What is witch hazel?

Question

You buy it from pharmacies.

Answer 1

Witch Hazel is a plant that is used commercially as an astringent... one of the reasons being for skin care. This herb has a natural cleansing effect as well as to tighten... so for us gals that always great for skin care. Witch Hazel is the only substance I use for face care... and at 55... literally everyone who meets me is blown away by my skin and my age. I was taught use of the product by my mother and grandmother who's skin belied their ages as well.

Answer 2

Witch Hazel is a natural mild astringent that is extracted from the Hamamelis plant. This plant is a popular ornamental plant usually grown in cluster and displays beautiful hues ranging from yellow to orange-red.
The bark and the leaves of this plant contain the astringent. The extracted astringent can be used by itself as a mild toner or added to aftershave lotion or lotions for treating bruises. Less commonly used, the seeds of this plant contain oil that is edible but I am unsure of the reason or benefit of ingesting Witch Hazel oil.

Answer 3

Witch Hazel is Hamamelius Viginiana aromatic shrubs/small trees found in damp woodland areas throughout Eastern, central and north America. The part of the shrub used is the twigs and leaves. It is recognised for it's natural astringent and antiflammatory properties.

Answer 4

They are shrubs or small trees. The bark and leaves are astringent, the extract, also referred to as Witch Hazel, is used medicinally. Extracts from its bark and leaves are used in aftershave lotions and lotions for treating bruises. The seeds contain a quantity of oil and are edible. You can purchase the herbal supplements in any drug store.

Answer 5

Witch-hazel (Hamamelis) is a genus of four species of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae, with two species in North America (H. virginiana and H. vernalis), and one each in Japan (H. japonica) and China (H. mollis).

They are deciduous shrubs or (rarely) small trees growing to 3-8 m tall, rarely to 12 m tall. The leaves are alternately arranged, oval, 4-16 cm long and 3-11 cm broad, with a smooth or wavy margin. The flowers are produced on the leafless stems in winter, each flower with four slender strap-shaped petals 1-2 cm long, pale to dark yellow, orange, or red. The fruit is a two-parted capsule 1 cm long, containing a single 5 mm glossy black seed in each of the two parts; the capsule splits explosively at maturity in the autumn about 8 months after flowering; the seeds are ejected with sufficient force to fly for distances of up to 10 m.

Hamamelis species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Feathered Thorn.

The name Witch has its origins in Middle English wiche, from the Old English wice, meaning "pliant" or "bendable". Hazel is derived from the use of the twigs as divining rods, just as hazel twigs were used in England.

The Persian Ironwood, a closely related tree formerly treated as Hamamelis persica, is now given a genus of its own, as Parrotia persica, as it differs in the flowers not having petals. Other closely allied genera are Parrotiopsis, Fothergilla and Sycopsis (see under Hamamelidaceae). Witch-hazels are not closely related to the hazels.


[edit] Cultivation and uses
They are popular ornamental plants, grown for their clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers which begin to expand in the autumn as or slightly before the leaves fall, and continue throughout the winter. Numerous cultivars have been selected for use as garden shrubs, many of them derived from the hybrid H. × intermedia Rehder (H. japonica × H. mollis).

The bark and leaves are astringent, the extract, also referred to as Witch Hazel, is used medicinally. Extracts from its bark and leaves are used in aftershave lotions and lotions for treating bruises. The seeds contain a quantity of oil and are edible.


[edit] References
Flora of China: Hamamelis
Flora of North America: Hamamelis

Answer 6

astringent
anti-inflammatory
analgesic
mildly sedating
mildly antibiotic
stops bleeding

It can be used for hemmroids, to ease the pain and itching, to soothe minor burns and skin abrasions, while preventing infection, and reducing the bleeding and oozing of certain skin conditions. Internally, it can soothe a sore throat and alleviate intestinal inflammation.

Answer 7

witch hazel is a plant, which is used for skin care

Answer 8

Isn't she that ugly mean witch that was trying to cook up Bugs Bunny when he went trick-or-trating at her house

Answer 9

Purifed water with minerals- good for cleansing

Answer 10

It's an astrigent, you can use it to clean oily face, also on minor cuts for relief.