I can't take credit for Homer's great words.....
Witch Hazel Question
- Thread starter GMen
- Start date
I can't take credit for Homer's great words.....
Actually, it is chlorine gas.
2NaOCl + 2NH3 --> 2NaONH3 + Cl2.
Or Nitrogen Trichloride
3NaOCl + NH3 --> 3NaOH + NCl3
both of which are deadly to humans.
Simple high school chemistry, which perhaps they do not teach anymore?
"Thank you, Bob," he said, putting down his nerd club. "Once again, yours is the voice of reason."
Hey, I just noticed there's three Robert's posting in this thread. Is Witch Hazel a Bob-intrinsic subject?
,....and one Mike. Now you got me wanting to check what tha heck I just purchased from Whole Foods Market. 14%, 14%, 14%. All I got to remember is 14%.
Wow. Invigorating thread. So glad this is available for posterity. I have been enlightened.
Thanks ClubmanRob for the suggestion. This is ALL I really needed to know.
Thanks ClubmanRob for the suggestion. This is ALL I really needed to know.
Witch Hazel has a really good anesthetic property to it, though the effect is short lived for most. It will initially numb your face, but if you have razor burn you'll probably have to keep reapplying it in order to numb it.
When I get a case of razor burn, it's usually because I've used a blade past its usefulness. The only thing that kills the burn for me is a good alcohol splash, the stronger the better. I usually follow up with a good balm to bring back some moisture to my face. Aqua Velva provides a great cooling relief to degrading shaves, for me.
You could try the old barbershop aftershave formula, which is 2 parts Bay Rum (or any high alcohol splash would suffice, I suppose), 1 part water, and one part Witch Hazel. Ogallala Bay Rum is follows this formula pretty closely, if you want one that is ready to go right out of the bottle. You could follow this up with an alcohol free balm, if skin drying is a concern to you.
i'm no expert on razor burn though, so YMMV. Welcome to the forums.
The alcohol is primarily there as a preservative, what is refered to as witch hazel is actually a hydrosol (i.e. water containing small quantities of something else). Alcohol free witch hazel probably contains some other preservative.
I always hated Thayer's alcohol-free witch hazel. It feels slimy and soapy on my skin, and does nothing to alleviate the burn. Also it gives me acne.
However, regular witch hazel works okay, but not as well as alcohol for me in terms of being an antiseptic. For some reason it just doesn't sting enough.
...
However, regular witch hazel works okay, but not as well as alcohol for me in terms of being an antiseptic. For some reason it just doesn't sting enough.
...
After all the hooha and getting perfect definitions, I'll still use Thayers nonalcoholic Witch Hazel because I like it. 'nuff said.
It would be great if you can share how do you distill it!
It would be nice, but it looks he used his two posts just to fan the flames of an old thread. After taking over half an hour to read this thread, I'm slightly more informed. I'm picking up some Thayer's Toner, Cucumber later this week, and I'll see how that works, with it's so called "alcohol-free" agenda. I'll compare it to some regular and cheap witch hazel and see how they handle.
I can buy the dickinsons for $2.00+ at walmart or my local grocery store.
If i buy the same WH at CVS it costs $7.00+
If i buy the same WH at CVS it costs $7.00+
Great thread!
Surprising this topic got to 10 pages, but that's what I love about this forum.
I have both Dickinson and Thayers. I greatly prefer Thayers Original with Aloe. It's lower alcohol content makes for less burn IMO. The aloe is nice too.
I have both Dickinson and Thayers. I greatly prefer Thayers Original with Aloe. It's lower alcohol content makes for less burn IMO. The aloe is nice too.
The earliest parts of this thread are some of the most entertaining I have ever read. ClubmanRob FTW.
Holy cow, just finished reading this thread. Talk about stretching my brain, and I have a Bachelor's in Chemistry . . .
I read this thread to figure out of Thayer's alcohol-free formulas had witch hazel in them. To be honest, I'm still not sure (I didn't read the various article links so I cannot claim to be either well informed or well reasoned on this topic) . . . I do wonder if the "alcohol free" nomenclature Thayer's uses means "no ethanol added" and simply doesn't classify naturally occuring plant alcohols as "alcohol" so they can label it "alcohol free." Technically, anything with a hydroxy group is an alcohol, but as a consumer all I care about is that the product 1) doesn't contain potentially toxic alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol and 2) doesn't contain ethyl alcohol because I psychologicaly equate ethyl alcohol (ethanol) with "@#$%@#$%@#$% this stuff burns my face!!!"
I guess I'm going to look for reviews on here as to whether Thayer's alcohol free feels good and helps with razor burn/skin blemishes, and/or that Thayer's with ethanol doesn't sting, and/or that Dickinson's or another true witch hazel with 14% ethanol has some moisturizers built in and doesn't sting.
Or I may say "heck with it, my brain hurts!" and stick to moisturizer.
(Am hoping that this comment doesn't start an argument . . . )
I read this thread to figure out of Thayer's alcohol-free formulas had witch hazel in them. To be honest, I'm still not sure (I didn't read the various article links so I cannot claim to be either well informed or well reasoned on this topic) . . . I do wonder if the "alcohol free" nomenclature Thayer's uses means "no ethanol added" and simply doesn't classify naturally occuring plant alcohols as "alcohol" so they can label it "alcohol free." Technically, anything with a hydroxy group is an alcohol, but as a consumer all I care about is that the product 1) doesn't contain potentially toxic alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol and 2) doesn't contain ethyl alcohol because I psychologicaly equate ethyl alcohol (ethanol) with "@#$%@#$%@#$% this stuff burns my face!!!"
I guess I'm going to look for reviews on here as to whether Thayer's alcohol free feels good and helps with razor burn/skin blemishes, and/or that Thayer's with ethanol doesn't sting, and/or that Dickinson's or another true witch hazel with 14% ethanol has some moisturizers built in and doesn't sting.
Or I may say "heck with it, my brain hurts!" and stick to moisturizer.
(Am hoping that this comment doesn't start an argument . . . )
ClubmanRob, you had me at O'Doul's...
Wow zombie thread comes back to life.
I switched from Thayer's non-with-aloe to Dickenson's after this thread. Never went back.
I switched from Thayer's non-with-aloe to Dickenson's after this thread. Never went back.
+1 to this thread. Answered many questions that I had and I got a free chemistry lesson too. Thanks too all contributors.
Jeez, confuse a DE newbie even further, why dontcha. Now I gotta go back to West Coast Shaving and alter my wishlist....again! LOL
So, essentially what you're saying is that Thayer's (and other brands) of alcohol-free Witch Hazel is misleading and defrauding customers.
You've included links to back-up your claims, so I won't even think of disputing what you've said.
It will be interesting to see what the Mods, manufacturers and various shaving websites have to say, though. Looks as though you've opened a big 'ol ugly can o' worms, my friend.
Just sayin'
Happy Shaving, everyone!
-Ross
So, essentially what you're saying is that Thayer's (and other brands) of alcohol-free Witch Hazel is misleading and defrauding customers.
You've included links to back-up your claims, so I won't even think of disputing what you've said.
It will be interesting to see what the Mods, manufacturers and various shaving websites have to say, though. Looks as though you've opened a big 'ol ugly can o' worms, my friend.
Just sayin'
Happy Shaving, everyone!
-Ross
Ooops! Just now noticed this is an old thread. Sowwy!
No probs, HS77, it's a classic, and worth the read if only for ClubmanRob's impassioned defense of witch hazel!
