Dickenson's Witch hazel

[pocketwatch]

My god this has a fearsome odor. I recently started using Witch hazel after reading about it here, is this a normal smell?

Thankfully it dissipates within a few seconds but I'm wondering if my bottle is "bad".

 

[whiskerlips]

Nah, it's not a bad bottle, Dickenson's isn't supposed to smell nice. If you are looking for a more pleasant smelling witch hazel, go for Thayers. They have lemon, peach , cucumber, unscented, rose.....but there is debate on whether it is a true witch hazel. And Thayers is about ten bucks or slightly less per bottle.

 

[pocketwatch]

I guess I'll just plug my nose until this bottle is empty then!

 

[Pirate-M.Lifnen]

I guess I'll just plug my nose until this bottle is empty then!

You'll get used to it quickly.
It always reminds me of cheap vodka or something, and it grossed me out when I put it on, but after a little while I could stand it.

Or you could do what I've been meaning to do, which is put a drop of some essential oil, or liquid incense, and scent it to your liking.
Or even distribute the WH into a few smaller bottles and make a couple scented WH's.

Or do what I've been experimenting with, and mix 2 parts Corn Huskers Lotion, to 2 parts aloe gel, and 1 part WH (add WH to obtain desired viscosity). It cuts the scent significantly, and is an excellent AS.
And lastly, use scented WH in place of regular to get an amazing scented AS.

 

[Kouros]

Just mix half witch hazel and half of your favorite aftershave like my barber has done for 50 years.

 

[masonjarjar]

Just mix half witch hazel and half of your favorite aftershave like my barber has done for 50 years.

I've done this with every aftershave in my cabinet and it works just great. I like doing it because it calms down the sometimes strong scents of the aftershaves (esp. AV Musk and Clubman). I just mix a few shakes of each in my cupped hand and then splash all over my neck and face. Great for the summer..

 

[mdunn]

this is the witch hazle I use. Its odour is foul, but it does work

 

[David in Boston]

I use Dickenson because it helps my skin, it cost under $4 and lastly it smells like bacon.

What more can you possible want from Witch Hazel?

 

[tsmba]

A lot of aftershaves contain witch hazel, hence it may be redundant to apply it along with another w/h product. I use an alum block, then rinse after doing my cleanup prior to putting on a/s. The witch hazel (Thayer's) I save for evenings.

 

[82R100]

It smells like witch hazel.

- Chris

 

[masonjarjar]

Dickinson's scent is much milder than a generic store-brand bottle of witch hazel.

 

[Mr. Clean]

It is also what I use daily. Honestly, I never noticed the smell one way or the other. I just got up and went in removed the cap and took a whiff. Yeah, not all that pleasant, but again I don't take a whiff transferring bottle-to-hands, hands-to-face.

Just mix half witch hazel and half of your favorite aftershave like my barber has done for 50 years.

That is interesting. I might think about trying that.

I use Dickenson because it helps my skin, it cost under $4 and lastly it smells like bacon.

What more can you possible want from Witch Hazel?

After my just finished smell test, I don't think I would eat bacon that smelled like that.

 

[Koss]

I've noticed that the strength of the smell dissipates after a few months sitting on your counter. But when you buy a new bottle... your in for the world of hurt all over agian.

 

[mretzloff]

It smells like witch hazel.

- Chris

+1

You'll learn to like the scent after a while. I, personally, love the scent of witch hazel (I hated it at the beginning too).

 

[mretzloff]

Nah, it's not a bad bottle, Dickenson's isn't supposed to smell nice. If you are looking for a more pleasant smelling witch hazel, go for Thayers. They have lemon, peach , cucumber, unscented, rose.....but there is debate on whether it is a true witch hazel. And Thayers is about ten bucks or slightly less per bottle.

Thayer's is not witch hazel. It's just a concoction they came up with and dubbed "witch hazel".

 

[ratcheer]

I like the aroma of Dickenson's. It smells like witch hazel and nothing else. I always keep a bottle on hand and it is usually the last step of every shave.

Tim

 

[withoutink]

I had to go to Wally World for the wife tonight. So, I picked up some of this stuff. I waited to get home to open it... Thank goodness I waited. God help me if I spilled it on me or in the car. That stuff is really the complete other end of the spectrum in regards to say thayers. I will mix with some other AS's to see how it works.

 

[David in Boston]

I like the aroma of Dickenson's. It smells like witch hazel and nothing else. I always keep a bottle on hand and it is usually the last step of every shave.

Tim

I still think it smells like bacon.

 

[Bertilak]

Thayer's is not witch hazel. It's just a concoction they came up with and dubbed "witch hazel".

Well, that's a little harsh.

Thayers is an extract of the witch hazel plant. The extraction is just not accomplished with the more usual process. There is an FDA specification for witch hazel based on that more usual extraction process, and Thayers does not conform to that.

To me it seems a little like Kleenex or Zipper -- technically those appellations should only be applied to specific brands but we loosely apply them to a wider range of products.

So maybe Thayers isn't witch hazel by the FDA specification, but don't argue this level of detail with the Indians who made the stuff before there was an FDA!

 

[82R100]

Pleeease stop this discussion before ClubmanRob shows up!