How Witch Hazel Can Benefit Oily or Irritated Skin

From skincare and beauty to medicine, witch hazel is an ingredient with a long and varied history. It was used for wound healing long before modern medicine. Fast forward a few centuries, and you might remember stories of people using Preparation H hemorrhoid cream, which contains witch hazel, to combat under-eye puffiness! (Spoiler alert: I don’t recommend this. The eye area is super sensitive and should only be exposed to products formulated for it specifically.)

At some point more recently, witch hazel was relegated as an old-school ingredient that can cause dryness or irritation. It seems like everyone’s been made to fear this ingredient, but I think it’s just misunderstood! Witch hazel can have benefits for almost every skin type, it’s just about finding a well-formulated product. Witch hazel itself hasn’t changed but over the years, but how we use it definitely has. Skincare products are now made to be much more gentle, with the skin’s protective barrier in mind. Thanks to more advanced extraction techniques, you can now reap its therapeutic benefits without the drawbacks. Witch hazel is making a comeback and it’s here to provide serious benefits in more ways than one! Keep scrolling to learn how it could benefit you (and how to avoid any possible downsides). 

What Is Witch Hazel, and Where Does It Come From?

Witch hazel, or Hamamelis Virginianal, is a tree extract commonly used in cosmetics. It is native to Canada and the Eastern United States, but globalization has made cultivation possible in Europe as well. Extraction is typically done by blasting parts of the tree (such as the leaves, bark, and roots) with carbon dioxide. This stressor causes the plant to excrete an oil, which then leaves behind a watery substance that is essentially witch hazel “essence.” This water or “essence” is what’s used in your cosmetics.

Witch Hazel has been around for hundreds of years, finding itself useful not only in skincare but also in wound healing. Native Americans used it to soothe wounds and irritation, and it’s now used as a vasoconstrictor in modern medicine.

When it comes to skincare, we primarily use witch hazel for its astringency effect. This is due to molecules, called tannins, which cause the proteins in the skin to tighten up. This helps tighten pores and is also what speeds up wound healing.

Will Witch Hazel Dry Out My Skin?

Witch hazel’s astringent effect is exactly what makes people worry that it will dry out their skin. Many of us associate the word “astringent” with the super drying toners of the 90s. The thing to understand is that something being an astringent just means that it causes a slight contraction of tissue (aka temporarily tightens your pores).  People often associate tighter-feeling skin with dryness, but in this case, that’s not necessarily accurate. It’s true that if your pores are tighter, less oily will flow through them, but if you’re trying to control excessive oiliness, that’s a good thing.

The thing about those toners in the 90s was that they often contained drying alcohols on top of being astringent. This was ultimately what dried out people’s skin and caused irritation. There was a time when so many of the clients who came to my spa were using a very popular 3-step skincare system that included an astringent toner. But on top of including drying alcohols, this toner also had acetone in it (yes, you read that right). I would literally use it to take my nail polish off to demonstrate to clients how harsh it was.

The bottom line is that witch hazel is a great ingredient both for soothing and for reducing excessive oil production. As always, it’s all about finding a product that’s formulated well.

What Should You Look For When Purchasing Witch Hazel Products?

When looking for products with witch hazel, it’s crucial to keep in mind that the extraction method can significantly affect its properties. Some extractions may involve alcohol or have a high alcohol content—it depends on the reason for extraction. This ultimately means some products will have alcohol on the ingredient list. So, the first thing to do when starting your search for the perfect witch hazel product is to check the ingredient list for drying alcohols such as SD alcohol 40 or denatured alcohol. Steer clear of these.  

Keep in mind that part of what gave witch hazel such an undeserved stigma back in the ’90s was that toners were made using it at or near a concentration of 100%. You don’t need to worry about that now. These days, when witch hazel is used in a product, it’s a small component of a product’s overall formulation. It’s only there to provide very mild astringency or anti-inflammatory properties. Most products these days also include hydrating ingredients, like glycerin, in conjunction with witch hazel. This creates a perfect balance and offsets any possible dryness. 

As I always say, you shouldn’t judge a product by its ingredient label! In most cases, a single ingredient doesn’t make or break a product. It’s all about the quality of an ingredient, how much of it is used in a product, and how it’s combined with other ingredients. 

Who Should Use Witch Hazel?

Due to the astringent effects of witch hazel, I largely recommend this ingredient for skin types 1-4. Those with oily and acne-prone skin are going to benefit the most from witch hazel’s oil-cutting capabilities. Since acne is an inflammatory condition, these skin types will also benefit from witch hazel’s anti-inflammatory properties. 

However, this isn’t to say that those with dry skin couldn’t benefit from witch hazel as well. The multifaceted ingredient can also provide wonderful benefits such as antioxidant and soothing qualities, as well as those wound healing capabilities I mentioned earlier. It all depends on which percentage of witch hazel is present, as well as if there are any other ingredients added to help combat its drying effects. There are several formulas containing witch hazel that add ingredients like humectants (hyaluronic acid, glycerin, etc.) to help attract water to the skin and keep it hydrated to combat any negative side effects.

How Can You Incorporate This Ingredient Into Your Daily Routine?

Toner

The most classic method for delivering witch hazel to the skin is through a toner. A gentle leave-on formulation, like Balancing Skin Tonic, is a great option because molecules in water-based skincare products can penetrate deeper into the skin than heavier products. 

Face Masks

However, if you’re not currently in the market for a new toner, there are plenty of other great ways to incorporate witch hazel into your routine. It can be a great addition to face masks, moisturizers, and primers. Witch hazel and other pore-purifying extracts work together in Energizing Cleansing Masque to leave skin feeling tighter, firmer, and refreshed. The combination of antioxidants and nourishing botanicals allows products like this non-drying, clay mask to deliver newly refined smoothness.

Moisturizer

Another great way to reap the benefits of witch hazel is through a moisturizer like Daily Mattifying Solution. The blend of witch hazel and hydrating ingredients is ideal for those with very oily skin who need hydration plus oil control.

If you were confused about some of the negativity surrounding witch hazel, I hope this post helps put your mind at ease! This ingredient has a long legacy in the skincare community and is just one of the many fantastic ingredients in any formulating chemist’s toolbox. It’s time to stop getting caught up in witch hazel’s troublesome past (and slightly spooky name) and start cheering on its well-deserved comeback.

Next, learn more about the most effective way to apply toner.