How To Use An Aloe Vera Mask For Shiny Hair & A Healthy Scalp

The internet is filled with DIY recipes for aloe vera masks to help make hair shiny and to promote a healthy scalp—here, our recommendations from the top experts.

A very simple two-step guide for making an aloe vera mask.

Some aloe vera hair mask recipes online call for blending the gel with other ingredients, but it's best to leave it on its own. "Avoid ingredients that cause buildup on the scalp and hair shaft at all costs," says hairstylist Shab Reslan, a trichologist and host of the hair-and-scalp-focused podcast Hair Like Hers. "Buildup on the scalp will lead to inflammation, scalp issues, and subsequent hair thinning or loss, [and] buildup on the hair shaft results in dull and easily tangled hair." 

Just don't let aloe vera sit on your scalp for much longer than 20 minutes. "It is great for hydrating and cleansing the scalp but not for long periods as it will lose the moisturizing effect and potentially cause irritation and drying out the scalp," Reslan says. It can also be tough to wash the aloe vera off if it sits too long, she points out. 

Here are five very good reasons to give it a try:

The biggest perk of aloe vera is that it's moisturizing for skin and keratin structures, like your hair, says Bailey. "Studies have focused on skin benefits1 primarily, but one can make some extrapolations to hair given that it is also composed of keratin," she says.  

Aloe vera also has anti-inflammatory properties, "so it may benefit those with scalp inflammation and irritation," says Gary Goldenberg, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. 

There's not a lot out of published research on aloe vera's impact on the hair and scalp, but one older study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment2 found that an aloe vera mixture was significantly better than a placebo at clearing up cases of seborrheic dermatitis, a common skin condition that's often behind dandruff. 

Aloe vera contains seven of the eight amino acids, Goldenberg says—isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, and valin—and that can "help repair hair damaged by coloring or overdrying." Aloe vera also has a neutral pH, similar to your hair's own pH, Goldenberg says, which "helps balance [the] pH of scalp and hair, allowing for healthy growth." 

Unfortunately, there are no scientific studies directly linking aloe vera to hair growth, but that doesn't mean the plant can't help hair grow. "Aloe vera applied topically has been shown to increase skin microcirculation3, potentially stimulating hair growth," Bailey says. 

In general, people with dry hair, curly hair, and coarse hair tend to get the most benefits, Bailey says. But people with fine hair can also get perks. "Even oily scalps can benefit because aloe vera has been shown to help remove excess oil," Bailey says. 

There's no hard and fast rule for how often to use an aloe vera mask for your hair and scalp, but it's generally best to do it about once a month, Reslan says.  Want another way to amp up shine? Try a hair gloss—read our guide.