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Witch Hazel Question

No probs, HS77, it's a classic, and worth the read if only for ClubmanRob's impassioned defense of witch hazel!:lol:

I can be incredibly dense at times. But it did make for some VERY interesting and edumacational reading. Okay, I'm crossing out the alcohol free version of Thayer's WH.

Happy Shaving, everyone!
-Ross
:biggrin1:
 
Wow- I'm so confused. I get that "witch hazel" in the terms of a shaving preparation also contains alcohol rather than just an extract of Hamamaelis.
Butis the alcohol-free preparation still useful as an astringent? can I use the alcohol-free version in conjunction with an alcohol splash or an alum rub?
And whilst alcohol is also acting as an astringent, how does it help reduce razor burn, cos (unlike alum and which hazel) it sure feels like it's making it a lot worse? :confused1
 
I am very happy that I read this thread. Not only is it full of interesting posts, but it really shows how in depth people are willing to go in these threads. Now I need to try some Witch Hazel for myself.
 
Rather than starting an entirely new thread, I figured I'd bump this one. I'm new to the WS world and am slowly trying out different razors/brushes/creams/etc. I am a former cartridge user, who recently started to incorporate shaving creams for the brush. I found my shaves so much better that I decided to ditch the Fusion altogether and pick up a vintage DE razor. One thing led to another and now I've got all sorts of things coming in the mail. Anyway, over the last half-hour or so, I've read through this entire thread. I understand the FDA definition of Witch Hazel. My question:

What purpose do Thayer's alcohol-free scented toners serve? Are they simply for the fragrance? Assuming a wet shaver uses alum for its antiseptic properties (or WH w/ alcohol) as well as an ASB that soothes and/or moisturizes, what would be the use of an alcohol-free toner? They seem to be incredibly popular on here, so there must be something to them. Thanks in advance.
 
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I guess I will also bump the thread some. Another witch hazel question... Has anyone experimented with adding essential oils or any other fragrances/infusions to plain witch hazel?
 
I guess I will also bump the thread some. Another witch hazel question... Has anyone experimented with adding essential oils or any other fragrances/infusions to plain witch hazel?

Oil and water do not mix, you need a emulsifier. If you don't use an emulsifier make sure you shake it first.
 
Hmmmmm... What would that emulsifier be?



Polysorbate 20 is a commonly used emulsifiers for essential oils. Mixing your essential oils with Polysorbate 20 before adding to your water based products it will help minimize product clouding and pull the essential oil through the product instead of floating on top. If you have something with a high alcohol content a emulsifier is not needed.
 
I wonder if with aloe vera juice or the witch hazel extracts would be lipophilic enough to act as emulsifiers for essential oils. Adding essential oils to unscented Thayer's actually sounds like a great idea to me.

I am assuming/wondering in the above that Thayer's witch hazel extract or aloe vera has both lipophilic (fat soluble) and hydrophilic (water soluble) components of the various molecules, much like phospholipids or glycerin (I think). Chemistry was decades ago for me, so if I am imprecise in my terminology feel free to let me know.
 
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Any thoughts about Nevermore, Stirling a/s ?! Both with witch hazel and no alcohol .
Some my friends tried it and were very satisfied with the effect, irritation clears very quickly and the skin becomes soft and moisturized.
 
Wow. Crossed this thread again reading about uses of Witch Hazel on B&B. Quite a bit of passion here, along with a lot of pseudo-chemistry. Witch Hazel is a genus of plant with several identifiable species, whose leaves, stems and bark contain organic compounds having certain physical and chemical properties, more specifically astringent and anti-oxidant properties. What those compounds are combined with for cosmetic or medicinal uses affects those properties, but they are still derived from Witch Hazel, the plant. What Witch Hazel product forum members decide to use for shaving purposes is clearly a personal choice, but commercial labeling requirements being what they are in this country (and many others), if the label says it contains "Witch Hazel," you are then using Witch Hazel (the plant) on your face - or other body parts you may choose - in whatever concentration and with whatever physical properties result from the carrier of the moment, whether H2O, ethyl alcohol, cat pee or The Veg (the last two being similar). It's all "Witch Hazel," which is not a commercial product, but a shrub (more or less). Enjoy.
 
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Great product post-shave. I used Thayers for some time, but all of their products contain Aloe Vera, which changes the properties of some of my aftershaves, and sometimes left my face sticky feeling. They have an alcohol (10% ethanol) and non-alcohol version (H2O), and even a "super" alcohol version (20%), so you have a broad range depending on what effect you want. The water-based solution is a little more soothing, but has less astringent properties than the alcohol solution (ethanol has an astringent effect on its own), but as far as I can tell all Thayers products contain aloe. They also contain a number of other additives, including fragrance, glycerin and grapeseed extract, so depending on how you feel about the additives you may prefer Thayers or something else. Thayers certainly smells better than most of the other Witch Hazel solutions, again depending on how you feel about the native Witch Hazel funk - hard to describe but some have compared it to a wet campfire. I've always found it faintly reminiscent of a horse blanket, but the scent is actually not unpleasant, is considerably diluted, and fades quickly.

I now prefer T. N. Dickinson's formulation, which is a more 'traditional' 14% ethanol solution (although Thayers mixture has been around since 1855), but with no additives, at least that they advertise; it's also cheaper. Witch Hazel extract is a fairly complex brew all by itself - Mother Nature's kitchen exclusively - so I would guess it doesn't need much else, and Dickinson's doesn't seem to leave any trace behind.

Components of the plant extract demonstrate mild antimicrobial activity, which is enhanced by alcohol, although even at 20% ethanol it wouldn't be classed as a hospital-grade disinfectant. It's just an overall good skin toner and soothing splash for use after you shave, and most of us would benefit from it's mild effect of reducing irritation, killing off some surface organisms and tightening up our skin. You can have either a wetting or drying effect, depending on which solution you choose, and some even use it as an exclusive aftershave, although I like to follow with a balm or splash, if for nothing else just to ensure the eau de horse blanket is gone. So unless you have a reaction to any of the individual or combined organic components of the Hamamelis plant (there is some cross-sensitivity with other plant allergies) give it a try and see if it doesn't improve the feel of your face after that really bad slant shave with a Derby blade! :001_smile
 
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