Finance Frugal Factoids and Uses: Witch Hazel

Current economic times have resulted in a re-focusing on old, (cheap) household favorites like Witch Hazel. And this particular old favorite is new in that it fits the new "green" status. As they say, :"what's old is new again".

When I was a teenager, many years ago, (cue that fancy writing from the initial Star Wars movie.... "In a galaxy far away") I used to apply some Witch Hazel on my face before going to bed. I had absolutely no idea what it was made of, chemically speaking. I just knew it was a great astringent for oily, acne, teenage skin, and it fit my budget (then, under 50 cents a bottle).

As the years went by, the lowly, nondescript Witch Hazel gave way to prettier bottles with better aromas and higher prices. With a current unemployment rate that shows no sign of letting up, people are looking for ways to get back to (cheap) basics. People are taking a second look at first-rate product: Witch Hazel. And you should, too.

Let's take the mystery out of the simple product. It also should be noted that what you are getting in the pharmacy is not the simple oil from the shrub, but a formulated version that contains alcohol.

What exactly is Witch Hazel? How does it work, and what makes it eco-friendly?

First, Witch Hazel is a clear liquid that is an astringent, as is calamine lotion. An astringent is a product that when topically applied shrinks body tissue in some way. Now, don't run out investing in gallons of the stuff, thinking it will do the same job as gastric bypass or liposuction. Not going to happen, but good try.

What makes Witch Hazel eco-friendly is that it is found naturally in nature, produced from the bark of a shrub, the North American Witch Hazel Shrub from Nova Scotia west to Ontario, Canada and south to Florida, and Texas.

It's strictly an external product, used on sores, bruises, and swelling. The main ingredients are tannin, gallic acid, catechins, proanthocyanins, flavonoids (kaempferol, quercetin), essential oil (carvacrol, eugenol, hexenol), choline, saponins, and bitters. Distilled Witch Hazel sold in drug stores and pharmacies typically contains no tannin, but it does contain alcohol. Many nature lovers swear by the just-out-of-nature version, but it's not so easy to come by.

Below are just a few of the many uses for Witch Hazel:

Skin care. Astringents are great for mild acne, oily skin. Add some to a cotton ball or one of those make-up pads and dab the typically oily areas of your skin after you've done your nightly washing ritual. You will feel the skin tighten as it soaks up the oil. The same theory holds true for poison ivy and the like.

Under eye repair. You can buy a tube of expensive "product" to reduce puffiness under your eyes or you can make use of your bottle of Witch Hazel. Again, as an astringent, the idea is that the skin will be tightened and shrunk.

Razor burn. If you're not a waxing kind of gal, you probably end up with razor burns. Again, this simple product can shrink swollen tissue, i.e. the bumps that pop up when you've shaved delicate areas.

Varicose Vein. This also falls into the category of reducing swelling, and thereby pain. It takes much more to cover a varicose vein problem, and it only relieves the discomfort, as opposed to curing the problem.

Quell sunburn sting. Given its properties of shrinking tissue, it doesn't seem logical that Witch Hazel would be good for sunburn, but people swear by it. Likewise, bee stings, simple bug bites. See above. It acts to diminish the itching associated with bites.

Hemorrhoids. One of the ingredients in Preparation H is Witch Hazel because of the healing properties. At the other end of the age spectrum, the product helps with diaper rash and basic infant bottom ailments. Other natural elements, like Aloe, add to the healing properties.

If you read natural remedy books, you'll get that Witch Hazel aids in many more ailments, particularly when mixed with other natural ingredients. Some people swear by it. The main thing you should take away from this is that Witch Hazel is a cheap, natural product that should be part of any family's home healing arsenal.

Also note that even though Witch Hazel is a natural product (but generally doctored by the time it hits pharmacies), it can have side effects. None are generally noteworthy, but on an individual basis, you should watch if you have any adverse reactions after you use it.