There are many advantages to using aloe vera, but in recent days one of the most notable has been its ability to be used as an ingredient for hand sanitizer. If you want to stockpile aloe vera to ensure you're able to make hand sanitizer in the future, you may be wondering how long it lasts.
Below, we’ll get into the many considerations you need to take into account when determining aloe vera’s lifespan. Specifically, we’ll cover the way that its expiration date can change based on whether it’s stored in leaf, gel, or juice form. We hope you find this information useful.
How Long Does an Aloe Vera Leaf Last?
How long an aloe vera leaf lasts will depend on how it’s stored. If you’re refrigerating the leaves, they should last multiple weeks. For greater longevity, we recommend freezing the leaves. This can help them last for up to six months.
How Long Does Aloe Vera Gel Last?
This question has two very different answers, depending on how the aloe vera gel was collected.
If you need to store aloe vera gel that you’ve collected from the leaves, make sure to add preservatives like Vitamin C or Vitamin E, because these can significantly increase the lifespan of your aloe vera. When adding these preservatives, you can expect the aloe vera you’ve collected and frozen to last roughly two months.
Store-bought aloe vera gel cosmetic can last much longer, anywhere 2-3 years if you keep it at room temperature. A freezer can once again significantly increase the lifespan, allowing it to keep for five years.
Some people choose to freeze aloe vera gel into ice cubes. This is a convenient way to store it long-term and may be ideal if you want to use its soothing properties on your skin. We do not recommend this method if you’re looking to use the aloe vera for hand sanitizer.
How Long Does Aloe Vera Juice Last?
Aloe vera juice has a similar lifespan to gel when it’s unopened: 2-3 years. However, the juice (and food-grade Gel) only lasts a couple weeks once it’s been opened and should be refrigerated after opening. While people enjoy the taste of aloe vera juice gallon and it has many health benefits, we do not recommend buying juice for the purpose of making hand sanitizer.
Looking for Aloe Vera?
If so, you’ve come to the right place. At Aloe Labs, we’ve cultivated more than 150 acres of aloe vera, because we believe in the many benefits that this plant has to offer.
Want to take a look at the products we have available? You can do so by taking a look at our store. Have any questions? If so, you can give us a call at 956-428-8416.