What it is
Witch Hazel is obtained from the bark and leaves of the Hamamelis Virginiana shrub.
What it does
Witch hazel has astringent properties and helps remove excess oil from skin. It also contains antioxidants that help fight the free radical damage that causes premature aging.
In addition, it is soothing and enhances the appearance of dry and damaged skin as well as reducing flaking. It helps hydrating the skin and controlling water loss.
Witch hazel has also anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. It is good for cracked skin, psoriasis, eczema, irritations, varicose veins and minor burns.
Side effects
Witch hazel can be irritating. This ingredient is, in fact, usually prepared in alcohol, which can be an irritant. So can be tanning, a potent antioxidant, contained in witch hazel.
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Witch hazel is really good but most of them are prepared with alcohol. So far the one I found that’s alcohol free is really expensive. When using as a toner, you will get amazing skin.
Witch hazel maks a great toner, esp for people with oily skin. But if you have another skin type you should be careful as the alcohol can dry your skin.
thank you for this post. Initially I was looking for the medical name for witch hazel because of some stridex that i have. it smells like witch hazel when it dries, but the packaging says it’s alcohol free…
You’re welcome Christine. Witch Hazel scientific name is Hamamelis Virginiana. Because it contains alcohol, it has astringent properties.
The alcohol-free claim can be a bit misleading. Alcohol-free means that it doesn’t contain alcohol denat, Methyl Alcohol or Isopropyl Alcohol, which can irritate skin. However, these same products can contain fatty acids, a type of alcohol that is beneficial for the skin as it has emollient properties, and natural ingredients like witch hazel as that is derived from a plant. I have wrote a post about what alcohol-free in skincare means if you’re interested: http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2009/05/25/what-does-alcohol-free-mean/