Aloe vera applications include lotion, poultice, salve, shampoo

The word Aloe is derived from the Arabic word alloeh, which means shiny and bitter and refers to the Aloe gel. References to its use as a healing agent can be found amongst early Egyptian, Chinese, Greek, Indian and Christian literature. Legend says that it was the desire for Aloe plants that caused Alexander the Great to conquer the island of Socotra, where Aloe was cultivated in the fourth century B.C. Aloe is also thought to have been one of Cleopatras beauty secrets. In Africa, hunters sometimes rub Aloe juice on their bodies to reduce sweating and to mask human scent. Aloe is one of the easiest houseplants to grow. There is a saying that, if you cannot grow Aloe, get plastic plants!