#Witch hazel for skin skin#
This means that besides having antioxidant and antibacterial properties, it also helps to tighten the skin naturally. Witch Hazel is an Astringent that Promotes Skin Tightening Stopping this breakdown is important as the steady production of both collagen and elastin are needed to keep skin supple and wrinkles at bay. These are enzymes are responsible for the breakdown of peptide bonds in collagen and proteins in elastin. Witch hazel contains substances within it that directly promote the production of collagen and also help to keep it intact and strong.Ī 2009 study conducted at Kingston University in London found that levels of a particular type of polyphenol called phenolic acid were high enough in witch hazel to inhibit the production of collagenase and elastase. If you aren’t already a fan of witch hazel for skin, here are four ways witch hazel’s gentle cleansing, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties can help keep your face looking younger, softer, and smoother. The term “tannins” may be best known by wine enthusiasts, but it turns out that many of the tannins in witch hazel (e.g., hamamelitannin and pentagalloylglucose) have cytotoxic effects on cancer cells. Tannins, for example, are one unique example of the powerful antioxidant, age-defying, and anti-inflammatory properties found in witch hazel. These phytonutrients also help to reduce inflammation, a major factor in almost all chronic diseases. The secret to witch hazel’s success as a beneficial human health aid has to do with numerous kinds of tannins, esters, and other phytonutrients that are extremely balancing and protective for the body. In addition, many studies point to its anti-inflammatory characteristics and some research has also discovered substances within it that may be cancer-protective. Food and Drug Administration as a non-prescription drug ingredient. In fact, witch hazel was one of the first plants to appear on the “mass market” in the United States and is one of the only herbs to be approved by the U.S. Whatever its benefits in the more mysterious realms, it’s important to note that witch hazel has a solid and strong body of evidence-based scientific knowledge behind it as a medicinal plant.
![witch hazel for skin witch hazel for skin](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0229/7839/6237/products/Which_Hazel_Toner_1200x1200.jpg)
Īlso in support of the dousing claim is the fact that “wych” is a Middle English term for the word “bend.” Other Interesting Witch Hazel Uses & Facts Strong’s family harvests witch hazel on their land for one of the only distilling companies in the United States to focus almost exclusively on products derived from the plant. “An Old Timer showed me how it works and I have used it to find water, 20 to 30 wells, and every one of them had water right where I told them it was going to be,” claimed 72-year old Curtis Strong of Hampton, Connecticut, in an interview on the subject for The Atlantic. Some also claim that witch hazel branches will bend when water is nearby, making them great tools to use for the art of “dowsing.” Although the more scientific-minded may brush this off as nonsense, others swear it is absolutely true.
![witch hazel for skin witch hazel for skin](https://thegoodstuffbotanicals.com/product_images/uploaded_images/witch-hazel-benefits.jpg)
Witch hazel has also been used traditionally to: The Potawatomi used it in steam baths (also called sweat lodges) for sore muscles.
![witch hazel for skin witch hazel for skin](http://eleganceandbeautyreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/THAYERS-Witch-Hazel-Rose-Petal-REVIEW-2-683x1024.jpg)
Native American cultures in the Eastern U.S., such as the Osage, used the roots and leaves to treat sores and ulcers. Many of the myriad health benefits of American witch hazel ( Hamamelis virginiana) have been known for centuries. But have you ever wondered just what makes witch hazel for skin so beneficial and why extracts from the leaves, twigs, and bark of this humble shrub are a favorite in many quality skin toners and tighteners? Read on to discover more about witch hazel skin benefits! What Does Witch Hazel Do? You may even remember your mom or grandma rubbing it on with a cotton ball at night (that “rainstorm” kind of scent that emanated from the bottle is memorable). Witch hazel has long been used as a tonic for the skin. In a hurry? Click here to read the Article Summary.