Witch hazel extract is a wonderful ingredient for use in your cosmetic and medicinal preparations. It is gentle enough to be used alone, or it may be combined with other ingredients or herbs. Commercial witch hazel extracts usually contain more alcohol than actual witch hazel, and have only been distilled once.

Top sites to buy witch hazel products online

• Amazon.
• Walgreens.
• CVS Pharmacy.
• Ulta.

There are many species of witch hazel, but Hamamelis virginiana — a type of shrub native to North America — is most commonly used in folk medicine in the US. The leaves and bark are made into teas and ointments.

Why Is it Called Witch Hazel? The plant’s name does not refer to witchcraft, but comes from the Middle English word wych or wyche, meaning pliant or flexible, which is a reference to the plant’s very flexible branches. The “hazel” in the name comes from the plant’s similarity to the common hazelnut.

Depending on the part of the witch hazel plant used to make it, witch hazel naturally contains between 8% and 12% tannins. In addition to the tannins, almost all types of witch hazel are distilled using denatured alcohol (ethanol), with the extract containing about 14% to 15% alcohol.

Overall, witch hazel is proven as safe for the skin. The caveat is that witch hazel, like anything else applied to your skin, may not work for everyone. If you’re trying out witch hazel for the first time, it’s a good idea to test it out in a small area of skin away from your face, such as the inside of your arm.

How often should you use witch hazel toner? In general, Dr. Shamban says you can use your witch hazel toner anywhere from twice a week to every day, depending on how your skin responds. But when it comes to an alcohol-based astringent, don’t overdo it.

Witch hazel has many benefits for skin, including relieving inflammation, tightening pores, and helping with razor bumps. It may also help reduce acne, since it can cleanse your skin of excess oil. However, witch hazel should not be used by people with dry or extremely sensitive skin since it can cause irritation.

Follow up with moisturizer: It’s best to pair witch hazel with a moisturizer to avoid over-drying your skin, says Dr. Schlessinger. Otherwise, you run the risk of triggering more acne. We recommend these dermatologist-approved moisturizers for oily, acne-prone skin.

Keep reading for the best witch hazel products.

• Best Overall: Mario Badescu Witch Hazel & Rose Water Toner.
• Best Drugstore: Dickinson’s Enhanced Witch Hazel Hydrating Toner with Rosewater.
• Best Classic: THAYERS Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Toner.
• Best Nose Strips: Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips.

Turns out witch hazel does much more than micellar water! Both are effective makeup and oil removers and are clear liquids however, witch hazel has the therapeutic properties of the plant and is an astringent!

Dickinson’s Original Witch Hazel Pore Perfecting Toner gently removes excess oils and impurities without overdrying, leaving skin soft, smooth, naturally balanced and purified. This toner is gentle, non-drying, non-irritating, and fragrance-free for sensitive skin. It also helps to remove dirt and makeup residue.

Rectal area. By suppository,use 0.1 to 1 gram leaf and bark applied one to three times daily. When applied to anal area, witch hazel water may be applied up to six times a day or after bowel movements.

Doing the following can ease irritation of the anal canal: Sitz baths – sit in a tub of warm water (about 46°C) 3 to 4 times a day for 15 minutes each time. Do not put any creams or ointments, corn starch, talcum or other powder, witch hazel, or anything else on or into the anus.