Witch hazel: if any substance had a nefarious sounding name, it’d be this one. But don’t be spooked, witch hazel isn’t used by real witches. If anything, this product can provide a miracle cure–just like the magic implied by its name! There’s no need for a black cauldron or a magical frog, because the ingredients in this product are actually all natural.
Witch hazel is an astringent agent. That means that it is an anti-inflammatory compound. Beauty care manufacturers learned about this and have created products containing this natural herb that work as a facial toner. Witch hazel, which is now a common ingredient in many commercial health products, is produced from the leaves, bark, and twigs of the North American witch hazel shrub.
How Is Witch Hazel Used?
First used by the Native Americans, witch hazel has been a popular form of medicine for centuries. Witch hazel contains elements called tannins. These tannins have many healing properties and can repair the skin.
You may be familiar with tannins already. They naturally occur in wine, and have many purported health benefits. They are present in fruits, teas, and chocolate–just another reason to indulge! In edible compounds, tannins create a heart healthy dose of benefits. However, that’s not all that this plant can do.
Witch hazel has other benefits as well: it can ease pain, itching, and swelling. This is why witch hazel is a common ingredient used in many popular commercial hemorrhoid creams. Witch hazel in the form of astringent or toner is often used post hair-removal, both as a treatment for cuts and wounds and as a prevention option.
Witch hazel appears to have many benefits when used over time. Proponents claim that witch hazel can even address physical blemishes. It can shrink swollen veins, brighten the area around the eyes, fade bruises and blemishes, and more. For acne sufferers, witch hazel can reduce redness and frequency of pimples—in fact, if you have oily skin, witch hazel makes for a great natural astringent. It will remove excess oil and shrink pores, resulting in smoother, healthier-looking skin.
In terms of a natural preventative measure, witch hazel makes for a great follow-up to shaving—on any part of the body, especially on your face. For shaving purposes, witch hazel’s inflammatory properties are excellent for addressing razor burn.
Where Witch Hazel Doesn’t Work
Witch hazel is touted as having great anti-hemorrhagic properties and is often used for treating minor cuts and bruises. It naturally tightens skin, closes wounds, and promotes quicker healing. Commercially sold witch hazel astringent often contains isopropyl alcohol, which serves as a disinfectant.
This sounds good on the surface, but this product is actually better as an astringent, than as an anti-hemorrhagic.
Why?
It’s better as an astringent because the astringent properties help to remove blemishes, and tighten the skin. However, witch hazel isn’t the most effective product on the market for actually clotting the platelets that contribute to bleeding. Additionally, it isn’t going to stop blood instantly.
So What is Witch Hazel Best For?
Used as a part of your regular skincare routine, witch hazel can produce fantastic results, such as improving acne, reducing redness, promoting skin smoothness, and more. Witch hazel after shaving is great for keeping skin calm and cool.
Using witch hazel after a shave can reduce swelling and discoloration, and prevent future razor burn. So, overall, does witch hazel after shaving help? Sure. It’s a great option for basic skincare and shaving aftercare.
However, while proponents often advertise witch hazel as an anti-hemorrhagic agent, there are better alternatives in terms of shaving cut treatment options.
What Works Best for Stopping Bleeding?
Drumroll please…
Funnily enough, the best shaving cut treatment option is still a styptic stick. What is a styptic stick, you say? The styptic pen is the true gentlemen’s anti-hemorrhagic agent. It comes in the form of a white stick, composed of white, pressed-together powder. To use a styptic pencil, simply wet the tip, and apply directly to your shaving cut or nick. You’ll feel a slight sting—don’t worry, it only lasts a few seconds—and then your cut will close right up–as if by a supernatural force. We aren’t kidding when we say this stuff works like magic. You’ll never have to leave the house with bits of paper clinging to your face ever again!
Glyder Styptic Pencil
Forget about witch hazel after shave, which can have shaky results when it comes to stitching up wounds, and opt for a styptic pencil that actually gets the job done. Not sure where to get one? Glyder offers the #1 styptic pencil for shaving cuts and nicks. It’s not only affordable, but long lasting—so that you get the most for your money. Other products are chalky and they can leave you smelling like chemicals.
Leave the smell in the bathroom, and use Glyder. Our patented product actually leaves your skin feeling refreshed and smooth. It isn’t a chalky stick, like the kind your grandpa used. Instead, it’s actually categorized as a balm. That’s because it has great moisturizing chemicals that act to treat the cut, and leave your skin feeling nourished and healthy.
Plus, it’s the only styptic pencil that comes in a retractable, waterproof case, keeping your styptic stick dry and bacteria-free.
A Magical Combination
In order to create the most magical combination of aftershave products, it’s a great idea to snag a couple Glyder styptic balms, and a tube of witch hazel to use simultaneously. Used in combination, Glyder will stop the bleeding, and the witch hazel will reinforce Glyder’s ability to close everything up.
Make sure when you use your Glyder product that you are applying pressure, and that you wait at least thirty seconds after pressing on your wound before reapplying. This will allow you enough time to make sure that the bleeding has stopped. The healing jojoba oil, aloe vera, and Vitamin E will work naturally to soften the skin after your shaving trauma. Your platelets will stop bleeding right away and your cut will be in progress to heal.
In addition to just using Glyder on it’s own, we’ve found that witch hazel can act as a powerful complement to the healing powers of our styptic balm.
Simply apply a small dab to your face and neck (or anywhere else you shave) and prevent painful razor burn. Even if you aren’t razor burned, shaving puts your pores through hell, so treat them well!
If you’ve ever shaved and gone for a jog on a windy day, you know the pain of a freshly shaved face. Witch hazel can help your face to feel like it just got back from the spa, instead of being dragged through a cheese grater.
Be careful not to overdo it with the witch hazel, however. While Glyder’s ingredients will promote healthy facial tissue, witch hazel contains alcohol which can dry your face out. However, using just enough to do the job won’t harm you, or your face.
So try this winning combination in order to get the most out of your shave. And make sure to treat your cuts the right way with Glyder!