If Aloe Vera Works So Well, Why Don't "The Best Skincare Brands" Use It?
Search for the "best skincare" and your algorithm will serve you every hype brand, TikTok trend and "holy grail" product. You've probably been convinced enough to try them a couple of times. But you and I have both learned the costly lesson: being talked about doesn't mean the product works.
The true "best skincare" is about formulas with a strong base ingredient. You can have every miracle active in a bottle, but if the base ingredient doesn't help them absorb, you'll keep fighting the same stubborn breakouts and dullness that won't lift.
We've already covered why water-based skincare bases limit absorption and results. But if aloe vera works better as a base ingredient, why doesn't every brand use it?
Water is convenient
Most skincare uses water as the base ingredient for convenience. But you don't need convenience, you need results.
Instead of formulating skincare where the base ingredient is just filler, we are obsessed with making sure every ingredient is working for your skin. Aloe contains natural polysaccharides (pronounced poly | sak | uh | rides) that support hydration and assist active ingredients in penetrating beyond the skin's surface.
But that only happens if the aloe is formulated correctly. It requires the right aloe species, specialised processing, and deep formulation expertise to make sure aloe remains effective and stable.
That's why other brands can't simply swap water for aloe.
The species of Aloe matters
Be wary of products that slap "aloe vera" generically on their bottle.
There are more than 400 recognised Aloe species, and they don't all contain the same profile or concentration of beneficial compounds. We follow the scientific evidence and use only one: Aloe Barbadensis Miller.
The pure inner gel of the Aloe Barbadensis Miller leaf contains over 200 active constituents, including essential minerals, vitamins, enzymes, amino acids and polysaccharides.
The polysaccharides in particular are unique to this variant. They are long chain sugar molecules that bind to water and draw it deep into the skin, as well as form a microscopic shield over the epidermis to protect your skin barrier and prevent moisture loss.
These sugar molecules are so structurally complex no synthetic ingredient has been able to mimic them.
Aloe needs proper preparation
Even with the right variant, how the plant is processed changes everything.
A lot of brands use what's called whole leaf aloe processing, where both the outer leaf and inner gel are used in the formula. The problem is that the outer leaf contains aloin, which can cause cellular stress that stings, burns and inflames your skin.
That's why we are careful to only use the organic gel from the inner leaf of the aloe plant. It contains all the nourishing active constituents without the risk of irritation.
The "best skincare" can't match 42 years of loving aloe
We started Grace Cosmetics because we hate that disappointment is the default experience of buying skincare.
For the last 42 years we have refused to take the shortcuts followed by other brands. We have invested the time and effort to make formulas with a base ingredient that actually works for your skin.
That's why we have dedicated ourselves to aloe. It helps provide deep nourishment to your skin barrier, and supports the absorption of your active ingredients. So don't just chase AHAs, retinol and vitamin C - make sure the base of your skincare can actually get them to the layers of your skin where they will make a difference.
The "best skincare" is one that allows you to look in the mirror and see skin you actually love, not results you're still hoping will come.
Curious how aloe vera can benefit your skin? Book a free skin consultation with our experts.