There used to be one aloe vera gel. It came in a green tub, it sat in the bathroom cabinet, and nobody thought about it again until someone got a bit too much sun.

Now the shelf has a dozen. One is plain. One has turmeric in it. One has rose water, one has saffron and sandalwood, one comes in a pump bottle, one is sold for facial massage. The labels all say aloe vera on the front, and the front of the label is where the similarity ends.

If you live in the US, UK, Canada, Australia or the UAE, you have a second problem on top of that. Most of these gels are not on the shelf at your local shop, so you are choosing from a photograph and a product description rather than by picking up two tubs and reading the backs.

This guide compares fourteen aloe vera gels we ship, grouped by what is in them rather than ranked against each other. Every ingredient detail, every direction for use, and every description of what a gel is for comes from the manufacturer of that product.

If you are not yet sure whether you want a gel at all, our guide to aloe vera juice vs gel sorts out which of the two you are looking for. This page assumes you have landed on the gel.

How to Compare Aloe Vera Gels Before You Buy

Four things separate one tub from another.

What sits alongside the aloe. Some gels are aloe and a preservative system and little else. Some add vitamin E. Some add a second botanical: turmeric, rose, ashwagandha, saffron and sandalwood. Adding something is not better or worse, it is narrower. A plain gel does several jobs adequately. A blended gel is built for one job.

Where aloe sits on the ingredient list. Cosmetic labels run in descending order by quantity, so the position of aloe barbadensis leaf juice tells you more than any claim on the front of the pack. Read the back of the label on the product page before you buy.

The format. Tub, tube or pump. A tub is cheaper per unit and easier to scoop for hair or body use. A pump keeps fingers out of the product, which matters if the tub is going to last you months. A tube sits somewhere in between. This is the axis most guides skip and the one people complain about most after buying.

Pack size. Sizes on this shelf run from small face-sized pots to large multipurpose tubs. Buying big is cheaper per millilitre and worse if the gel turns out not to suit you, and once a tub is open it has a limited life. If you have not used a particular gel before, the small size is the lower-risk purchase.

Group 1: Aloe with no added botanical

These are the general-purpose gels. Aloe plus whatever the maker needs to keep it stable, without a second headline ingredient. If you want one tub that covers face, body, scalp and hair, this group is where to look.

1. Patanjali Saundarya Aloevera Gel

The one most people picture when they think of this category, and one of the most frequently asked-for gels among shoppers who cannot find it in local shops. Patanjali describes it as suitable for face, body and hair. See the Patanjali Saundarya Aloevera Gel product page for the current ingredient list and directions.

2. Sri Sri Tattva Aloevera Gel

A plain gel from a house better known for its juices and classical preparations. Sri Sri Tattva positions it as an everyday gel for skin and hair. Details are on the Sri Sri Tattva Aloevera Gel page.

3. Kapiva Pure Aloe Vera Skin Gel for Face and Hair

Kapiva states that this gel is made from the pulp of aloe vera juice, extracted within four hours of harvesting. That processing detail is the thing Kapiva leads with, and it is the main point of difference within this group. The Kapiva Pure Aloe Vera Skin Gel page carries the full description.

4. Plum Hello Aloe Just Gel

Plum is a newer name than the others here and formulates for a lighter finish on the face. As the product name suggests, the maker positions this as aloe without additions. See the Plum Hello Aloe Just Gel page.

Group 2: Aloe with vitamin E

Vitamin E is the most common addition to an aloe gel. Makers add it as an antioxidant and for its part in the preservative system. These gels behave much like the plain ones and are usually sold for the same face, body and hair uses.

5. Wishcare Pure and Natural Aloe Vera Gel Enriched With Vitamin E

Wishcare supplies this one in pump packaging, which is worth knowing if you have ever fished a fingerful of gel out of a half-empty tub. See the Wishcare Pure and Natural Aloe Vera Gel page for what the maker lists.

6. Mamaearth Aloe Vera Gel With Vitamin E

Mamaearth states that this gel is free of parabens and mineral oil and is intended for both skin and scalp. Full details on the Mamaearth Aloe Vera Gel with Vitamin E page.

7. WOW Skin Science Aloe Vera Multipurpose Beauty Gel

WOW sells this one squarely as a multipurpose gel for skin and hair rather than a face-first product, which is why it tends to be the pick for people who want a single tub for the whole household. See the WOW Skin Science Aloe Vera Multipurpose Beauty Gel page.

Group 3: Aloe with an added botanical

Here the maker has paired aloe with a second ingredient and built the product around that pairing. These are narrower than the plain gels. Choose one because you want the second ingredient, not because you want aloe.

8. Patanjali Saundarya Aloe Vera Gel Kesar Chandan

Saffron and sandalwood, two ingredients with a long history in home skincare traditions. Patanjali sells this as a face gel rather than a whole-body one, and it comes in a smaller pot than the plain Saundarya. See the Patanjali Saundarya Aloe Vera Gel Kesar Chandan page.

9. Mamaearth Aloe Turmeric Gel

Aloe paired with turmeric, a combination that comes straight out of the home remedy cupboard. Worth noting that turmeric can tint a light-coloured pillowcase, so this is a rinse-off or daytime product for most people rather than an overnight one. Details on the Mamaearth Aloe Turmeric Gel page.

10. Mamaearth Aloe Ashwagandha Gel

Ashwagandha is far better known as something you swallow than something you spread, and this is one of the few gels that puts it on the skin instead. See the Mamaearth Aloe Ashwagandha Gel page.

11. Kapiva Aloe Rose Gel

Aloe with rose, which gives the gel a scent as well as a second ingredient. If fragrance in a skincare product is something you avoid, this group is where to read the label most carefully. See the Kapiva Aloe Rose Gel page.

12. Wishcare Pure Aloe Vera Gel Plus Rose Water

The same pairing from a different maker, with rose water rather than rose extract. Wishcare lists the details on the Wishcare Pure Aloe Vera Gel plus Rose Water page.

Group 4: Gels sold for facial massage

A small category that gets missed. These are sold specifically as massage gels, which means the maker has formulated them with more slip so they stay workable on the skin for several minutes instead of absorbing straight away. If you follow a routine that involves massaging the face, a general-purpose gel is the wrong texture for it.

13. Khadi Natural Transparent Aloe Vera Facial Massage Gel

Khadi sells this one for facial massage rather than as a leave-on moisturiser, and the texture reflects that. See the Khadi Natural Transparent Aloe Vera Facial Massage Gel page.

14. Shahnaz Husain Just Me Aloevera Moisturising Gel

Shahnaz Husain describes this as an oil-free gel for the face. It sits between a massage gel and a plain moisturising gel, and it is the recognisable name in this group for anyone who grew up with the brand on the dressing table. Details on the page.

Comparison Table

Once you have chosen one, our complete guide to using aloe vera gel for skin and hair covers the routines people build around it.

Where to Buy Aloe Vera Gel Online

There are three realistic options if you are not in India.

Your local Indian grocery store, if there is one within reach. The aloe shelf there is usually one or two mainstream tubs, and the blended gels and massage gels rarely make it that far.

Marketplaces such as Amazon, where the same gel often appears under several listings from different sellers at different prices, sometimes with a pack size that does not match the photograph. Read the seller details and the size before ordering.

Or ordering directly, which gives you the whole range instead of whatever a shop happened to stock. It takes longer to arrive than a local purchase, so it suits buying ahead rather than buying the day you run out. We offer doorstep delivery worldwide, and the aloe vera collection is the place to browse everything in one list.

Related Reading

If aloe is going into your routine on the inside as well, these cover the drinkable side:

• Aloe vera juice vs gel, on what separates the two products and why the naming trips people up.

• Benefits of aloe vera juice, on what people drink it for and what the research has looked at.

• Best aloe vera juice, a companion listicle grouping the juices into plain, fibre-added, blended and concentrate.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or by any other regulatory authority. Aloe vera gel is a cosmetic product for external use and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Patch test any new product before regular use, and speak to a doctor or dermatologist if you have a skin condition or a known allergy.