Witch Hazel is now Flowering
Witch hazel used to be one of the ‘basics’ in a first aid kit as hazel contains large quantities of tannins which have a drying, astringent effect, causing the tightening of proteins in the skin and across the surface of abrasions. The protective covering helps increase resistance to inflammation and will also heal broken skin more quickly, including damaged blood vessels beneath the skin’s surface. It’s certainly a relief with its cooling, soothing effect felt within seconds.
Victorian and Edwardian women used it daily to tighten their skin (and reduce puffy eyes) as part of their beauty regime (I still do advised by my grandmother 40 years ago) whilst some use witch hazel neat on cysts and tumours as was the practice of many native North American Indian peoples.
Witch hazel is now flowering and their delicate star-like yellow flowers are a real delight in our dank days of Winter. We think of ‘witch hazel water’ don’t we when we mention witch hazel? But what is it? In fact, we distil the leaves and the young twigs of witch hazel found in Canada and the Eastern U.S. The ‘water’ can then be dabbed on sore inflamed skin from burns, sunburns, bites and more.
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