the aloe removes that moisture while concentrating the plant’s active compounds, including vitamins A, C, and E, amino acids, fatty acids, and a compound called aloenin that’s linked to hair growth support.
A food dehydrator works best. Spread the prepared leaf pieces across the trays and dry them until completely brittle. At first, they’ll feel dry to the touch but still bend. Keep going. If the pieces flex at all, moisture remains. You want them crisp enough to snap. If you don’t have a dehydrator, use your oven on its lowest heat setting with the fan on.
Preparing the Aloe Leaves
Start by washing the leaves thoroughly and patting them dry. Cut off the serrated, spiky edges on both sides, keeping as much of the leaf intact as possible. Then slice through the center lengthwise, separating the top half from the bottom to expose the gel inside.
Before going further, stand the cut leaves upright in a bowl for 10 to 15 minutes to let the yellow sap drain out. This sap is aloe latex, and it contains a compound called aloin that can irritate skin. In whole, unprocessed leaves, aloin concentrations can be roughly 100 times higher than in filtered extracts. Draining and rinsing the leaves removes most of it. Once drained, rinse the exposed gel side under water, then cut the pieces into strips small enough to fit your dehydrator trays.
Choosing a Carrier Oil
The carrier oil you pick becomes the base of your finished product, so choose one that suits how you plan to use it. Each option brings its own properties to the blend:
- Coconut oil absorbs well into hair and has natural antimicrobial properties, making it a popular choice for scalp treatments.
- Olive oil is rich and moisturizing, better for skin or thick, coarse hair. It’s also inexpensive and easy to find.
- Jojoba oil closely resembles your skin’s natural sebum, so it absorbs without feeling greasy. It works well for facial use or lighter hair types.
- Sweet almond oil is a mild, all-purpose option that works for both skin and hair without a strong scent.
Cold-pressed, unrefined oils retain more of their own nutrients but also have stronger scents and shorter shelf lives than refined versions.
The Slow Infusion Method
This is the simplest approach: combine the dried aloe pieces with your carrier oil in a clean glass jar, seal it, and let it sit in a warm, sunny spot for two to three weeks. Shake the jar every day or two to keep things circulating. After the infusion period, strain the oil through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer, squeezing out as much oil as possible from the plant material.
A good starting ratio is roughly 1 part dried aloe to 4 or 5 parts oil by volume. You want the oil to fully cover and surround the plant material with room to spare. Since your aloe is dried and concentrated, a little goes further than you might expect.
This cold infusion method preserves heat-sensitive compounds, but it takes patience. It also requires genuinely dry plant material, since any residual moisture sitting in oil for weeks is a contamination risk.
The Heat Infusion Method
Heat speeds up extraction dramatically, cutting weeks down to hours. The general recommendation is to heat the oil and dried aloe to about 55°C (131°F) for two to three hours. Some herbalists go as high as 80°C (176°F), though lower temperatures are gentler on both the oil and the aloe’s active compounds.
You have several options for maintaining a steady, low heat. A double boiler on the stovetop works if you monitor the temperature. A slow cooker on its lowest setting can get close, though many run hotter than ideal, so check with a thermometer. A sous vide setup gives you precise temperature control: seal the oil and dried aloe in a bag, set your target temperature, and walk away. Some people even use candle warmers from thrift stores, which typically hold between 49°C and 60°C (120 to 140°F).
One approach from herbalists involves an extra step: grinding the dried aloe as finely as possible, soaking it in a small amount of vodka for a few days with the lid on, then leaving the lid off for a few more days to let the alcohol evaporate. This pre-extraction helps pull out more of the plant’s compounds before the oil infusion begins. After the alcohol has fully evaporated, you add the material to your carrier oil and heat gently for several hours.
Whichever heat method you choose, strain the finished oil through cheesecloth once it cools. Press or squeeze the plant material to extract every bit of infused oil.
Storing Your Aloe Vera Oil
Pour the strained oil into a dark glass bottle. Amber or cobalt bottles block light, which slows oxidation. Store it in a cool, dark place.
The shelf life depends mostly on your carrier oil. Jojoba oil is extremely stable and can last over a year. Coconut oil typically stays good for six months to a year. Olive and sweet almond oils are more prone to going rancid, often lasting four to six months.
Adding a natural antioxidant extends the life of any of these. Vitamin E oil (tocopherol) is the most accessible option. Add about 0.5 to 1% of the total oil volume, so roughly half a teaspoon per cup of oil. Rosemary CO2 extract is another effective antioxidant for oil-based products. Neither of these prevents microbial growth, which is why removing all moisture from the aloe before infusion matters so much. If your oil ever smells off, looks cloudy, or develops any visible growth, discard it.
Using Aloe Vera Oil on Hair and Skin
For hair, warm a small amount between your palms and work it through from mid-shaft to the ends. If you’re targeting scalp dryness or flakiness, massage it directly into your scalp first, then work it down. Leave it on for 30 minutes to an hour before washing it out with your regular shampoo. Using it once a week as a pre-wash treatment is enough for most people.
Aloe vera contains enzymes that break down excess oil, which makes the infused oil useful even for people with oily scalps. It can reduce scaliness and itching associated with dandruff. The compound aloenin has shown promise for supporting hair growth and reducing breakage, particularly in people experiencing thinning hair.
For skin, aloe vera oil works as a lightweight moisturizer or massage oil. Apply a thin layer to damp skin after showering for better absorption. The vitamins and amino acids from the aloe complement the moisturizing properties of the carrier oil. Jojoba-based aloe oil tends to work best for facial use since it’s least likely to clog pores, while coconut or olive oil versions are better suited for body application.