If you have access to an aloe vera plant, take a sharp knife and cut off a leaf from the outside of the plant, close to its base. They are usually more mature and contain plenty of gel. If your plant is too young, make sure you do not cut off too many leaves at once. Aloe vera leaves are also available in supermarkets in the produce section. You can usually get 1/2 a cup of gel from 1 mature aloe vera leaf.

Wash the leaves under cold running water to remove any dirt on the skin.

Place the leaves upright in a bowl to let any white or yellow resin to drain off. This can cause irritation to the skin.

Using a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin of the aloe vera leaf on one side. You will see the sticky gel underneath.

Use a spoon to carefully scoop out the gel. Collect the gel in a clean glass container and make sure you do not get any pieces of the leaf skin in it.

If you have collected a lot of gel and want to preserve it, you can mix it with natural preservatives. In a blender, add aloe vera gel and vitamin C or vitamin E capsules. For every 1/4 cup of aloe vera gel, you can either add 500 mg of vitamin C or 400 IU vitamin E. The foamy gel should be put in a clean, airtight glass jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 months.

You can also use fresh aloe vera gel to make a nourishing aloe vera juice or add it to smoothies.