When I started DE shaving months ago I was surprised to hear that many used witch hazel as part of an aftershave routine. My experience with witch hazel came in my mid teens when I was trying to remove excess oils from my skin. So I pose this question, what does the witch hazel contribute to the skin after the shave?
Witch Hazel: how does it work in the aftershave routine?
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Basically the same thing as alcohol based stuff - its an astringent so it will close your pores and disinfect BUT with the important feature that it doesnt sting! So all the benefits of alcohol without the sting. Also, Thayers (a popular brand of WH) comes with stuff in it like Aloe and other "soothing" things for your face so it also acts as a nice moisturizer too.
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What about plain Witch Hazel from Wal Mart. I found a 16 oz bottle for $1.54!
That'll do! Wont smell as nice but it'll work real well for making your face feel amazing after a shave
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what do you think about this, would this form a complete AS combo: alum block, witch hazel, skin food?
I used generic WH for about a year. I shied away from Thayer's because I thought $10 a bottle was too much to spend.
Then, I broke down and bought some, and I was amazed. Its $10 a bottle because its worth it!
First, you're getting pure WH, not a diluted mixture with alchohol as filler. Second, the WH in there is made from the bark of the witch hazel shrub, Hamamelis virginiana, not distilled. Thirdly, the added ingredients like Aloe really make your skin look good and feel good. The fragrances they have available, like Lavender, Rose, Cucumber, Lemon, and Unscented, can go well with whatever cologne or after-shave you're wearing that day (although the scent of Thayer's is rather mild and doesn't last very long.)
Places like GNC often have a Buy One, get one 50% off, so you can stock up on Thayer's for only $7.50 a bottle.
My shave-den will never be without Thayer's again.
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If you haven't tried it already, a lot of people here are using WH both BEFORE and AFTER the shave.
I like to put it on after a face-scrub, but BEFORE I start applying lather. Then, after a warm-water rinse, I put some on AFTER the shave itself.
I apply it generously, not just to the beard area, but to my whole face and around the back of the neck and up over the ears. It works really well to tone up your skin and tighten up the bags under my eyes. And it makes me feel really clean and refreshed.
I like to put it on after a face-scrub, but BEFORE I start applying lather. Then, after a warm-water rinse, I put some on AFTER the shave itself.
I apply it generously, not just to the beard area, but to my whole face and around the back of the neck and up over the ears. It works really well to tone up your skin and tighten up the bags under my eyes. And it makes me feel really clean and refreshed.
I believe that the alum block and witch hazel do basically the same thing by tightening your pores.
I actually prefer the cheap witch hazel with 14% alcohol (I use TN Dickinson's) over Thayers. SWMBO was more than happy to take the Thayers off my hands. Give the cheap one a try to see how you like it. I splash it on and let it dry before my ASB. Smells bad when you first put it on, but disappears quickly.
For me the discovery of Thayers Witch hazel has been a blessing. I prep, shave, cool face, put on WH, and moisturize. This is about as simple a routine as can be. It works by constricting the vessels and removing oily debris from your skin. Thayers is the best because of what it does and doesn't add, side note I tried other brands, they just don't stack up as well although they have some good benefits depending on what your looking for. Alcohol isn't all bad but alot of it is never good, just look at how you feel after you've drank too much. Use it and you will not be disappointed, unless your allergic.
Thayer's is probably a good product, and I don't want to get into the whole "real witch hazel" discussion, but Dickinson's, or any generic equivalent, is the classic form of witch hazel. That it is distilled and contains 14% alcohol (not as a filler) has no bearing on the efficacy of the product.
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Witch hazel has a long history of soothing irritated skin. Women often use a product called "Tucks" for their "region" after birth - and it's 50% witch hazel. So, it's not just a "this is what everyone has always done" kind of product. I don't know what characterizes "irritation", but having something that seems to do more than just close pores is nice to have. Some don't like the smell, but to me, I can't smell it after a minute or so.
I got some Thayer's WH a few days ago. It is lightly, but pleasantly scented and has aloe, too.
Great stuff! No burn either, which is wonderful.
Great stuff! No burn either, which is wonderful.
There is some misinformation there. We have had many a discussion here on WH. The "standard" WH is 86% WH, 14% alcohol. It is the same whether generic or not. That is the USDA government definition of WH, and the alcohol that is present in there is not "filler" but is from the distillation method.
Thayer's WH is not true WH by the USDA definition. True WH is 86% WH/14% EtOH. That is not to say that Thayer's WH doesn't contain witch hazel extract. I am sure it does, but they didn't extract it with the alcohol distillation method that has been used to centuries and it does not meet US government definitions of WH as an organic reagent. That is the conclusion of a too long thread with organic chemists and calls to the factory that makes nearly all the WH here in the US.
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Willow? Witch hazel is distilled from the witch hazel shrub, Hamamelis virginiana, which is as far as I know are unrelated to willows of any sort.
Yes, you're right. Thanks for being so sharp-eyed. I've edited my original post with the correct information.
(I wish I could edit the posts of all those that quoted me, too!)
To do that you'd probably have to be a moderator.
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- #19
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Aaron-Brands-Astringent-Witch-Hazel-16-fl-oz/10423846
this is the stuff I picked up
this is the stuff I picked up
That is what I use.
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