ALOE VERA WATER

We, here at Firewipes, have received a few questions concerning the ingredient Aloe Vera that is found in Firewipes. We wanted to take a moment to answer some of these questions with science and data. We have also noticed that some “other” wipe companies make some very misleading claims about Aloe. They have made some bold and misleading statements like “Some wipe companies will tell you that their wipes don’t contain “that type of aloe.” We’ve got news for you – aloe is aloe!” You will see below that that statement is very misleading and incorrect.

Not only are there over 250 different species Aloe vera, four of them are specifically grown for their health benefits. All of which are different and have different properties, especially when discussing the skin penetration enhancement properties of Aloe. Aloe Vera Barbadensis is the most cultivated of the species. From which, the Aloe can be cultivated into two main types for use in household products. Both, Aloe Gel and Aloe Leaf Water.

The type of Aloe Vera that Firewipes utilize is Aloe Leaf Water, which is a water-based compound. It is water soluble and is more comparable to actual water when compared to as a skin penetrant enhancer. Our claims are supported by the study “Pre-Treatment with Aloe vera Juice Does Not Enhance the in vitro Permeation of Ketoprofen across Skin” by (L. Ballam C.M. Heard, Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK). This study indicates that Aloe Leaf Water is no more a skin penetrant enhancer than water itself. Please click the link above to visit the study that supports such statements. Listed below are direct quotes from this study, which conflicts with some of the claims made by “other” wipe companies.

Pre-Treatment with Aloe vera Juice Does Not Enhance the in vitro Permeation of Ketoprofen across Skin

• “Conclusion: Aloe vera appears to have no value as a penetration enhancer when used as a pre-treatment”
• “Handling household products containing Aloe vera appears not to leave the user at elevated risk of subsequent absorption of exogenous chemicals.”
• “Water comprises the bulk of Aloe vera juice and thus is the logical comparator (negative control) when examining the effects of Aloe vera as a potential penetration enhancer.”
• “In terms of risk exposure, the current data suggest that handling products containing Aloe vera would not leave the individual pre-disposed to enhanced ingress of exogenous chemicals due to compromised skin barrier.”

Why do Firewipes use Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water?

There are many known benefits of using Aloe. The main benefit is that it is used as a skin conditioning agent when used as a topical solution. This allows the wipe to effectively clean and condition the skin with a pH balanced solution, while moisturizing, and leaving no oily or sticky residue after use. Also, the concentration of Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water in Firewipes is less than 0.1% in solution and is decolorized.

We would be more than happy to help answer any other questions you may have about Firewipes. We stand by our product and wish to be as transparent as possible with up-to-date information.

Note: The common article quoted by “other” wipe companies claiming “Aloe is Aloe” is listed here: (PDF) Aloe Vera as Penetration Enhancer (researchgate.net) which specifically states the type of Aloe used in the study was only Aloe Gel not Aloe Leaf Water.