Most people are familiar with witch hazel for its skincare benefits nowadays, there are so many alternative uses and benefits of this household staple that you’ve probably never heard of. Witch hazel may help with a variety of common problems, so stay tuned if you’re keen to learn the best benefits of witch hazel for your home and health.
1. Clean Surfaces
Who said witch hazel could only be used for health purposes? It also works really well as a natural cleaning solution for wiping down your surfaces. If you’re not a fan of chemicals, or you simply don’t have the right cleaning products to hand, witch hazel can come to your rescue.
Simply combine witch hazel extract with a little lemon juice and some warm water to create a fresh, natural home cleaner that can be used on glass, marble, and metal.
2. Minimize Scars
Unsurprisingly, there are many benefits of witch hazel that relate to skincare. Witch hazel can help to reduce scars and stretch marks thanks to its astringent properties, tightening skin and make scars less noticeable.
It can also help to decrease any redness associated with a scar, especially when combined with aloe vera, another scar-reducing natural beauty ingredient.
3. Remove Makeup
Ran out of your usual makeup remover? Or looking for a more environmentally friendly way to remove your makeup? Simply apply witch hazel to your skin – it works just as well.
Witch hazel is actually better than some of the popular cosmetic products offered to remove makeup, as it doesn’t leave an oily coat on the surface of your skin after removing makeup. Just add a little witch hazel to a cotton pad and swipe – you’ll be surprised at how efficient it is.
4. Treat Cold Sores
Cold sores are up there with the most annoying skin conditions of all. If you’ve ever had a cold sore, you’ll know how it can affect your confidence, and you’ve probably tried everything to get rid of it.
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and astringent properties, witch hazel is a great -and safe -natural remedy for treating cold sores effectively. It does this by encouraging cold sores to dry out and heal at a faster rate.
5. Treat Hemorrhoids
Sorry – no-one wants to think about hemorrhoids, but they’re a common complaint amongst humans, so it’s helpful if you know how to treat them.
You can apply witch hazel to your skin if you’re dealing with hemorrhoids, and it should reduce discomfort and irritation and relieve burning. Because witch hazel has anti-inflammatory properties, it may also be able to soothe swelling. Just add it to a cloth or a cotton ball and carefully apply it to your skin.
6. Soothe Razor Burn
Shaving with a razor, especially while in a rush, can often result in razor burn. While this is hardly life-threatening, it can be itchy and painful, and may even lead to infection.
As witch hazel is a natural anti-inflammatory, it can soothe the common symptoms of razor burn, including redness, itchiness, and irritation. Try to look for alcohol-free witch hazel in this case, which won’t irritate your skin further.
7. Reduce Minor Bleeding
It might sound like something too old-fashioned to bother with, but there’s a reason why people still use witch hazel to put a stop to minor skin bleeds – it really does help.
Simply soak a cotton ball with a little alcohol-free witch hazel and apply it to the bleeding skin. Because of its astringent nature, witch hazel can pull the skin together and promote blood clotting, decreasing blood supply to the area. Just make sure to only use this as a skin care solution for minor bleeds.
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