If you want your skin to look fresh and clean, toning is an important part of your skin care routine. A good toner can help to tighten and firm your skin by closing pores, giving your skin a smoother and cleaner look. With so many toners on the market you might be wondering which toner is right for you. If you’re looking for an effective toner that is also natural and gentle on your skin, witch hazel might just be the product you need. So is witch hazel an effective toner? Plenty of women would attest that the answer is a resounding yes!
What Is Witch Hazel?
Witch hazel is a flowering shrub that is commonly found in North America. It’s also called spotted alder or winterbloom. The bark, leaves and twigs of witch hazel can be distilled to produce witch hazel water, which is a natural astringent. The reason for witch hazel’s astringent properties is the high concentration of tannins in the twigs, leaves and bark of the witch hazel plant.
The result of distillation is a fresh-smelling natural astringent which has been used for for healing and beauty for a long time. For example, Native Americans have valued witch hazel for its astringent properties for centuries. But does witch hazel work as a toner?
How Does Witch Hazel Work?
The natural astringent properties of witch hazel are what makes it effective as a toner for your skin. Witch hazel can help to shrink pores to give your skin a much smoother and fresher look. Witch hazel also provides your skin with a deep clean, helping to cleanse and unblock your pores and rid them of oil and bacteria.
This deep cleaning effect makes witch hazel a good toner choice for anyone suffering with acne, blackheads, whiteheads or other skin breakouts.
As well as cleaning and tightening your pores, witch hazel has a soothing effect which is great for irritated or sensitive skin, and it also helps lock in moisture to keep your skin looking young.
How To Make Your Own Witch Hazel Toner
There are two options if you want to use witch hazel as a toner: Buy a branded toner that has witch hazel as a main ingredient, or make your own.
There are lots of branded toners out there that include witch hazel. Shop around to find one that best suits your skin type and needs – with such a wide range you will find toners to suit any skin type, from oily or combination skin to dry or sensitive skin, to acne prone skin.
If you would like to make your own witch hazel toner, you’ll find lots of simple recipes online that you can try. Here are two:
Blend together ¼ cup of lemon juice, 1/3 cup of witch hazel and ½ a cup of water. Pour into a bottle or spray bottle.
or
Place 1 cup water, 1 cup cider vinegar and 1 cup witch hazel leaves in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for three minutes, then strain the mixture into a bottle.
Home made toner should be stored in the fridge in a well sealed bottle, and should be carefully labeled and dated. Use or discard within a month.
How To Use Witch Hazel Toner
To get the benefits of witch hazel toner, use it daily as part of your beauty routine:
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- First wash your hands to get rid of bacteria.
- Cleanse your face with your favorite cleanser.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Pat dry with a clean, soft towel.
- Apply witch hazel toner using a fresh cotton ball or pad. You can also use a spray bottle.
- Moisturize with a moisturizer formulated for your skin type.
You can also apply witch hazel toner throughout the day, whenever your skin needs a freshen up.
If you’re wondering whether witch hazel makes a good toner, the answer is yes! Witch hazel is a gentle, natural and inexpensive option that uses the power of nature to keep your skin fresh and clean.