Witch Hazel has been traditionally used by indigenous folx for centuries to treat the skin in cases of boils, inflammations/swellings, hemorrhoids, muscle soreness, burns & bites

The issue we see in skincare today is due to: How it’s prepared. How it’s used. How it’s preserved.

I’m not sure who first began capitalizing off of witch hazel by marketing it as an every day skin toning treatment, but that was not it’s use, and due to the volatile oils & the tannins in the plant, it’s not the best use of the plant... especially when it comes to the face.

The best way to prepare witch hazel, is by collecting the stems or “bark” & boiling them down into a decoction, poultice or wash & applying it to the ailed area.

If the ailed area is the face, it can be infused into water & used as a facial rinse. Rinse face with the witch wash. Let face air-dry for a couple minutes. Then rinse again with cool water. You can also infuse it into gentle carrier oil such as grapeseed or jojoba & apply it.

I personally don’t believe that these treatmemts are needed for regular scheduled everyday use as much as it’s good for treating specific ailments as needed. The oil-infusion may be the best bet for everyday usage & that will depend on how lightly or heavily infused the oil is.

Most herbalists who work with witch hazel for skincare will agree that the commercial products, most of which are alcohol-based, are pretty weak sauce compared to traditional preparations of the plant & even homemade tinctures. The commercial products do witch hazel no justice.

So if you’ve worked with commercial witch hazel in the past & had a bad experience or if you’ve heard “witch hazel isn’t good for the skin,” decolonize the perspective by looking to the most natural & traditional uses of the plant. (Cuz Witch Hazel said he’s sick of the slander).

FYI: Witch Hazel is an herb, a plant. What we commonly call “witch hazel,” as in the commercial products, are extracts of the plant. I’m referring to the plant in this thread