Witch Hazel: Benefits for Skin and Hair

Witch hazel a natural astringent with a long history of use in skincare and hair care. Astringent is highly beneficial for those with wide open pores as it helps shrunken them. Fetched from the bark and leaves of the witch hazel shrub, its extract has become a go-to remedy for a variety of skin and hair concerns.

Why and how hair? You might wonder. The scalp can be prone to fetching and retaining impurities as well, which can ultimately damage hair health. For skincare, Whether you’re battling breakouts, irritated skin, or looking for a natural way to cleanse your face, witch hazel has something for everyone. In this guide, we’ll explore the benefits of witch hazel for both skin and hair and how to incorporate it into your daily routine.

What is Witch Hazel?

It is a plant known for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. The extract, often distilled into a liquid form, is widely used in skincare products, including witch hazel toners, face washes and cleansers. The ability to soothe and calm the skin makes it a popular choice for people dealing with acne, redness, and irritation.

Witch Hazel for Skin: Effective or Exaggerated?

Soothes Irritation: One of the primary uses of witch hazel for skin is to soothe irritation. The anti-inflammatory properties in witch hazel help reduce
redness and calm the skin by providing a mild cooling sensation and making it an ideal
pick for people with sensitive skin types or those dealing with eczema or psoriasis.

Tightens Pores: Witch hazel toner works wonders for tightening pores. By reducing oil production and tightening the skin, witch hazel helps reduce the enlarged pores, leaving your skin with a smoother, more refined look.

Fights Acne and Pimples: If you're dealing with breakouts, witch hazel for pimples is an excellent solution. Its natural astringent properties help reduce excess oil, that clogs pores and leads to acne. Open pores are more prone to catching
various skin conditions and Witch Hazel helps in combatting it by helping the pores to enclose or shrinken.

Using a witch hazel face wash or toner can help keep the skin clear and free from blemishes.

Reduces Inflammation and Redness: Whether it’s a sunburn or skin irritation from shaving, witch hazel helps reduce inflammation and redness. Its cooling properties make it an appropriate post-shave or post-sunburn treatment to help heal, calm and soothe the skin.

Fades Dark Spots: Witch hazel for spots is another fantastic benefit. Regular application can help lighten dark spots and even out skin tone over time, thanks to its skin-soothing and regenerating properties.

Cleanses Skin Naturally: A witch hazel cleanser acts as a gentle, organic way to cleanse your skin without stripping the natural skin barriers of essential oils. It removes dirt, oil, and impurities while leaving the skin soft and hydrated.

Witch Hazel for Face: How to Use It

Witch Hazel Toner: After cleansing, apply witch hazel infused toner with the help of a cotton pad to remove any leftover impurities and tighten pores - toner is the most effective way to make use of witch hazel as both of these works to solve the
same issue.

Witch Hazel Face Wash: Incorporate a witch hazel face wash into your daily routine to fight acne and cleanse your skin effectively while maintaining it's moisture level.

Spot Treatment: Using witch hazel extract for skin directly on pimples and dark spots can help in reducing inflammation and assist the skin to heal faster.

Post-Shaving Balm: Applying witch hazel oil or diluted witch hazel after shaving can soothe the skin and reduce razor burn.

Witch Hazel for Hair: A long kept secret?

While witch hazel benefits for skin are widely known, it also offers numerous advantages for the hair as well, such as:

Balances Oily Scalp: Witch hazel can help balance oil production on the scalp, reducing the greasy feeling that comes with oily hair. Applying witch hazel directly to your scalp before washing can help control the production of excess oil.

Soothes Scalp Irritation: The highly effective anti-inflammatory properties of witch hazel make it ideal for soothing an irritated scalp. It can alleviate itchiness caused by dandruff or dryness and leave the scalp feeling refreshed.

Reduces Hair Frizz: Applying witch hazel to your hair can help control frizz and make your hair more manageable. Its gentle astringent properties smooth out the hair cuticle, leading to a shinier, frizz-free appearance.

Common Witch Hazel Uses for Skin and Hair

Toner: One of the most popular witch hazel uses for skin is as a toner to balance the skin’s pH and tighten pores.

Acne Treatment: Applying witch hazel as a spot treatment for pimples and blackheads is proven to be beneficial.

Cleansing: A natural witch hazel cleanser can effectively help you with getting rid off dirt and oil from your skin and scalp.

Hair Rinse: Mix witch hazel with water and use it as a final hair rinse to tame frizz and balance your scalp's oil levels.