Alanna Ketler – Witch Hazel is an ancient Native American remedy for a wide variety of ailments and people are starting to see why. Generally, in stores, we see witch hazel available in a clear liquid form in a bottle, but prior to that, it starts off as a shrub with yellow flowers.

There are two ways of getting the extract from the witch hazel bark, one as a distillation, this is commonly found in stores and generally has alcohol added to act as a preservative, or as a decoction. Many herbalists agree that the decoction method is superior because it makes a more concentrated version which means higher levels of tannins, which is the component that gives witch hazel its superior astringent properties. The distilled version is more shelf-stable, but just be aware of the alcohol that’s added, as some are sensitive to this.

Witch hazel can typically be used in the place of alcohol for treatment of many different skin irritations. It is recognized worldwide as a natural cleanser and toner, it’s clear that this product is absolutely great for the skin, so what benefits does it provide? Continue reading →