10+ Epic Reasons Why You Should Start Using Witch Hazel for Face

Updated on December 18th, 2019

Mirror, mirror on the wall! Please make my skin the most flawless of all! It would be the best gift ever if you get such a mirror, isn’t it? But that’s possible only in fairy tales. Don’t get disappointed as we have something that can make this dream of yours come true. And that is witch hazel! Surprised? Well, don’t be, as there is an article that will make witch hazel for face, your number one choice.

Witch Hazel: Things you never knew about!

Witch hazel(1) is a small woody plant with several medicinal properties that can get used in innumerable ways. The bark and leaves of the plant are juiced in a styptic lotion to clear and even tone human skin. It is mild with robust curative attributes that act as a health halo for human species. It is mostly used for skin and scalp as it helps to alleviate inflammation and soothe sensitive skin. Many people also blend it with herbal tea or gobble it directly in small amounts as an organic remedy to cure various health issues.

Although witch hazel is primarily known for its ability to improve skin related problems, it also gets used for varied purposes like to cure hemorrhoids, attenuates scalp sensitivity, tranquilizing sore throat, removing acne, soothes skin reddening, heal a sore throat, nourishing the skin, etc. Let us discuss these uses in detail to understand better.

Witch Hazel: An Antidote for Skin/ Advantages

Dermatologists suggest that witch hazel is a great tool to alleviate skin problems like acne, redness, irritability, itching, etc. This medicinal shrub is primarily used to resolve skin related issues only. Contemplate upon the following points to know how witch hazel for the face is used to address skin problems.

1. Soothe skin irritation

witch hazel for face — Image:ShutterStock

In case of sensitive skin, witch hazel aids in alleviating skin irritation. It is widely used by more than 40% of Americans to soothe their sensitive skin. Many skin experts also state that using witch hazel vitally to sensitive skin is beneficiary in healing tender, irritated or damaged skin.

Apart from appeasing fragile or sensitive skin, witch hazel also assists to vanquish eczema by up to 30%. (Eczema: it is a predicament which causes reddening of the skin due to itching or injury.) Many dermatologists also suggest that you can use witch hazel as a remedial measure to allay sore or irritated facial skin.

2. Resists acne

The anti-inflammatory attributes present in witch hazel also help in fighting acne and cleansing the skin. Research unveils that witch hazel for acne is exceptionally useful in the medicament of acne prone skin. Many skin specialists also revealed in a study that any lotion containing at least 10% witch hazel extract is significantly efficacious in the treatment of acne.

You can apply witch hazel directly to the affected spots on your face post cleansing and exfoliating the skin for best results. It acts as a constringent to shrink your pores along with alleviating the skin. It averts the acne producing bacteria from penetrating your pores. For this purpose, witch hazel is customarily added to various acne removing products and gets extensively recommended for people with oily skin.

3. Shields the skin from damaging

Witch hazel contains Gallic acid, which is a rich source of an organic compound with vigorous antioxidant attributes called tannins. It is beneficial in protecting your skin against damage. Tannins act as a shield which prohibits inflammatory substances from getting into your pores. It not only protects the skin against detriment but also prevents redness and irritability.

Test-Tube research also unveils that witch hazel assists in counteracting toxic free radicals and curb the growth of skin cancer cells. It also helps to sedate the expansion of a skin tumor. However, most of these studies and examinations are confined to test tube and animal studies. So, these revelations are not adequate to analyze the impact that witch hazel has on human species.

4. Acts as a toner

The most conventional use that witch hazel for face has is to act as a toner to reinstate the pH balance of the skin. It helps to prevent the skin from dryness or irritation and soothes it. Apply the product after washing and exfoliating for best results.

5. Prettify the face

Witch hazel acts as an ageless beauty product which does wonders to your facial skin. It resists acne, tightens the pores, prevents soreness of skin, etc. The presence of tannins in witch hazel also helps to slow down the process of aging. So, it also acts as an anti-aging formula for your skin.

6. Cure blackheads

Witch hazel works to shrink the open pores and blocks the growth of blackheads on the facial skin.

7. Nitrify dry skin

People tend to assume that witch hazel for acne in oily skin is a useful cure; therefore, it won’t be suitable for applying on dry skin. However, it is not the case in reality. Witch hazel aids to remove excess oil, dirt, and impurities from the skin and acts as a moisturizer for dry skin. Applying witch hazel liquid immediately after taking a shower helps to restore moisture and keeps the skin hydrated, especially during winters.

