Witch hazel’s bright exuberant flowers bookend the the darkest part of the year, with Hamamelis vernalis as one of the latest blooming flowers and Hamamelis virginiana as one of the first to bloom in late winter. A visual balm for winter drearies, witch hazel is also an anti-inflammatory topical used for many skin conditions: bites, stings, acne, dermatitis, eczema and hives. As a toner its astringent action is gentle and minimally disruptive to skin’s pH and promotes healthy skin flora. Note that processed witch hazel toner sold in pharmacies has lost the astringent compounds found in witch hazel’s flowers, leaves, twigs, and bark. Witch hazel flower season is almost fleeting as spring approaches. Make a flower preparation now (tincture 2:1, flowers: menstruum) or identify the trees now and make a leaf preparation later. Diluted tincture can be used as toner or tincture can be added to toner blends. See my toner recipe and tips below.

Witch hazel says: stay bright, stay flexible. Spring is not too far away.

Names: Hamamelis sp: Vernal witch hazel (H. vernalis) and autumn witch hazel (H. virginiana), both native to North America

Traditional use:

bark, leaves, twigs and flowers are rich in tannins whose astringent compounds soothe and relieve inflammation of skin and mucous membranes.
Astringents tighten and tone tissue, and deliver nutrients to the subcutaneous tissue under the skin’s surface. Helps skin maintain healthy pH and skin flora. Stable pH limits bacterial growth on the skin that could lead to acne. May help reduce itching of skin conditions. Reduces skin redness.
Topical use is most common, and is used for acne, eczema, varicose veins, dermatitis, poion oak, rosacea, hives, hemmoroids, bug bites and stings and postpostum care. It can be used as an astrigent mouthwash in baths, or as a compress or poultices.
It has styptic and vasoconstrictive qualities, and though internal use has not been studied thoroughly, oral use in Europe to prevent stasis in chronic venous insufficiency is common.

Edible use, medicine making details:

Witch hazel is n a lot of salve and body care recipes. Witch hazel can be used for daily soothing, moisturizing, and cleansing, or for more acute wound care. Kenneth Proefrock’s Liniments, Salves, Oils & Creams: Revisiting The Topical Uses of Botanical Medicines recipe for an anodyne bruise and sore muscle salve that combines witch hazel with ginger and eucalyptus (Plant Healer Magazine #33). Witch hazel is often combined with a demulcent plant, like violet or marshmallow, for balanced action that maintains skin moisture levels necessary for optimal healing.

Plant Spirit Medicine:

flexibility, likes fluidity, often grows near water, has flexible branches, and is a shrub beneath taller trees so its flexibility in directional growth helps it thrive. Bookends the darkest time of the year as one of the latest flowers in the winter and earliest in the spring: brightens the spirit.

Witch Hazel Toner

To make witch hazel infusion: 1:4 dried plant material (leaves, flowers, bark, twigs):water; 1:2 fresh plant material (flowers would be best): water.

To 1 C strained witch hazel infusion, add 2 teaspoons alcohol or apple cider vinegar (more perishable, less of a preservative, but also more gentle than alcohol). Shake up.

Label the jar with the contents and date, and store in the fridge.

If you like, pour off a 1/2 - 1oz bottle to keep handy in the bathroom, judging the amount on weekly use. Keep a week’s worth at room temp in moderate weather. Adjust storage for seasonal variation.

Or
Make a more stable toner with a longer wait:

Make a tincture: fresh herb: alcohol, 1:2.

When the tincture is ready (average minimum is 6 weeks, but for most things I let them sit at least six months) strain it.

Dilute to desired strength before applying topically. I would start with 2 tablespoons of tincture with water added to make 1 cup for daily care, adjusting amounts to personal preference and the intended use. A toner made for vulnerary care will be stronger than for daily care.

And one other toner option…

is to make a standard decoction and preserve that with alcohol the same way as with the infusion method.

Connecting to witch hazel is a way to ally with flowering energy through the time of fertile darkness. Witch hazel is easy to identify when flowering, so it’s a great time to notice where your local trees are and begin to observe witch hazel throughout the seasons.

Green Blessings from Nourishing Root: Feed Your Whole Self!