When it comes to achieving healthy-looking, clear, and plump skin, you just have to use the right ingredients, and often, some of the best skincare ingredients are found in nature.
Witch hazel, in particular, is a great plant that is indigenous to the United States; Native Americans used it for decades for its anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic properties.
Surprisingly, this simple ingredient is potent enough to help you achieve the same results as fancy and expensive serums and creams.
So, what exactly is Witch Hazel, and what are its benefits and side effects? Below, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about witch hazel, including how to use it as a toner, and a listing of the best Witch Hazel Toners on the market.
What exactly is Witch Hazel?
Witch hazel is a multi-purpose remedy that is obtained from the leaves and bark of witch hazel plant.
There are many species of Witch Hazel, but Hamamelis Virginiana, known as American witch-hazel, is widely preferred because of its powerful medicinal properties.
Witch hazel is often extracted via the steam distillation process and is considered as one of the oldest and most effective skincare ingredients.
Witch hazel is a natural toner and has amazing anti-inflammatory properties. It is mostly used to clean and tighten pores, remove excess oil deposits in the skin, reduce inflammation, and soothe dry and irritated skin. It is also a great natural remedy for insect bites, hemorrhoids, toothaches and much more.
Benefits of using Witch Hazel toner on your face
It Helps To Fight Acne
Are you suffering from acne? If yes then a Witch Hazel toner can help you out.
In addition to helping to remove excess sebum, tighten pores, and ease inflammation, witch hazel toner has also powerful antibacterial properties that can decrease the growth of bacteria on the skin.
In addition to that, Witch Hazel also contains resin, procyanidins, and flavonoids that give calming and anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps to reduce swelling of pimples.
To enhance its effectiveness, you can use it in combination with other antibacterial ingredients, such as tea tree oil or apple cider vinegar.
It Fights The Signs Of Ageing
Witch hazel toners have amazing antioxidant effects that help to ward off the signs of ageing.
When applied, it helps to prevent free radical damage from UV rays. Moreover, its astringent properties help to make your skin plumper and firmer.
When blended with vitamin E oil, witch hazel becomes even more effective in reducing fine lines and wrinkles and softening the skin.
It Shrinks Pores And Removes Excess Oil From The Skin
Excess oil on the skin can cause various skin conditions such as clogged pores, acne, etc.
Witch hazel is a rich source of antioxidants, one of them, known as tannins, has constricting properties that compress proteins in the skin, which results in minimizing enlarged pores and controlling excess oil secretion.
It Evens Skin Tone And Complexion
Witch hazel helps to refine the appearance of pores, tighten the skin and reduce inflammation resulting in an even skin tone.
It Soothes Sunburns, Minor Skin Burns, And Inflammation
The high level of antioxidants in witch hazel makes it an amazing anti-inflammatory ingredient.
It helps reducing inflammation, sunburns, and minor skin burns. That is why witch hazel toner is a great treatment for inflammatory-related skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis.
It Heals Cuts And Bruises
Witch hazel can help speed up the healing process of cuts and bruises.
One of the reasons why cuts and bruises take time before they heal is because of the constant scratching due to itching, witch hazel has impressive anti-inflammatory properties, a feature that helps to prevent irritation and itching, allowing cuts and bruises to heal faster.
It Reduces Swollen Eyes
Witch hazel is an ideal natural remedy for treating bags and puffiness under the eyes due to its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.
Safety And Side Effects Of Witch Hazel Toner
If you have ever suffered from side effects when using other skincare products, then you must be wondering whether it is safe to use witch hazel toner or not.
Witch hazel toners are 100% safe to use. If used correctly and in the correct amount as recommended by the manufacturer, then you will not suffer from side effects. This is because witch hazel toners are made from which hazel, which is a safe natural plant.
However, the toner that you buy matters a lot. Today, there are many Witch Hazel toners on the market, and some of them have other ingredients that may harm the skin. So, it is essential to consider the other ingredients of the toner before buying it.
Only choose a witch hazel toner that has clinically proven ingredients to lessen your chances of suffering from side effects. If you are on medication, then consult your doctor first before you start using the toner.
Experts recommend that you should buy an alcohol-free toner that is gentle on the skin and make sure that the toner also contains moisturizing ingredients to avoid skin dryness.
How to Use Witch Hazel Toners Safely
Witch hazel toners are very simple to use, the toner should be applied on your face anywhere from four times a week to once a day, depending on how your skin reacts to it. Before you start using the toner, start by doing an initial skin patch test on a small area of your skin to help prevent unwanted skin reactions.
Make sure to read all instructions provided to know how you need to apply it and the quantity to use.
To benefit the most from Witch hazel toner, cleanse your face before applying it. Next, pat your skin dry and gently apply the toner using a cotton pad. Once you start toning, be consistent so that your skin can adjust without causing dryness.
As a word of caution, don’t overuse witch hazel toner, otherwise, it risks irritating and drying out your skin.
Conclusion : Witch Hazel Toner Skin Benefits
In conclusion, witch hazel toner can help improve the health and appearance of your skin.
It is a natural astringent with amazing soothing, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties which are useful for treating many conditions, including skin sensitivity, bruises and itching, acne, inflammation and much more.
However, if you want to get the best results, then you need to buy a good witch hazel toner. We recommend that you select one of the toners that we have listed above. They have all been tested and proven beyond a reasonable doubt to give quality results.
Hi, it’s Judy!
I’m a blogger and fashion enthusiast. I have more than 7 years of experience as a beauty, fashion, and lifestyle writer and editor, and I’m extremely passionate about what I do.