Witch Hazel

I use witch hazel as a general cure all for minor skin complaints. The bottle says it can be used for the relief of cuts, sprains, bruises and minor scalds. An astringent skin cleanser for the removal of make up. Heres the main ways that I use it: Skincare: It's great to use as a toner after cleansing your skin. It really helps to keep blackheads at bay. Dabbed on spots, it helps them disappear quickly. Minor Sunburn: I'm always getting burnt in the summer as I'm fair skinned. Soak some kitchen roll in witch hazel and drape over the affected area and let it dry. It is immediately soothing and helps your burn go away really quickly. Bruising: Once I ...

This herbs name comes from the word wych, which actually means pliable. The herb comes from the American plant (Hamamelis virginiana) once used by native americans to make bows. Today the plant is used in medicine mainly to calm itching and treat irritated skin. The active ingredient is tannin, which tightens pores and shrinks blood vessels. However modern production methods have meant less tannin in witch hazel products but proper herbal witch hazel such as liquid extract and dried leaf may still be purchased in good health stores. For years witch hazel has been an active ingredient in many skin care products, but it also has greater uses outside ...

Witch Hazel, native to North America, now also grows in Europe. The leaves and bark of the tree are used as medicine, and are available in various forms, as a distilled liquid, a gel and a stick. Witch Hazel has a variety of uses and is something I would highly recommend you keep in your medicine cabinet. I first came across Witch Hazel when suffering an allergic reaction to an insect bite a few years ago. My leg was incredibly itchy and swollen, and so my doctor recommended witch hazel, saying that any antihistamine creams may actually make the problem worse. At home, I found my mum had a bottle of witch hazel in the cupboard (this is very cheap – ...