My shea butter mixture is the only thing I can rely on to keep my skin looking good when the seasons change. like right now. My skin will get really dry but the shea butter keeps me intact. Some of my female neighbors I see them walking around with big red dry sore spots... aloe after bathing and shea butter eliminates that, for me at least.

I put some aloe into my fruit smoothies now and then, it is good to eat, good for the stomach. I don't eat the shea pr cocoa butter, I eat coconut oil though. My aloe plants are HUGE with broad juicy leaves. The get really big if you put them into a 14-16 inch pot.

I had a major amount of spots, like sunspots, on my forearms all summer, I guess from the mercury poisoning. I have been eating aloe and putting it on my arms and they are fading slowly. Could be chelation helping that too.

The aloe is ok in the sun, but needs to adjust slowly, start them out just a couple hours per day or they get sunburned themselves (which they do survive and become green again)). Mine were pretty much in full sun all summer and they are ready to come in and sleep in the shade all winter. I've noticed that they don't put out baby plants when in the house for the winter, only when in the sunlight.

You know what's also really good for your skin, pimples, dry skin, rashy face whatever, is apples. You just cut a slice off when you are eating one and rub it gently on your skin, the malic acid and stuff, your skin really likes it, great toner to keep you real smooth and spotless. I have a book here with all sorts of natural skin recipes, got most of my ideas from that. They use apple juice (fresh squeezed) in a recipe with vodka and sea salt for a toner. My skin doesn't care for the sea salt but loves the apple and I am usually too lazy to bother with actually making the recipe... I've tried it and the stuff only lasts a few days before it gets rancid so why bother. My skin really needs a toner everyday or every other day though so to keep something handy I have been whipping up some vodka, water (boil it first and let cool), and (organic unfiltered) apple cider vinegar. And I put a little bit of aloe juice in there too. About twice as much water as vodka and vinegar works good for me and the stuff does not get rancid sitting in the bathroom. Sure beats the 30-40 bucks I was paying for a fancy name NY cosmetic that my skin likes a lot... and thing is, my skin likes the home brew better. I think it costs me about $1 dollar to make 8oz or so of that.

In this book they recommend using mashed banana or nicely ripe avocado for a moisturizing mask. I have tried it (both), it's been a couple years though. Worked well for me back then, I should do it more often. Leaves your skin real soft and supple.