Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a species of flowering plant in the family Hamamelidaceae, native to eastern North America. It is deciduous ornamental shrub, grown for its clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers which start blooming in the autumn as the leaves fall and continue throughout the winter. The therapeutic properties of witch hazel are known from old times. Native Americans boiled the stems of the shrub to produce extract that was used to treat swellings, inflammations and tumors. Today witch hazel is widely used in traditional medicine, herbalism and skincare products.
High in polyphenols including tannins, phenolic acid and flavonoids, witch hazel leaf water provides astringent, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant action.
Its benefits for skin:
- acts as moisturizer – locks moisture into skin, improves skin’s elasticity and softness.
- calms and soothes dry and cracked skin, cures eczema and psoriasis, comforts irritations and rashes.
- helps to tighten the skin, diminishes the pores and purifies the complexion.
- treats bruises, minor cuts and burns, speeds up healing process, reduces inflammations.
- repairs sun damaged skin, heals sunburn, prevents skin peeling and flaking.
- treats insect bites, eliminates swelling.
The healing properties of witch hazel we use in Atlantis Skincare Glowing Skin Day Cream with Hyaluronic Acid, Glowing Skin Cleansing Milk and Two Part Face Mask with Clay and Ginseng.
