My face-cream garden

Normally to obtain some face cream you would go to
your local supermarket? local beauty shop? organic shop? 
Possibly to buy something laiden with chemicals, an endless list of ingredients, packaged in many different types of plastic, produced by some big brand who doesn't care about enviornmental issues?

Ever thought that you can find healthy and environmentally friendly face cream in your garden?

I am so lucky to have a big Aloe patch in my Italian home. So I source from the garden everytime I am here.  
I must say that I am always surprised to find it in the same place, healthy and moreover bigger everytime - another secret, none in my family has a green thumb so it's a miracolous plant that thrives with zero attention. To think that it all started from a very little piece...

Anyway, onto its uses
Aloe vera, thought to be one of Cleopatra beauty secrets, and truly has some great properties. 
(1) Its gel-like consistency makes it great for those of us with a mixed skin, gives the right amount of hydration without the oily sensation.. 
(2) great for skin that easily gets irritated, it will even help you reduce the irritato
(3) used as an after sun helps reducing the effects of the burn, so not only no need to buy mosturiser but also no need to buy after sun: Bargain! if you don't trust me on this, trust the South African, who recommended it to me

How do I use it:
Cut a leaf, cut one slice (depending on the size of the skin to be treated, a 0.5 cm slice does my face..),, cut the spines off and one side of the the thick green skin, rub the inside directly on your skin, squeezing a little to let the gel come out. Place the rest of the leaf in the bridge, which is amazing if using after sun! Used every day one leaf would last me for face only around 1-2 weeks depending on size. 

Now, my plants are growing outdoors (with no special cures) in the Tuscan climate under the shade of pine trees (and survive very well buried under many pine needles as I discovered on my latest trip!). I know of successful people who have grown it indoors, I must say I never tried, but it will be my next challenge if my next place doesn't have a garden...