How To Apply Aloe Vera On Face Directly From Plant

If you're looking for a pretty and low maintenance plant to enjoy, aloe vera is a perfect pick for lots of reasons. Not only does this succulent purify the air, but it's easy to grow and care for whether you're intending to plant it indoors or outside.

What You'll Need to Grow an Aloe Vera Plant

Costa Farms Aloe Vera 2-Pack (12 to 14 inches each)

Costa Farms amazon.com

$16.96

Natural Terracotta Garden Planter 2-Pack

Goodman and Wife amazon.com

$25.98

Winlyn Terracotta Clay Pot 6-Pack (4 inches each)

Hoffman 10404 Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix

Hoffman amazon.com

$11.58

How to Grow Aloe Vera Indoors

To nurture aloe vera as an indoor plant, you'll need a terra cotta pot, which is sturdy enough to support its heavy leaves as they grow and porous enough to allow the soil to dry thoroughly after watering. You also need a special potting mix—aloe vera doesn't like ordinary soil—so look for one that's made specifically for succulents or cacti, or mix potting soil with sand and perlite, which looks like Styrofoam but is really volcanic glass. When planting, make sure the entire stem of the plant is buried deep beneath the "soil."

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Place your aloe plant in a spot that gets direct sunlight or under bright artificial light.
Don't stress about the room temp—aloe isn't picky and thrives in temps between 55 and 80 degrees, the range of most homes.
Water it every three weeks, but be sure to avoid letting it sit in water, as this can cause it to rot. A good way to know if it's ready for a drink is to stick your finger in the soil—if it's dry, pour away, but if it's damp you'll want to wait a few more days.

Sometimes, aloe vera plants sprout tiny flowers for an extra pop of beauty (giving it plenty of sunlight and watering it on the right schedule can boost its chance of blooming). When the flowers shrivel up, simply snip them off. You may also notice new aloe vera babies sprout up in your pot. Gently separate them at the root and re-pot in a separate container the same way you did the first.

How to Grow Aloe Vera Outdoors

People who live in a place where it's warm year-round (if you reside in Zone 10 or higher on the USDA Plant Hardiness Map, this is you!), you can get your aloe started outside, which is even easier than raising it indoors. Simply look for an area with good draining, then plop your plant down and watch it thrive—you don't even need to water it unless you experience a drought that lasts a couple months.

This plant is well known for its healing properties, which run the gamut from sunburn soothing to wound healing. If you'd like to use your own plant for that, cut off a spike as close to the stem as possible. You can either rub the wet end on the spot that needs some care, or slice the leaf open lengthwise and scoop out all the jelly inside.

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Alyssa Jung Alyssa is a senior editor for the Hearst Lifestyle Group Health Newsroom, supporting Prevention, Good Housekeeping, and Woman's Day.

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