How Make a Transparent Aloe Vera Gel at Home?

Many people are searching for ways to create a transparent Aloe vera gel similar to the ones sold in stores. But if you take a closer look at commercial Aloe vera gels, you’ll notice that water is usually the main ingredient, with Aloe vera often listed further down the label.

So, is it possible to make a truly transparent Aloe vera gel at home using fresh leaves? The short answer is no—unless you have specialized equipment. However, you can create a clearer, more natural Aloe vera gel that still retains its beneficial properties. In this article, we’ll explore how to do just that.

Preparing the Aloe Vera Leaves

The first step is properly preparing your Aloe vera leaves:

1. Wash the leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt or residue.
2. Trim off the sharp edges carefully to avoid getting pricked.
3. Extract the inner gel using a spoon or a blunt tool. Avoid scraping too close to the rind, as this can introduce yellow latex (aloin), which can make the gel cloudy.
4. Cut the gel into smaller pieces for easier blending and rinse to remove any leftover latex or rind bits.
5. Blend the gel until smooth and then strain it using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove excess pulp or fiber.
6. Let any foam settle or skim it off the top if needed.

At this point, you’ll have a liquefied Aloe vera gel. However, fresh Aloe vera gel is never crystal clear—it usually has a slightly cloudy or off-white appearance due to natural fibers, polysaccharides, and other compounds that scatter light.

How to Make Aloe Vera Gel Clearer

While you won’t achieve full transparency at home, here are some ways to make Aloe vera gel appear clearer:

1. Using a Distillation Process

If you have a stovetop distiller, you can distill fresh Aloe vera gel to create Aloe vera hydrosol. This produces a clear liquid with a mild rosy scent. However, keep in mind that distillation removes some of Aloe vera’s beneficial polysaccharides, enzymes, and nutrients. While hydrosol is excellent for toners and facial mists, it won’t provide the deep moisturizing and healing benefits of fresh Aloe gel.

2. Thickening with Xanthan Gum

Adding a thickener can slightly improve the clarity of your Aloe vera gel. Here’s a simple recipe using regular Xanthan gum:

179g fresh Aloe vera gel

    4g Xanthan gum

  16g glycerin

    1g preservative

Instructions:

1. Mix the Xanthan gum with glycerin until fully combined.

2. Add the mixture to the Aloe vera gel and stir well.

3. Let it sit for at least an hour to allow full hydration.

Regular Xanthan gum suspends tiny particles like fibers and polysaccharides, making the gel slightly clearer. However, it won’t become completely transparent because Xanthan gum itself has a natural cloudiness.

For better clarity, you can use Xanthan gum clear, a special type of Xanthan gum designed for more transparent gels:

184g fresh Aloe vera gel

    3g Xanthan gum clear

  12g glycerin

    1g preservative

Follow the same process as before, and you’ll notice that this version is more transparent compared to the gel thickened with regular Xanthan gum.

3. Using Carbomer for a More Commercial Look

Carbomer is a synthetic thickener commonly found in store-bought Aloe vera gels. While not naturally derived, it creates a clearer gel than Xanthan gum.

Ingredients:

295.5g Aloe vera gel

3g Carbomer

1.5g preservative

A few drops of triethanolamine (TEA) for pH adjustment

Instructions:

1. Add the Carbomer to the Aloe vera gel and let it sit for a few hours to swell.

2. After a few hours, adjust the pH using TEA or a sodium hydroxide solution.

3. Once the pH reaches the ideal range (5.5 - 7.0), the gel will thicken and become clearer.

Comparing this gel side by side with the Xanthan gum clear version, you’ll see that the Carbomer-thickened gel is noticeably clearer.

Conclusion

While it’s not possible to make a completely transparent Aloe vera gel at home, you can improve its clarity using different thickeners. Xanthan gum clear offers a more natural solution with better transparency than regular Xanthan gum, while Carbomer provides the closest look to store-bought Aloe vera gels. Distillation, on the other hand, gives you a clear Aloe vera hydrosol but with different properties.

If you’re looking for a gel that retains Aloe vera’s natural healing and moisturizing benefits, fresh Aloe vera gel—though not crystal clear—is still the best option.

Have you tried making Aloe vera gel at home? Share your experiences in the comments below!

You can also watch the video below to guide you: