When it comes to aftershave, men have a lot of options. But there’s one aftershave option that I don’t think gets nearly enough publicity: witch hazel. In fact, I bet most of you don’t even know what witch hazel is.
So what is it? Well witch hazel is a skin-care product that has actually been around for centuries. It’s called witch hazel because one of its main ingredients is extract from the witch hazel plant (species name Hamamelis virginia) which is native to North America. Other ingredients that are commonly used in witch hazel toner are: purified Water, aloe vera, rose water, citric acid and other natural ingredients.
Witch hazel is the aftershave I use after every shave and I highly recommend it to other wet shavers over other traditional aftershaves. Why? Because unlike traditional aftershaves which are really just an astringent, witch hazel provides several other benefits to keep your skin nice and healthy.
What are those benefits? Let’s find out.
Reason #1: Astringent
What’s an astringent? An astringent is a substance that is used to get body tissues to contract. In the case of witch hazel, the “body tissue” it is getting to contract is your skin. This is beneficial for a few reasons.
First of all, by contracting your skin, witch hazel helps close up any minor nicks and cuts or weepers. Witch hazel isn’t strong enough to close big nicks and cuts, you’re going to need either an alum block or styptic pencil for that. But if you’ve got any small shaving cuts or weepers, witch hazel can help stop the bleeding.
Secondly, the astringent properties are helpful because it means witch hazel helps contract your pores after shaving. Think about it -- whenever you shave, your pores open up big time because of all the heat and moisture that gets applied. But once you’re done shaving, you don’t want them to stay open because that can lead to acne, blackheads and whiteheads. Using an astringent post-shave though will help keep your pores nice and clean.
Reason #2: Alcohol-Free
When it comes to post-shave astringents, there are a lot of options out there. You’re probably familiar with some of the classics like Aqua Velva or Brut. But the problem with most of them is that they have alcohol in their ingredients. And why is that a problem?
Because, in my opinion, one of the worst things you can do after shaving is apply a product that will dry your skin out. And that is exactly what an alcohol-based aftershave will do. Yes, alcohol-based aftershaves are an effective astringent and will kill any bacteria still on your face after a shave. But to me, it’s not worth it because it does so at the expense of drying out your skin.
Witch hazel though can do everything alcohol-based aftershaves do without drying your skin out. Witch hazel cleans and tightens your skin without stripping away the essential natural oils and moisture you need to keep your skin looking nice and healthy.
Ingredients vary from brand to brand, so make sure you confirm there is no alcohol in the witch hazel you want to buy. The popular brand names, Thayers and Quinns, don’t use alcohol but generic drugstore witch hazel sometimes does have alcohol in it. I highly recommend avoiding any witch hazel that has alcohol in it.
Reason #3: Antiseptic
After you shave, there’s a good chance there’s some dead skin, blood and other debris still on your face. And all of that makes your face and neck a breeding ground for bacteria.
And although you might not be able to see any of that bacteria, it is extremely important you you kill any bacteria still on your face and neck after a shave. Why? Because bacteria can lead to infections, razor burn, ingrown hairs, skin irritation, acne and other blemishes.
Luckily though, witch hazel is also an antiseptic. Witch hazel doesn’t just tighten up your skin and pores, it also leaves your skin clean and bacteria-free.
Witch hazel is a really good antiseptic, but I highly recommend also using an alum block in your post-shave routine. An alum block is just a stronger antiseptic and it’s easier to make sure you cover every square inch you shaved. And then you can finish the job with your witch hazel.
I used to get really bad razor burn and irritation after shaving, but the combination of witch hazel and an alum block has essentially eradicated razor burn for me.
Reason #4: Toner
Most guys have probably never considered using a toner. Heck, most guys probably don’t even know what a toner is. I used to think a toner was something my wife used when putting on her makeup. So what is a toner? It is essentially just a liquid astringent that helps reduce the overall oiliness and improve the condition of the skin.
And since witch hazel is a toner, you can basically kill 2 birds with 1 stone by using it: 1) it’s a great aftershave and 2) it cleans your face with a toner.
Unlike traditional aftershaves that you would only use when you shave, you can essentially just use witch hazel as a toner on your entire face every day. The astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are great for all of your face. You can just wash your face with witch hazel toner instead of needing a specific astringent aftershave and then a separate toner to wash and take care of your face.
Overall, witch hazel is just a really great product to keep your skin healthy. I actually prefer witch hazel to other facial washes. Why? Because it doesn’t leave my skin dry and parched afterwards.
Also, witch hazel helped simplify my skin care routine. I don’t want a 10 step process or have to use a bunch of other products just to clean my face and keep it healthy. Witch hazel solves that problem for me.
Reason #5: Anti-Inflammatory
Shaving is really rough and abrasive on your face. Think about it — you are taking a sharp razor blade to your skin and shaving hair off. So after you shave, you’re going to need something to help soothe your skin, reduce the inflammation and hopefully prevent any possible razor irritation.
Witch hazel anti-inflammatory properties make it an awesome product for treating razor burn and other skin irritation. It really helps soothe your skin and minimize any razor burn. This is another reason why I prefer witch hazel to other alcohol-based aftershaves. Aftershaves that have alcohol typically don’t help as an anti-inflammatory, they really are just an astringent.
I used to think the key to treating razor burn was to moisturize a lot. And while moisturizing after a shave is really important, it never really helped me with razor burn. Razor burn used to be a perpetual problem for me but not anymore. So why don’t I get razor burn anymore?
Well I’d like to think that part of it is because I’m just better at shaving with a safety razor now. But if I’m honest, I think most of the credit should go to the alum block and witch hazel I use after every shave. Those 2 products have pretty much erased all razor burn for me.
If I was going to give advice to someone that keeps getting razor burn, I’d recommend doing the following:
- Always shave with the grain
- Use an alum block after you shave
- Apply witch hazel after you shave
Razor burn is a big issue for lots of men. Witch hazel won’t be able to prevent razor burn on its own, but it certainly helps. There’s no drawback from using it.
Reason #6: Smells Good
Witch hazel definitely doesn’t smell like the classic aftershave your dad used. And personally, I like that.
There are a variety of options when it comes to witch hazel scents. Some of the more popular options are rose petal, lavender mint, peach and lemon, but there are also unscented options.
Personally, I prefer using the unscented witch hazel so it’s not competing with the smell of my body wash. I really like the smell of my body wash and don’t want my aftershave covering that scent up.
And I know all those other scents don’t sound real manly, but hear me out. I also have rose petal witch hazel, and my wife loves when I use it. And when you think about it, isn’t that who you’re are trying to smell nice for anyway?
Reason #7: Easy To Use
Witch hazel is really easy to use. Here’s how I use it as part of my post-shave routine.
When I’m done shaving, I rinse my face off with cold water. Then, I grab my alum block and apply it to everywhere I shaved. Then I rinse off all the alum residue with cold water.
Alright, now I grab my bottle of witch hazel. The directions on the bottle say to apply it using a cotton ball or soft pad, but all I do is pour about a tablespoon directly into the palm of my hand and then rub it all over my face. After I apply the witch hazel, I wait about 30 seconds and then apply a light, facial moisturizer.
And since witch hazel is such a great toner, I also use it on days I don’t shave. It’s a great aftershave, but you can definitely use it more (or less) as needed.
