“Witch hazel is a mild astringent. It cools the skin, relieves redness, and tightens the pores. It is also antimicrobial, so it helps to fight breakouts.” – Robert Hensley, Aesthetician and Celebrity Makeup Artist
Witch hazel is an extract that comes from the bark and leaves of a plant called Hamamelis virginiana, and it’s a wildly versatile substance. And it’s cheap, too! You can use it in your daily beauty and bathroom routine, on your skin, and all kinds of other things. Some of the most popular uses for witch hazel are for beauty routines, but there’s no end in sight for what witch hazel can do.
25 Incredibly Amazing Uses For Witch Hazel You Didn’t Know About
1. REMOVE YOUR MAKEUP
Instead of buying make up remover or dirtying another washcloth, use some witch hazel in a handmade makeup remover recipe! It’ll save you time and money at the end of the day when you’re getting rid of all your hard to remove makeup.
2. CLEAN YOUR SKIN
Witch hazel is perfect for getting rid of all the excess oil on your skin, as well as sweat and dirt. It doesn’t dry your skin out, either! Use some witch hazel once a day to clean your face and you’ll be amazed at how great you feel. According to aesthetician and celebrity makeup artist, Robert Hensley, “Applying witch hazel to the skin with a cotton round after a shower or after physical exertion helps to save your complexion in the summer months.”
3. ACNE TREATMENT
When you clean your skin with witch hazel, your acne will start to clear up because you’re already getting rid of all that excess oil that irritates your skin and causes breakouts. It’ll unclog your pores and let your acne dry out and heal up.
4. SHRINKING PORES
Open pores are the bane of anyone’s existence. The best way to close them up and make them smaller is a bit of witch hazel. This is especially good if you’re suffering from acne or overly oily skin.
5. DANDRUFF TREATMENT
Dandruff is both annoying and a little embarrassing. If you’re struggling to figure out the best way to get rid of that dry, flaky skin on your scalp – just massage some witch hazel into your scalp! Wash it off with your regular shampoo and conditioner. It’ll help clear your dandruff right up.
6. PREVENT OR REDUCE STRETCH MARKS
This is perfect for pregnant women, or anyone who struggles with fluctuating weight. Stretch marks can be prevented altogether or the appearance of them reduced with just a bit of witch hazel. It tightens the loose skin around the marks and makes them smaller.
7. REDUCE VARICOSE VEINS
Varicose veins often pop up in pregnant women as well, and they can be uncomfortable as well as unsightly. Witch hazel can help reduce their appearance as well as alleviate the discomfort that they may cause.
8. REDUCE DARK CIRCLES UNDER YOUR EYES
When we’re tired, bags tend to form under our eyes. This is especially true for people who work busy hours or are still students! Witch hazel tightens the skin, which will help reduce the appearance of those dark, baggy circles under the eyes.
9. REDUCE PUFFY EYES
Allergies, exhaustion, crying, or any other irritant can cause your eyes to get a little puffy and red. This can be uncomfortable, so the best way to get rid of them is to dab a cotton ball with witch hazel and set it on your closed eye. Wait about ten minutes, and there should be a marked reduction in inflammation! Dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur stated, “Witch Hazel has an astringent in it, kind of like alcohol, so what it does is, it shrinks things down. It can shrink down the puffy bags under the eyes, constricting the blood vessel, we call that vesoconstriction.”
10. CONTROL FRIZZY HAIR
Does your hair get out of control frizzy when you let it dry? Mix a bit of shampoo in with some witch hazel before washing frizzy hair, and the results will be stunning. It can help tame the frizziness!
11. NATURAL DEODORANT
Making natural deodorant is easy as pie with a half cup of witch hazel, quarter teaspoon of baking soda, quarter cup of aloe vera, and ten drops of any essential oil you like! Mix together and put in a spray bottle for natural, chemical free deodorant.
12. RELIEVE DIAPER RASH
If you have a baby who’s prone to getting a sore bum, witch hazel is a great and natural way to soothe that diaper rash. Apply it to your baby’s skin with a cotton ball for quick relief.
