Witch Hazel
[wich, hey-zuh l]
Categories: Plant Extracts, Antioxidants
Benefits:
Cleansing
Irritant
Skin Hydration
Witch hazel extract is distilled from the plant witch hazel. Witch hazel bark possesses a high concentration of oligomeric tannins, which serve as potent antioxidants that help to protect the skin from free radical damage. However, witch hazel extract is often mixed with large volumes of alcohol, thus negating the presence of tanners and causing irritated skin. In addition, witch hazel possesses a sugar-steroid alcohol, known as saponins.
Saponins enable high skin surface activity, which gives witch hazel its cleansing function- removing dirt and oil from the skin surface.
