I can’t recall exactly when I started using witch hazel.  It must’ve been at least five years ago.  I wasn’t obsessively watching YouTube videos yet (like I am now — cue blushing emoji), so I must have come across it some other way.

My relationship with witch hazel started out with a lot of skepticism.  I had read that it was a great way to minimize the appearance of acne.  I don’t have severe acne, but when I do get a flare up it’s pretty noticeable, so while I’m sure I had read other benefits this is the one that stayed in my mind.  I thought to myself, “If the leading salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide treatments on the market don’t work very quickly on me, I really don’t see how this supposedly gentle, clear liquid will.”  Still I was intrigued so I purchased a bottle on Amazon.

Before I get into my first experience, let’s talk about what witch hazel is.  Witch hazel itself is a shrub.  It has been used for centuries to make medicine.  While it can be taken orally to relieve a number of digestive and gastrointestinal symptoms (see witch hazel on WebMD), it’s often used topically.  The witch hazel found in most commercial products and the kind that I’m talking about is actually an extract distilled from the twigs and bark of the shrub.  It is a multitasker that has been known to reduce inflammation and irritation.

Okay, back to my first experience.  I tend to get stress-related acne which commonly shows up around the mouth.  One day I had a huge pimple on my chin.  It was red, painful, and finally looked ready to pop.  I knew I wasn’t supposed to pop it, but the temptation was too strong that day.  So after thoroughly washing my hands, I engaged in the ever so taboo act of zit-popping.  Guilty as charged.  I firmly placed a finger on each side of the pimple and tugged outward as I had heard that pushing inward just contaminates the open wound further.

Then I remembered what I had read about witch hazel. I ran to the bathroom, opened the medicine cabinet, and poured some of the Thayers alcohol-free rose petal witch hazel toner I had bought onto a cotton pad.  I used a clean, dry patch of the cotton pad to remove any fluid that had resulted from said popping, and gently covered my wound with a section of the cotton pad saturated in witch hazel.  After about 20 seconds, I removed the pad and was in disbelief.  My pimple was not as red, less inflamed, and less painful than it had been before the application.  I ran to another mirror certain my eyes were deceiving me, but the toner had actually helped.  I quickly became a believer.

These days if I have a pimple that pops, I saturate a cotton pad with witch hazel, put it in a clean plastic, place the plastic bag in the freezer, and use a cotton swab to clean the wound with hydrogen peroxide.  Once I’m done with that, I take the chilled cotton pad and let it sit on my skin.  If I’m not heading out of the house, I follow up with a dab of Neosporin.

I have also used witch hazel to soothe insect bites, calm my eczema, and tone my skin after cleansing.  I really enjoy Thayers’ version of the product because it doesn’t sting or irritate my sensitive skin and it smells good.  There are fragrance-free options as well as several fragrances including rose petal, lavender, lemon, cucumber, etc.  So far I’ve tried the rose petal and lavender formulas, and I am a fan of both.  I’ve even gotten my mother-in-law hooked on them.  I’ve heard Dickinson’s is also a good brand, but the fragrance of the formula I tried was not appealing to me.  I guess it all depends on your priorities.  What’s important to me is that 1) the product works, 2) it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin, 3) it’s affordable, and 4) I enjoy the fragrance.

I haven’t personally tested for these uses, but I’ve read that witch hazel can also help with:

• stretch marks
• bruising
• undereye discoloration and puffiness
• varicose veins
• sunburn or razor burn
• hemorrhoids
• swimmer’s ear
• psoriasis

I think the astringent form of the product has gotten more attention over the last few years, but I still know a lot of people who haven’t heard of it at all so I’m excited to share my experiences.  I still use store-bought acne treatments (my favorite one right now is Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment) overnight for extreme cases of acne or when I need to travel light, but if I’m at home I prefer to use something gentler and more natural.

If you decide to give witch hazel a try, I’d love to hear what you think.  As always, feel free to send me any questions, and if you like my posts I’d really appreciate a like/follow.

Until next time…