13. SOOTHE CHICKEN POX
While there’s no real cure to chicken pox other than to wait them out, the best way to help soothe your child’s discomfort is a bit of witch hazel! Mix it in with some water and dab it on the itchy area. It should soothe discomfort and alleviate the itching.
14. TREAT RAZOR BURN
This is great for any area that you’re shaving, be it your legs, underarms or face. Applying some witch hazel to your skin after shaving will reduce the inflammation, which can soothe and even prevent razor burn. Dr. Ellen Marmur mentions that, “A lot of people use Witch Hazel after shaving, also to make the redness go away, because it is an anti-inflammatory. And lastly, it’s an antioxidant.”
15. SOOTHE SUNBURN
If you end up out in the sun without sunscreen, you may accidentally find yourself with a bit of burnt shoulders. Witch hazel’s anti-inflammatory nature is perfect for treating the discomfort of sunburn, as well as speeding up the healing process and preventing too much peeling.
16. SOOTHE A SORE THROAT
Gargling with salt water is usually the tried and true method of getting some relief from a sore throat. If that’s not doing the trick, try making a special tea out of witch hazel, cloves, and myrrh. Don’t drink it, though! Gargle the tea and let the witch hazel do its match.
17. RELIEVE BUG BITES
Us humans are tasty treats to summertime bugs, especially mosquitoes. It’s hard not to get a bite or two when spending the day outside. Witch hazel is perfect for relieving the inflammation and reducing the itchiness of those persistent bug bites.
18. SOOTHE POISON IVY
Outdoorsy people can attest to the inconvenience of accidentally stumbling over some poison ivy or poison oak. Kids, especially, tend not to know the plants on sight and can get covered in itchiness. Witch hazel will relief that itchy feeling and reduce the swelling.
19. TREATING WOUNDS
If you have a small cut or scrape, witch hazel is the perfect way to clean out the wound. Witch hazel is an antiseptic, so it’s useful for cleaning and disinfecting small wounds to reduce the chance of an infection.
20. CLEAN YOUR CAT OR DOG’S EARS
Cleaning your pet’s ears can be tricky, especially since they’re so sensitive. A great way to get those little ears clean is to get a rag and soak it in witch hazel. Scrub around the outside or inside of the ears to clean it up.
21. STAIN REMOVAL
Tough and stubborn stains don’t always need an expensive product to get them out! Witch hazel will work just fine. Mix your witch hazel with some white toothpaste and get to scrubbing.
22. CLEAN THE BATHROOM
Again, no need to break out the expensive products! Mix lemon juice, baking soda and witch hazel to make your own at-home cleaner. Scrub out mildew, stains and even soap scum without all the added chemicals of bathroom cleaner.
23. CLEAN THE FLOORS
Once more, forget the expensive cleaning products. Witch hazel is a fraction of the cost and does a better job. Pour half a cup of witch hazel into a gallon of warm water. This is perfect for mopping tile and linoleum floors.
24. NATURAL DIY AIR FRESHENER
Much like making your own deodorant, witch hazel can also be used as an air freshener. Just mix one cup of water, half cup of witch hazel, and fifteen drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix that all together and stick it in a spray bottle of eco-friendly air freshener!
25. EYEGLASS CLEANER
One-part water and one part witch hazel, with just a drop of soap, will make a glasses cleaner that’s way less expensive and full of less chemicals than your regular glasses cleaner.
Witch hazel has a variety of uses, and this is just a handful! It’s natural, it’s cheap, and it’s better for you, your home and the environment! Get a load of these easy witch hazel tricks and enjoy how much better life is on the witchy side.
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References
Skin Experts Spill Their No. 1 Summer Skin Care Tips https://verilymag.com/2017/06/skin-experts-share-their-summer-skin-care-tips
How Is Witch Hazel Used to Treat Skin? https://www.sharecare.com/video/sharecare-experts/ellen-marmur/how-is-witch-hazel-used-to-treat-skin
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