Thread: Thayers witch hazel

Thanks, i'm writing all this down.

I like it too. I have the Rose. Very nice and soothing on the skin.

Forgive my ignorance, but what makes this, or any other, witch hazel stand out from that available at pharmacies or discount stores? Does it have a higher percentage of something?

Originally Posted by Sandycrack

Forgive my ignorance, but what makes this, or any other, witch hazel stand out from that available at pharmacies or discount stores? Does it have a higher percentage of something?

I can't tell you specifically what the different is, although probably not that much. Many years ago, I tried Dickinson — I think that's the name — and found the fragrance unpleasant. I threw it out. I like the aloe vera in the Thayers Super Medicated Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera. Also, the product is unscented.

I believe the plain witch hazel from the drug store or wall mart is just witch hazel extract in alcohol. I keep a bottle on hand and it does smell rather unpleasant. The Thayers products all have various scents depending on which one you buy, most have aloe which really makes for a good after shave, not quite like a balm but it does replenish the skin a bit. Some of the Thayers are made without alchohol and some people like that finding it to be less drying. Just read the label on the bottles and you will see there is quite a difference. I love my Thayers, preferring the orignial w/aloe as an aftershave and a body splash for keeping skin moist in the winter months. I have tried the lemon as well, but feel like I am putting furniture polish on because of the smell.

The stuff in Wally World and similar is watered down. That's why it's cheap. Dickinson's is quality but plane jane and has a scent you either like or hate. Thayers contains other things to enhance the effect. I don't know if Thayers contains more extract or not than Dickinson's.

Dickinson's is great & a great price too,,,smells like burnt wood to me,,

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Dickinson's is great & a great price too,,,smells like burnt wood to me,,

+1...I actually like the smell also. Use it after every shave and by the time I've cleaned up and am ready to slap on some after shave the smell is gone. Works great for me...

BTW...I just bought a new bottle over the weekend: $2.69 at the local pharmacy, and the ingredients are 86% Witch Hazel and 14% alcohol.

I am curious how you guys use the Witch Hazel. Just splash it on like aftershave and let dry? Rub it in a little and let dry? Do you use another aftershave after using Witch Hazel? Wash it off after it dries?

I have the aloe and lemon Witch Hazel (one has alcohol in it) but I am currently not too happy with either. I love the way it soothes initially but after it has dried my face feels tacky. Anyone else? I have tried a few home made after shaves and find anything with Witch Hazel seems to leave my face a little tacky.
I have recently started gong back and trying it again but now when it dries I will use a aftershave splash, so far this seems to be the only way I can use this without the tacky feeling.

Now that I think about it The Art of Shaving aftershave did the same thing. I only used that a few times and it had turned into the long forgotten back of the shelf item. For a while I thought it had something to do with the gels, balms or lotions but I have used others, Geo F Trumper comes to mind and they were awesome.

Since my February "Thayer's Lemon + Aloe" yes vote, above, I began making my own. Yes, also - eight or nine dollars for a bottle is ridiculous even if it lasts six months or more. I read through old posts here and elsewhere and concluded with the recipe below. It is about $2.00 per 16-ounces.

Put 12 ounces of generic witch hazel in a 16 ounce bottle with a nice flip-top cap; squeeze in
1 tablespoon (eyeball it) of pure cold-processed aloe vera gel; drip in
5-6 drops of essential oil of lemon and shake well.
When to foam dies down top off with a few ounces of 91% undyed, unscented isopropyl alcohol.

It's practically perfect as a post shave antiseptic conditioning splash-and-rub. With more lemon essence it'd probably be indistinguishable from the Thayers but I like the hint of woodiness from the witch hazel.