Does Aloe Vera Gel Expire? How to Extend the Shelf Life of Aloe Vera
There are all sorts of useful reasons for keeping aloe vera products stocked away in your house. But how long can you keep that aloe vera gel before it expires?
Aloe vera gel, for one, comes in many forms and can be used to treat sunburn and promote healthy skin. You can even extract and make your own pure gel if you keep an aloe vera plant at home! And there are multiple health benefits involved when it comes to aloe vera juice and other types of aloe vera.
But does aloe vera gel expire? Like most things, it does, but how long it lasts depends on the type of gel in question, and how you choose to store it.
Hereβs a look at how long you can expect different aloe vera products to last.
How Long Does Aloe Vera Gel Last?
The shelf life of aloe vera gel will vary depending on what kind you are using.If youβve bought your aloe vera gel at the store, it should last a long time, as pre-processed gel is usually treated with preservatives to extend its shelf life. This process is known as stabilization, and involves adding substances like citric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate to the aloe vera gel the moment it is extracted from the plant. This helps to prevent the gel from decomposing once itβs exposed to oxygen.
Because of this process, Dr. Giuseppe Aragona M.D, General Practitioner & Medical Advisor at Prescription Doctor suggested that store-bought aloe vera gel usually lasts around two years. To be absolutely sure, you should always check the expiration date on the product before using.
But without this stabilization process, aloe vera gel will expire in a much shorter time. If youβre extracting your own fresh gel from a plant at home, Dr. Aragona advises that raw aloe vera products will only last 24 hours when kept at room temperature and 5-7 days when refrigerated. So fresh aloe vera gel expires a whole lot faster than store-bought!
In the next section, Iβll offer you some super effective tips on how to maximize the shelf life of your fresh aloe vera products. But first, hereβs a look at how long other types of aloe vera products should last.
Fresh Aloe Vera Leaf
According to Dr. Aragona, fresh aloe vera leaf is only likely to last for 24 hours while kept at room temperature, and 5-7 days when refrigerated. But as we will see in the next section, there are clever storage methods you can use to make fresh aloe vera leaf last longer!
Aloe Vera Juice
Juice made from the aloe vera plant tends to last longer than fresh aloe leaves. Dr. Aragona claimed that aloe vera juice lasts 2-4 weeks when opened and refrigerated, and 2-3 years when unopened and refrigerated. Keeping the juice unrefrigerated for more than 24 hours is not recommended.
Aloe Vera Capsules
You can also purchase aloe vera in capsule form, to be taken as a supplement. Dr. Aragona said aloe vera capsules last around five years. But just like any store-bought aloe vera product, itβs always best to check the expiration date before using.
How to Store Aloe Vera Gel and Maximize Shelf Life
If youβre using aloe vera gel, itβs likely that you have either bought it pre-processed from the store, or extracted it fresh from your own aloe vera plant. Whatever kind of aloe vera gel youβre using, there are ways you can store it to maximize its shelf life.
How Long Can You Keep Store-Bought Aloe Vera Gel?
For store-bought aloe vera gel, you should always keep it in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, and it should stay good for about 2-3 years. A nice spot in your pantry or a spare drawer in your kitchen are perfect places.
You can also freeze or refrigerate your store-bought aloe vera gel. This way it can last for up to five years!
Tips for Storing Freshly Extracted Aloe Vera Gel
If youβre using pure aloe vera gel extracted from your own aloe vera plant, keeping it fresh can be a little more tricky, but there are ways you can do it.
Refrigerate Your Fresh Aloe Vera Gel
Storing freshly extracted aloe vera gel in your refrigerator should keep it fresh for up to 10 days. You can cut the fresh gel up into small cubes first for adding to drinks and smoothies, or larger chunks if you plan on adding it to your homemade lotion to moisturize drying skin or sunburn.
Whatever you choose, keeping the pure aloe gel in your refrigerator will help keep it fresh for longer.
Keep it in the Freezer
To boost the shelf life of your fresh aloe vera gel even further, you can keep it in the freezer. Just blend the gel up, freeze it overnight in a silicone ice tray, and then transfer the frozen gel-filled cubes to an airtight container and keep in your freezer. The gel should last for up to eight months this way.
Mixing Fresh Aloe Vera Gel with Honey
If youβre feeling adventurous, mixing your fresh aloe gel with honey is a great way to preserve it, as honey is a natural preservative substance that rarely goes bad. Just blend your aloe vera gel in a blender, and mix one tablespoon of honey per one tablespoon of aloe gel. If you store this mix in an airtight container in your refrigerator, it should last for up to three years!
Blending with Vitamin C
Vitamin C is another preservative you can mix with fresh aloe vera gel to make it last longer. Blended together and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, your vitamin C infused gel should be good for up to a month.
How to Maximize the Freshness of Aloe Vera Leaves
If you donβt fancy extracting gel from your aloe vera leaves, and you just want to keep the leaves fresh for longer, you can wrap them in a damp towel and store them in your refrigerator for up to a week. By placing the leaves in a freezer bag and keeping them in your freezer, they should last for up to eight months.
If youβd like to learn more about how to keep aloe vera products fresh, you should check out this article about how to store fresh aloe vera gel and leaves.
But what about when aloe vera does go bad?
How Do You Know if Aloe Vera Gel Has Gone Bad?
