Aloe vera gel consists of 96 percent water.
The remaining part has more than 75 constituents.
The Aloe vera plant is one of the longest-living small plants on the planet.
Aloe vera plants can live for more than twelve years.
The long age of the aloe vera plant forces people to think does aloe vera gel expire?
Yes, aloe vera gel can expire. Aloe vera gel expiry depends on many factors. We have discussed the most crucial aspects of its expiry.
Can I Use Expired Aloe Vera Gel?
Most specialists advise against aloe vera gel use after the expiration date.
It will not provide beneficial effects after the expiry date.
There are many ways to find out if the aloe vera gel is expired.
You can check the gel color as it should be transparent.
The expired gel has a cloudy appearance.
It is easy to check the product expiry by checking the fungal growth inside the aloe vera gel box.
If you see web-like growth inside the gel box, it is not usable anymore.
It is also better to check the expiration date on the product label.
Most commercial aloe vera gel has expiry dates on the packs.
It is unstable to use the fine-looking gel after this date.
Some microorganisms can grow in this gel without showing visible effects.
You will see many changes in these gels after the expiry date because these gels expire fast.
Aloe vera can be part of some products also.
It is crucial to stop using aloe vera products after the expiry date.
The expired gel bioactive molecules deteriorate.
These molecules are responsible for the gel’s beneficial effects.
When these molecules are not working, you will not get any benefits.
In some cases, the fungal growth or the bacteria in the expired gel can cause skin infection.
If the aloe vera gel is causing skin redness, you should discontinue its use.
Applying the expired gel to the wounds is dangerous because it can irritate them and aggravate the infection.
How Do You Know if Aloe Vera Gel Has Gone Bad?
The best way to know if the aloe vera gel has gone bad is by checking the expiration date of the gel for the commercial packing.
Color and odor change indicates the expiration of the homemade aloe vera gel.
You get transparent material when you extract the aloe vera gel from the plant.
The gel may appear silver or golden also in some cases.
Some companies add green color to this gel to increase the aesthetic appeal.
There are no extra beneficial effects of changing the aloe vera color to green.
It is also crucial to know that some aloe vera gel color changes are harmless.
The gel may change to crimson color after placing it in the air.
When this gel gets sunlight exposure, it will turn pink.
These color changes are expected when you know the source of the color change.
If you did not expose the gel to the air or sunlight, the color change could be a sign of the gel’s expiration.
When the companies prepare the aloe vera gel, they add preservatives to stop microbial growth.
The gel will not show signs of expiration without microbial growth.
You will not observe any pungent smell or web-like growth in the gel.
The best way to know the expiration of the gel is by checking the expiry date.
If the expiry date is not visible due to the damaged label, you can go to the product website and check the expiry details.
You can check for the time to the expiry after opening the box.
How Long Does Aloe Vera Gel Last?
The commercially available aloe vera gel lasts 2 to 5 years without opening the box.
The homemade aloe vera gel can last from 24 hours to two weeks, depending on the storage conditions.
When you extract the aloe vera gel from the plant, it will last only 24 hours at room temperature.
Raw aloe vera has many nutrients that make it a perfect medium for microorganism growth.
The short life of aloe vera is due to the absence of preservatives.
You can increase the life of the aloe vera gel by keeping it in better storage conditions.
When you keep it in the fridge, it will last for seven days.
The fridge’s temperature should be 2-8 degrees celsius to get the beneficial effects.
If you can freeze it by placing it at -2 degrees celsius, you can increase the life of the aloe vera gel by up to two weeks.
Some people add vitamins to this to delay the expiration.
Vitamin C has antimicrobial properties. Vitamin E has antioxidant properties.
You can use both to increase the gel’s life.
Combining the effects of these vitamins protect the gel from microbial damage and oxidative damage.
The expiry dates of the homemade gels and the commercial gels differ drastically.
The commercial aloe vera gels come in packing.
This gel lasts for two years when you keep it outside without opening the box.
Once you open the box, it may expire in a few months.
You can maximize the gel’s life by keeping the box closed and placing it in the fridge.
You will not get a significant difference in the expiry date when you place it in the refrigerator.
These are the expiry estimates based on the storage conditions. It is crucial to stop using the gel after the expiry date.
You should not prefer your calculation if it says that you can use it for more time.
Does Aloe Really Expire?
Aloe is a plant extract that expires like the other parts of the plants.
Most people use the aloe vera gel raw because heating can reduce the beneficial effects.
You cannot use aloe for a long time. It expires fast when you place it in the air.
You can extend the aloe vera life by placing it in the fridge or freezing it to make ice cubes.
You need to buy the gel with preservatives if you want a long shelf life. It will provide beneficial effects for a long time.
You can use the best storage methods to improve the shelf life of aloe vera products.
If the gel has preservatives, you can keep it in the fridge after opening the box.
It will last many years there.
You should protect the gel from sunlight and heat also.
You should keep the aloe juice product in the fridge as the companies design these products for the fridge temperature.
Aloe vera extract capsules will last more when you keep them below 25 degrees Celsius.
It is better to keep them packed to avoid exposure to moisture.
You can follow some instructions to increase the shelf life of different forms of aloe.
You can protect the aloe juice when you place it in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
As the aloe vera gel comes in container packing, you can place them directly in the fridge without using any air-tight container.
You need to follow the exact instructions for the capsules.
There is no need to protect it from the sun if there are no instructions because companies use light-resistant packing.
There are plenty of aloe gel products.
You can buy them online from Amazon or hop to the local Walmart store and pick a good brand.
If you are heading to Walmart during your camping trip, read how long you can leave your car in a Walmart parking lot.
