When Europeans arrived on the east coast of what was to become the United States, they found that the indigenous people regularly made an astringent decoction by boiling the leaves and twigs of a particular deciduous, flowering shrub. These Native Americans were making the decoction from Hamamelis virginiana, or American witch hazel, and they used it extensively for a wide variety of health supporting applications and skin irritations. Today, high-quality witch hazel, distilled as an extract, is still beloved as a gentle skin toner and astringent. It is a key ingredient the best DIY and over the counter toners, cleansers, makeup removers, after sun sprays, etc. Additionally, the extract’s naturally low pH helps balance the typically high pH of soap, so it makes a wonderful after-wash refresher that is suitable for most skin types and can be used alone or incorporated with other ingredients. And, best of all, because witch hazel takes on the properties of whatever herbs you infuse it with, you can customize it for your skin’s specific needs!
Pure Organic Witch HazelHamamelis virginiana is a large flowering shrub (or a small tree, depending on how you look at it) in the Hamamelidaceae family. Indigenous to the Northeastern United States, this species of witch hazel tends to grow as a dense, multi-stemmed clump about 12 to 15 feet tall and wide, although it can reach more tree-like proportions up to 30 feet. It is particularly easy to spot in the autumn because after its leaves have dropped, it blooms with golden, threadlike flowers.
Unfortunately, the commercial witch hazel extracts found in grocery stores and cosmetics aisles today tend to contain more alcohol than witch hazel, which can be overly drying to the skin and can add a sharp sting. There are some witch hazel extracts marketed as alcohol-free, but these are a water-steam distillation that creates a hydrosol, rather than a potent extract. Witch hazel hydrosols are incredibly soothing and add toning qualities, but to get the best effects of witch hazel, we prefer a double-distilled, low alcohol, organic witch hazel extract. Mountain Rose Herbs’ witch hazel is 86% organic witch hazel extract and 14% organic alcohol, making it a more soothing option without the alcohol sting or scent.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tips
You may also enjoy:
Topics: Natural Body Care, Recipes, Herbalism
Heidi is an award winning freelance writer with a passion for urban homesteading. She has been honored to receive a number of literary prizes including the esteemed Pushcart Prize and an Individual Artists Award in Creative Writing from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food, crafting herbal formulations, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a book.
.jpg?width=1080&name=2023%20(1).jpg "Mountain Rose Herbs 2023 Impact Report")
When Europeans arrived on the east coast of what was to become the United States, they found that the indigenous people regularly made an astringent decoction by boiling the leaves and twigs of a particular deciduous, flowering shrub. These Native Americans were making the decoction from Hamamelis virginiana, or American witch hazel, and they used it extensively for a wide variety of health supporting applications and skin irritations. Today, high-quality witch hazel, distilled as an extract, is still beloved as a gentle skin toner and astringent. It is a key ingredient the best DIY and over the counter toners, cleansers, makeup removers, after sun sprays, etc. Additionally, the extract’s naturally low pH helps balance the typically high pH of soap, so it makes a wonderful after-wash refresher that is suitable for most skin types and can be used alone or incorporated with other ingredients. And, best of all, because witch hazel takes on the properties of whatever herbs you infuse it with, you can customize it for your skin’s specific needs!
Pure Organic Witch HazelHamamelis virginiana is a large flowering shrub (or a small tree, depending on how you look at it) in the Hamamelidaceae family. Indigenous to the Northeastern United States, this species of witch hazel tends to grow as a dense, multi-stemmed clump about 12 to 15 feet tall and wide, although it can reach more tree-like proportions up to 30 feet. It is particularly easy to spot in the autumn because after its leaves have dropped, it blooms with golden, threadlike flowers.
Unfortunately, the commercial witch hazel extracts found in grocery stores and cosmetics aisles today tend to contain more alcohol than witch hazel, which can be overly drying to the skin and can add a sharp sting. There are some witch hazel extracts marketed as alcohol-free, but these are a water-steam distillation that creates a hydrosol, rather than a potent extract. Witch hazel hydrosols are incredibly soothing and add toning qualities, but to get the best effects of witch hazel, we prefer a double-distilled, low alcohol, organic witch hazel extract. Mountain Rose Herbs’ witch hazel is 86% organic witch hazel extract and 14% organic alcohol, making it a more soothing option without the alcohol sting or scent.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tips
You may also enjoy:
Topics: Natural Body Care, Recipes, Herbalism
Heidi is an award winning freelance writer with a passion for urban homesteading. She has been honored to receive a number of literary prizes including the esteemed Pushcart Prize and an Individual Artists Award in Creative Writing from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food, crafting herbal formulations, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a book.