8. Helps to remove puffy eyes look

It is a common problem of all the youngsters in the contemporary world. It mostly occurs due to stress, sleepless nights, allergies, excessive smoking, etc. Witch hazel works in removing eye sacks and puffiness by tightening the open pores.

9. Guard the lips, gums and inner cheeks

Witch hazel liquid also helps to cure the painful blisters on lips, gums or your inner cheeks. It removes the swelling and pain as well and aids in quick healing. You can use it on the insides of your mouth along with other curative oils (coconut, almond, etc.) to resolve your problem.

10. Immediate relieve from sunburn

Witch hazel aids to instantly soothe the skin against sunburn due to its skin repairing properties. It provides relief to the sufferer quickly as compared to other healing oils and protects the skin from peeling and itching. You can spray the witch hazel liquid directly to calm the skin instantly.

11. Refresh your face

You can use the witch hazel liquid to refresh your face anytime. It helps to remove that weary and tired look away and makes you look fresh and lively. For this purpose, soak up the witch hazel in a cotton ball and apply on the face. You can also spritz the product directly on your face to avoid that minor irritation caused by the cotton ball.

12. Heal cuts and bruises

Witch hazel also helps to heal cuts and bruises on your face due to its medicinal properties. You need to apply witch hazel liquid at least three times a day on your cut or injury to get quick relief. It acts as an effective remedy to tackle damaged skin and reduce inflammation.

13. Cures Psoriasis

Witch hazel assists to cure Psoriasis and provide immediate relief to the sufferer. The irritation, itching, soreness and redness caused by this disease could get treated with the help of its anti-inflammatory properties. It soothes the inflamed skin and removes the redness too.

How to use witch hazel for the face?

To know how to apply witch hazel as a toner on your face, follow the guidelines given below:

Remove all the makeup by using a cleanser and then wash your face
Apply witch hazel liquid with the tip of your fingers or spritz the liquid on your face
Pat your facial skin gently
Apply your regular moisturizer
Apply your suitable sunscreen if you are going out and you’re good to go

If you want to use witch hazel as a medicinal product to cure acne then: store the witch hazel liquid in a fridge for a while, use a cotton ball to soak up the witch hazel liquid and apply it on the affected area. The cold effect will not only cure acne but also help to resolve inflammatory problems, skin irritation and redness.

To apply it for puffy eyes-

Soak up the witch hazel liquid in a cotton pad
Press it lightly against the closed eyes
Let it dry up for five to six minutes to achieve the result

DIY Witch Hazel for Face Recipe

Ingredients you need:

Half a tablespoon of vitamin C powder
4-5 drops of lavender oil
One-fourth cup witch hazel liquid

Procedure

Blend these ingredients properly and store it in any regular spray bottle
You can sprint this scented toner on your face after washing

Topically applying this toner will tighten your pores, remove any acne or blemishes from your face, soothe your facial skin and make it look fresh and youthful.

Witch hazel: Side effects/Disadvantages

Although witch hazel gets considered as a timeless beauty product for your skin, in certain cases it also worsens the situation. Ponder upon the following side effects or drawbacks of using witch hazel to your skin to know better:

1. Irritation

Witch hazel gets widely used for alleviating various skin related problems for adults, but in some special cases, it causes slight skin irritation or itching.

2. Pregnancy

There is not much information available regarding the reliability that witch hazel has during pregnancy. Hence, it is not advisable to use witch hazel during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

3. Aggravates blemishes

Witch hazel gets often used as a tool to cure acne because of its astringent attributes. It dries up the acne and soothes the skin. However, in practice, using witch hazel may cause irritation which sometimes worsens the blemishes.

After scrutinizing the impact that witch hazel for face has, we can say that it is an extremely efficient product which can be put to use in many ways. It not only adds charm to your beauty and does wonders to your skin, but also helps in curing various diseases and severe skin issues.
It could also be used as a life hack to resolve multiple other problems like bad breath, removing blemishes, instant relief from redness, itching, etc. The extract of this astringent gets used as a skin care remedy because of the beneficiary chemicals it contains like calcium oxalate, Gallo tannins, Gallic acid, etc.

Witch Hazel is a product that can provide an array of skin benefits due to its robust anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Besides the varied benefits from witch hazel for face, there are specific attributes of it which are still unknown. More profound research is required to unveil the overall spectrum of its probable benefits and overcome its drawbacks.