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How to include witch hazel in skin care routine?

There is a great importance of a good skin care routine to keep skin healthy and rejuvenated. Good quality skin care products can help the skin to look better, while the poor quality products can be harmful to the skin. 

Nowadays, a number of natural ingredients such as witch hazel are being used in skin care products as they are safe and highly potent in treating the skin care concerns. 

Witch hazel is extensively used in managing acne, inflammatory skin problems, burns, face itching and irritation, and provides you with healthy, flawless skin. 

Let's explore why skin care routine is important and how witch hazel plays a prominent role in it:

1. Why is a good skin care routine important?

Good skin care routine is important because:

  • It helps the skin remain in good condition: The skin cells are shedding throughout the day; therefore, it is important to keep skin clean; otherwise it can cause acne, wrinkles, and other skin problems.

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  • It keeps skin more young: Aging can cause slow cell turnover, which makes skin look dull. Using a good anti aging cream can help to remove the dead skin cells and replace them with newer youthful cells. You can find more information about good anti-aging creams by clicking here!
  • Prevention is better than cure: The prevention of skin problems is easy as compared to treating them in the future. 
  • It boosts your self-confidence: Good skin makes you look better and therefore you feel more self-confident.

Following are the skin care products that are helpful in maintaining good skin care routine:

  • Cleanser: Washing face gently with a good face wash designed for your skin type can help to keep skin clean and glowing.
  • Toner: After face wash, you can use toner to keep skin smooth and calm. To know more about how toner works Read here more. 
  • Moisturizer: Moisturizers should be applied every time after washing your face even if you have oily skin. 
  • Sunscreen:  Use a sunscreen which provides broad-spectrum protection and has an SPF of at least 30.  
  • Exfoliator: Exfoliators should be used only once or twice a week. They are optional. 
  • Serum: A serum can help to control particular concern, like uneven skin tone.

Quality ingredients such as witch hazel provide similar benefits as a healthy diet provides for your body.

What is witch hazel?

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Hamamelis virginiana is the biological name of witch hazel, which is a shrub native to the United States. Indigenous Americans have been using this as a remedy for a number of skin conditions associated with irritation and inflammation.

These days, witch hazel is available in its pure form in various skin care products such as toners and astringents. Many people have started the use of witch hazel in skin care routine. 

Benefits of witch hazel for skin health:

  • Acne

Acne is a skin condition, which can appear as a result of clogged hair follicles with oil and dead skin cells. They generally appear on the face and forehead. It is common in teenagers, though it can affect people of all ages. 

Witch hazel can benefit in both the inflammatory (cysts and pustules) and non-inflammatory acne (blackheads and whiteheads). It treats acne by acting as an astringent by drying out the acne blemishes, causing the tissues to contract to help pores to shrink.

It also soothes the skin and relieves the inflammation and prevents the acne-causing bacteria from infecting the skin.

  • Inflammatory skin conditions

Witch hazel has the potential to treat inflammatory skin conditions also. Conditions like psoriasis and eczema can be managed with its use if the underlying inflammation is treated.

It contains many compounds (gallic acid and tannins) that have effective anti-inflammatory properties. It also has antioxidants, which help in the prevention of inflammation by neutralizing free radicals.

  • Burns

Conventionally, witch hazel has been used to treat sunburns. It can also be used to treat other skin burns such as those from chemicals or the razor burns. 

The best way to use witch hazel for skin burns is by soaking a soft cloth with the solution and then pressing it gently on the burn. Rubbing it can cause irritation.

For scalp burns due to UV-ray or chemical exposure, witch hazel can be directly applied to the scalp or its small amount can be mixed with regular shampoo.

  • Skin Irritation

Sensitive skin is a very common condition. It can be treated with the topical application of witch hazel in case of inflammation, irritation and broken skin. Also, erythema can be suppressed by its use.

  • Scalp Sensitivity

Scalp sensitivity is caused by various factors, such as cosmetic hair treatments and dermatological conditions.  The application of a small amount of witch hazel to the scalp before washing the hair can help to treat the scalp sensitivity.

  • Other uses

Witch hazel is sometimes used for bruises, bug bites, diaper rash, cuts and wounds.

Witch hazel is safe for most of the adults when it is applied directly to the skin. In few people, it may cause minor skin irritation.

Ways to use witch hazel for skin health:

Witch hazel as a toner:

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Toners are absorbing liquids that assist to take out the excess dirt and oil. We can say that face toner completely cleans the skin and helps to remove the surface dead skin cell build-ups.  As it helps to clean and close the pores, it is helpful for acne-prone skin. Witch hazel has all these properties. It contains ingredients such as tannins that naturally provide anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. As a toner it deeply cleanses the skin by removing the bacteria and surface oils.

How to use witch hazel as a toner?

Firstly, wash your  face with a gentle cleanser and then add a few drops of witch hazel to a cotton ball and then apply it to the face. You do not need to rinse it.

Witch hazel as an aftershave:

It helps to close up the minor cuts and stop the bleeding that may occur during shaving.  Using it after the shave can help to keep the pores clean that become big because of the heat and moisture, which is applied. Otherwise, if the pores remain open, they can lead to blackheads, acne and whiteheads. 

Except for skin care, witch hazel also possesses significant benefits in the context of hair care. Let's explore these as well:

Benefits of witch hazel for hair health:

As we know that our scalp is our skin, therefore the hair health begins with a healthy scalp. Following are the benefits of using witch hazel on the scalp and hair:

  • Reduces oiliness
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    The nature of witch hazel as an astringent makes it perfect for reducing the oil from the scalp area. Its sebum-control and anti-inflammatory properties help to prevent the hair loss, as the oily scalp increases the hair loss. However, an oily scalp is not the only cause of hair loss. The excess amounts of oils are responsible for trapping the dirt and dandruff, leading to clogging of pores and hindrance to new hair growth. 

    • Calms inflammation

    The inflammation can appear as redness, scaling, pain, itching, and flaking. The topical application of witch hazel is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that soothes the irritated scalps. Therefore, it can be used as a helpful remedy for inflammatory conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis. 

    • Cleanses the scalp

    It helps to cleanse the scalp by controlling the flakes and oil buildup.

    • Promotes the hair growth

    It can help to soothe the irritation in the hair follicles that can hinder the hair growth. It promotes the blood circulation in the scalp that helps to deliver essential oxygen and nutrients to the hair follicle. 

    • Reduces flaking

    benefits-of-witch-hazel-for-hair-dermaessentia

    Dandruff can be the result of scalp inflammation, as flakes can be due to oil buildup.  The cleansing with witch hazel can control dandruff by preventing the oil production and calming the inflammation. 

    Way to apply witch hazel on the scalp:

    It can be applied directly to the scalp with a spray bottle or dropper, or it can be just rubbed with a soaked cotton pad on the skin. In case you are using a dropper then it can be applied to the thinly parted sections of hair. Then it can be kept for a few minutes before shampooing. In case a person is suffering from dandruff, then it may be gently rubbed to lift the flakes. 

    How to choose the best witch hazel product?

    A good witch hazel product should be alcohol-free, as the alcohol can dry out the skin and the scalp that disturbs the natural barrier of the skin, leading to increased irritation.  You can also choose products that are buffered with other ingredients, such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid and rose water. These ingredients act as hydrating ingredients that make it more suitable for the skin. 

    Witch hazel is safe for most of the adults when it is applied directly to the skin. In few people, it may cause minor skin irritation. Therefore, you can maintain a good skin care routine by using witch hazel.

    “Experience Healthy Skin and Hair”

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