They brewed a potion of witch hazel leaves, bark and twigs and used it for healing cuts, abrasions and irritations. Eventually, they introduced colonists from Europe to its remarkable properties. Witch hazel takes the sting out of insect bites, prevents cuts from becoming infected and soothes sunburn, windburn and poison ivy blisters. It also has been used to relieve the pain of sore or sprained muscles. Recently distillates of witch hazel have regained some of their popularity as ingredients in herbal aftershaves and facial cleansers.
Witch hazel is certainly safe for use on the face to tone and refresh the skin and remove makeup.
However, it does have a drying effect, so you may not want to use it as much once the cold weather rolls around, especially if you find that your skin tends to get dried out. Dab them onto the Boards. Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All material provided in the Ask Dr. Weil program is provided for educational purposes only.