Wondrous Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel is from her own family, Hamamelidaceae. There are three species of Witch Hazel in North America: Hamamelis virginiana, H. ovalis, and H. vernalis. There are also 2 species in Asia: H. japonica from Japan and H. mollis from China.
Witch Hazel can be found in grocery stores, drug stores and other stores that sell personal use items, usually next to rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. Most people who buy Witch Hazel do so to use as a cleanser for their face or for soothing sunburns. When we think of Witch Hazel and her uses, it makes sense that she is considered to be cooling and drying. If you have access to some bark or leaves, a quick taste will verify the astringency of this herb, along with her other energetics bitter and pungent.

Notice the asymmetrical leaf shape, wavy margins and short petioles (stems).

Photo by Val Paul
Rubbing Witch Hazel on your body before a workout can help to keep you from straining your muscles. Applied afterwards, Witch Hazel soothes aching and overworked muscles.
Use a decoction of Witch Hazel leaves, twigs or bark to gargle for treating sore throats. It is both soothing and healing. Witch Hazel’s antibacterial action helps with this as well as killing bacteria in cuts and when used as a mouthwash, in the mouth. Try a compress on poison ivy and poison oak rash to help astringe the tissue and draw out the toxins from the plant. Witch Hazel can be applied to your baby brother or sister’s bottom to heal and prevent diaper rash, or on your chicken pox blisters for soothing and healing relief.
Don’t have time for a bath but feeling a little smelly? Try a Witch Hazel extract saturated cotton ball for quickly wiping down your body. It will cool you off, kill the bacteria that is feeding on your sweat (ewwww, right?!) and keep you smelling fresh because Witch Hazel is a natural deodorant.
Witch Hazel’s hemostatic and styptic actions are responsible for stopping hemorrhaging. Apply a poultice of leaves to a cut that won’t stop bleeding or use an infusion as a mouthwash to stop bleeding and heal inflamed gums.
Many people have found relief applying Witch Hazel to psoriasis daily after bathing. It’s best when worked in conjunction with a healthy diet and an application of an oil 15 minutes after application.
Want to try your hand at making your own distillate?
Making your own distillate is easy and will guarantee a pure distillate. Distillates are used externally as a face cleanser and toner, rub for sore muscles, inflammations, varicose veins, bruises, bumps, psoriasis and other skin afflictions such as chicken pox.
Witch Hazel twigs, bark and/or leaves, chopped up*
Rainwater or distilled water
Grain alcohol
Stockpot and lid
Strainer
Cheesecloth
Glass measuring cup
Bottle
Label
Place your Witch Hazel in the bottom of your stock pot and pour enough water to cover 1 inch over the top of them.
Bring the water to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 8 hours, checking often and adding water as needed to keep the Witch Hazel covered.
Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Strain into the glass measuring cup using the strainer lined with cheesecloth. Compost the spent plant material.
Measure your liquid and add 1/4 the total amount of grain alcohol to preserve the distillate.
Pour into a bottle and label. You can store it in the fridge or in a dark, cool cupboard.
Use within 6 months.
*Don’t have Witch Hazel growing in your area? Mountain Rose Herbs supplies high quality bark and leaves.
Want to learn more about incorporating Witch Hazel into your daily arsenal for healing? Grab this month’s issue while it’s on sale for only $3.99.


I use it as a chigger chaser on my ankles. Works fast.