10 Witch Hazel Uses and Benefits You Need To Know
If you enjoying using toners and astringents like Witch Hazel on your skin but never really understood exactly what they do – we’ve got the top 10 Witch Hazel uses and benefits explained in detail. Hopefully, this is going to clear things up for you.
The Wonderful Benefits Of Witch Hazel!
So, what is Witch Hazel anyway? In a nutshell, Witch Hazel is developed as an extract from the North American Witch Hazel tree called Hamamelis Virginiana. Its bark and leaves are used mostly for topical application and medicinal properties. It is highly effective in treating skin ailments of all kinds.
It’s always good to know where your skin care ingredients come from. These are images of the Hamamelis Virginiana tree where Witch Hazel is derived.
I’ve been using toners and astringents since I was a teenager, and have learned a few valuable lessons about them along the way too. So, what’s the difference between a toner and an astringent? Glad you asked.
I’ve switched back and forth between them both and, I can tell you definitively, there’s a difference.
Don’t forget to read Skin Care Tips to Keep You Glowing All Summer Long too!
So, what’s the main difference? The ingredients! Toners often contain glycerin and some form of glycol. Both of them draw water into the skin and help soothe and buffer its pH levels.
Toners generally prime the skin and get it ready for your moisturizers and serums to ensure proper absorption. Toners are great for removing any excess dirt or makeup from your skin that your skin cleanser didn’t quite grab the first time around.
Astringents are generally much more potent and largely consist of alcohol or are alcohol-based. They are designed to remove excess oils from your skin and do a great job of it too.
There’s a huge caveat when it comes to using astringents, they tend to dry your skin terribly. They also mess with your PH balance too – which is not good.
Quick Tip! When applying Witch Hazel Or Astringents to your skin, always use a cotton pad. It’s the best way to apply it and the cotton is great for absorbing the grime, dirt, or makeup from your skin.
Toners are much more gentle but many people prefer the “deep penetrating” clean you get from an astringent. I always use both products for various reasons.
Here’s a list of the top 10 Witch Hazel Uses and Benefits:
- Reduces pain and inflammation due to sun damage.
- Calms inflammation from skin disorders like psoriasis or eczema.
- Cleanses and soothes an irritated scalp.
- Great for itchy insect bites.
- It can reduce redness and swelling.
- Cleanses oily skin.
- Great for soothing razor burn.
- It helps minimize allergic reactions.
- Calms and treats skin sores.
- Soothes bruising of the skin.
Here’s a list of the top 10 Astringent Uses and Benefits:
- Astringents remove grime and excess oil
- Shrinks enlarged pores
- Tightens and tones your skin
- Clarifies and opens pores
- Helps with the healing of acne
- Works as an exfoliator
- It’s a great skin freshener
- Prepares your skin for skincare products
- Refreshes & softens skin
- Gives you healthy-looking skin
That’s why I’m so glad I discovered Thayers Alcohol-Free Original Witch Hazel Toner and Thayers Original Witch Hazel Astringent. If you’ve never tried them, you need to discover just how amazing they are for your skin.
Thayers Alcohol-Free Original Witch Hazel Toner and Thayers Original Witch Hazel Astringent are soothing, natural treatments that cleanse, heal and preserve your skin.
They are made of extract from the Witch Hazel shrub (Hamamelis Virginiana) and a blend of other time-tested ingredients. These natural elixirs containing important tannins have been a fixture in medicine cabinets for generations. Once you use them, you’ll know why. They have been soothing, softening, healing and stimulating skin since 1847.
I always have both on hand in my bathroom. I love the Aloe Vera Astringent directly after I cleanse my skin. It’s the perfect way to balance and prep my skin for my nightly skincare routine too.
I also discovered some new products I’m loving and using daily. I’m so excited about this Manketti & Mafura Anti-Aging Oil.
The natural age-fighter. Nyakio’s Manketti & Mafura Anti-Aging Oil is a fast-absorbing oil that targets signs of aging such as wrinkles, loss of firmness, dullness, and dehydration.
This incredible oil is a blend of manketti oil, rich in vitamins E and C, and mafura oil, high in essential fatty acids, softens skin for youthfully radiant skin.
Key Benefits:
- Helps target the look of wrinkles and loss of firmness
- Restores skin for youthfully radiant skin
- Rich in pure, cold-pressed oils – Manketti from the Kalahari Desert and Marula from Zimbabwe
- 100% Vegan
- Cruelty-Free
Here’s a nice YouTube video explaining the benefits!
I love the easy to use application dropper. It makes applying it so easy. I also love dropping a single drop into my moisturizer too! My skin never felt or looked more glowing and healthy!
I also love the Nyakio Chinese Rice Exfoliating Cleansing Powder also available at Ulta!
The gentle skin buffer. Nyakio’s Chinese Rice Exfoliating Cleansing Powder is an exfoliator that gently polishes away dead skin cells and dullness to reveal fresh, healthy skin.
Chinese Rice Powder is coated with a touch of nourishing shea butter and detoxifying African Black Soap to provide soft, smooth, brighter-looking skin.
Key Benefits:
- Gentle exfoliator
- Reveals smoother, brighter-looking skin
- Can use with water or add to cleanser (Nyakio Sweet Almond Cleansing Balm)
- Great for all skin types
- Contains finely ground rice powder from China
- 100% Vegan
- Cruelty-Free
All you do is sprinkle some in the palm of your hand, add a few drops of water to activate it and exfoliate away! After using this exfoliator, my skin feels refreshed, renewed, and ready for the day!
The last two new products I’m loving are NYAKIO Kenyan Coffee Lip Polish and the NYAKIO Baobab Lip Balm. They are the perfect combination to turn your dry rough lips into soft, plump, and fully moisturized smackers!
Silky, soft lips like you never knew. Nyakio’s Baobab Lip Balm is a luxuriously rich balm that melts instantly for soft, supple lips.
Key Benefits:
- Melts instantly for soft lips
- Intensely hydrates
- Contains baobab oil from the “African Tree of Life”
- Cruelty-Free
The perfect prep step for lipstick. Nyakio’s Kenyan Coffee Lip Polish is a softening lip scrub that polishes away dry skin to reveal soft, supple lips.
Key Benefits:
- Enriched with Kenyan coffee to gently exfoliate
- Leaves lips soft and smooth
- Preps skin with Nyakio Baobab Lip Balm
- Cruelty-Free
I hope you got to learn about these products today and why I’m devoted to using them.
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Be sure to read How To Have Perfectly Healthy Glowing Skin For The Summer too!
I forgot about Witch Hazel for so long now, thank you for the reminder. You have so many great lotions and creams that you are the best go-to when I am out shopping.
Thanks Sue, I love Witch Hazel. There’s so much you can do with it too. I love using it at night after cleansing my skin. I just can’t do without it. Glad you enjoyed it too!
Carolann