Laura Krebs-Holm MS/RD/LD, a registered nutritionist and dietitian in Austin Texas, and a medical advisor for eMediHealth, explained that βaloe is a plant, and just like other fruits and vegetables, you will notice the gel may look cloudy and have an off smellβ if it has gone bad.
Regarding fresh aloe leaves, she said, βFresh aloe leaves will get wilted, wet, almost like a sludge, and will smell bad.β
Once they have expired, mold can grow noticeably.
This lifecycle is similar for aloe vera juice, which will become discolored and develop a foul odor once expired.
What Happens If You Use Expired Aloe Vera Gel?
Once any kind of aloe vera product has expired, itβs very important that you donβt consume it. Registered nutritionist Laura Krebs-Holm warned that applying (expired aloe gel) to the skin can cause irritation, rashes or serious reactions.
She also warned against eating or drinking expired aloe vera leaves or juice, saying we should never consume an expired food product because the mold and mildew spores can make consumers very ill. This caution is true for products containing aloe vera, just like any other expired food products.
So does aloe vera go bad? Unfortunately, it does. But, as we have discussed, there are plenty of tricks and tactics you can use to extend the shelf life of aloe vera products.
Download Our Free Guide to Sustainable Living.
From reducing waste to recycling and upcycling, our e-book shows simple ways to make choices you can feel good about.
Comments (17)
I bought Aloe Vera juice and I Refrigerated.then I taken it out so I left it out. Is that good or not.
Hi there, thanks so much for your question. Unfortunately, we’re not sure, as there are so many different kinds of Aloe Vera juice out there! We’d hate to say that you’re good to go if we aren’t 100% familiar with the product. If it seems questionable, we would recommend throwing it out.
We appreciate you reaching out to us about this! Feel free to use BLOG15 for $15 off your first order with us. ππΏ
When you talk about freezing home-grown Aloe Vera gel, are you refering to a deep-freezer or a freezer that is part of a fridge/freezer combo?
Hi Barb, thanks so much for your question! You can freeze Aloe Vera gel in a regular freezer or a deep freezer, it’s totally up to you. π§β
We appreciate you taking the time to visit our blog. For $15 off of your first order with us, use code BLOG15 at checkout! π
Can we blend and mix with coconut oil and can keep?
Great question! It depends on what kind of aloe you use. Raw aloe vera only has a shelf life of 5-7 days, so mixing it with coconut oil wouldn’t extend the shelf life. If you use a storebought gel, it should last up to 2-3 years so long as it’s stored properly! We’ve heard that mixing aloe and coconut oil makes for an excellent deep conditioner, so it’s a great idea.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read our blog. If you’d like to try out our goods, use code BLOG15 at checkout for $15 off of your first order with us! π€π
This morning I peeled fresh a Aloe Vera plant to make a conditioner for my hair and I have some left over for the application. How long will it last if I refrigerate the remaining portion
Fresh Aloe Vera should last anywhere between 5-7 days when refrigerated π
Thanks for asking, we appreciate you giving our blog a read! As a token of our thanks, use code BLOG15 for $15 off of your first order! π
Hi, please I stored aloe vera mixed with vitamin C in a container, and kept it inside a bowl of water, as there is no refrigerator where I am. How long do you think the Aloe vera will last as this is the day 3 after storing. Will it still be good for my natural hair and skin?
I’ve had a fresh aloe plant that I’ve had in a mason jar for 2 months could I still use it on my hair
Hey Erica, great question! As long as your aloe vera plant is looking healthy, you should be good to go. Once the aloe vera gel has been extracted from the plant, you should only hang onto it for 10 days max, unless you choose to freeze it.
Have you tried our aloe vera gel? βΊοΈ If not, feel free to use the code ‘BLOG15’ for $15 off your first order! π±
If I left a store-bought aloe vera leaf that was cut in half in the freezer, but it was not wrapped or covered in any way, is it still good? It has been in the freezer for like 2-3 weeks now.
Good question, Eliana! Your aloe leaf would probably be safe to use, but its effectiveness may have been compromised by the chemical change caused by freezing it. We recommend extracting the gel, then freezing that!
Have you had a chance to try our aloe vera gel? If not, feel free to use the code ‘BLOG15’ for $15 off your first order! π±
Hi, Without using it, I’ve had my leaf stored in the fridge for about a month. If it is now purple on the inside, can I use it on my face? Thanx.
Hey N’keba, great question! Your aloe plant may be changing color due to oxidation, and should still be safe to use.
Thanks for reading! If you haven’t had a chance to check us out yet, please feel free to use the code ‘BLOG15’ for $15 off your first order. β₯οΈ
I was gifted a large jar of Aloe Vera Gel by a friend about a year ago & the brand is Forever. I used it for a while & it has been kept in my pantry…forgot I had it until I decided to have a total declutter…so what I want to know is as you say it can last for 2-3 years in a pantry…would that be opened or unopened. Many thanks.
Hey Andrea, great question! Your aloe vera gel should be fine, as it will usually stay good in a pantry opened for around 2-3 years. Storing your aloe vera gel in the refrigerator will simply extend its shelf-life by a couple of years, for a total of about 5 years. π
If you’re on the fence about using it still, you should give ours a look! You can use the code ‘BLOG15’ for $15 off your first order–enough to try that and another goodie or two! π₯°