Oily skin represents overactive sebaceous glands to produce more sebum on the surface of the skin.
Sebum is fatty oil that helps to moisturize and protect your skin and hair. You need it in right quantities for your skin to look and feel good.
Most of the challenges begin when excess sebum is released. Your skin not only becomes oily but the pores get clogged causing acne and other blemishes. Your face gets affected the most.
You have many choices to deal with your oily skin. Some are harsh chemical based prescription and OTC creams and others are natural. Witch hazel is becoming popular to manage oily skin naturally. It is always better to try out natural products like witch hazel before going for the other options.
Table of Contents
- Why Witch Hazel is Good for Oily Skin?
- How to Use Witch Hazel o Manage Oily Skin?
- Other Tips and Precautions
Why Witch Hazel is Good for Oily Skin?
Witch Hazel has powerful anti-inflammatory and astringent capabilities to manage your oily skin. It is also mild on your skin as compared to other harsh chemical based skin care products that may cause skin damage.
Let us look at its skin benefits in detail.
Witch Hazel is an extract derived from the leaves and bark of hamamelis virginiana shrub native to North America.
Witch Hazel contains gallic acid, tannins and many other anti-inflammatory compounds. It also contains many antioxidants that reduces oxidative stress of free radicals.
For these compounds witch hazel is widely used to treat oily skins, acne, eczema, psoriasis and many other skin and scalp conditions.
It also reduces irritations on the skin. People particularly with sensitive skin get soothing experiences.
Witch Hazel acts as astringent to ward off dead skin cells, dirt and impurities. This reduces risks of acne on the oily skin.
Topical application also protects against the skin damage due to tannins. Most oily skins will get acne with the risks of leaving scars. Witch Hazel will protect you from that damage.
So, overall it us a very effective natural products to manage
How to Use Witch Hazel o Manage Oily Skin?
You can use witch hazel in many different ways and combinations with other natural products to manage your oily skin well. Following are 3 simple but very effective ways to deal with your oily facial skin.
Applying witch hazel on most skin types is safe. Even then before using extensively on your skin do a patch test on your arm to see if there is any side effect. Once you clear the test use it.
Don't go in the sun immediately after its use as some sensitive skins may get irritated.
1. Apply Witch Hazel on your Oily Facial Skin
This is the simplest and easiest way as you don't require much of a preparation before use.
- Wash your face with warm water and dab it dry with a towel
- Dip a cotton ball or pad in witch hazel and brush it on your skin
- Apply more on acne. It cleanses and calms the skin. Your face will feel wet but soon witch hazel will dry out
- Do it once daily for a few days until your skin gets used to of it, then
- Apply twice daily
2. Spritz Witch Hazel on Oily Skin
Toning your skin by shrinking the porsz will reduce sebum on the surface of oily skin.
- Take a clean glass spray bottle
- Fill it with rose water and witch hazel in equal quantities.
- Screw the lid on
- Wash your face with warm water to clean it of all impurities including any leftover makeup
- Close your eyes and Spiritz witch hazel spray on your face
- Do it daily
3. Witch Hazel and Aloe Vera for Oily Skin
Aloe Vera is good for oily skin. Mixing both is another good way to manage excess oil on the facial skin.
- Mix 3 portions of witch hazel and one portion of fresh aloe vera.
- Keep it a glass sealed container if you make large quantities for further use, otherwise make sufficient quantity Every Time you use it.
- Wash your face with water
- Apply on your oily face with cotton balls
- Do it twice daily
Other Tips and Precautions
Oily skin is difficult to manage. But, the good news is if you manage it well you continue to look younger than the people who have dry or neutral skin. Use Witch Hazel but also take the following precautions.
- Wash your face at least twice daily. It will help you to not clog your pores. It sounds obvious but most people don't do it.
- Use blotting papers to absorb the excess sebum produced by your body. You can't prevent the excess production but you certainly can remove it from your skin.
- Reduce or stop if possible the use of makeup. Particularly the foundation.
- Use, if you have to use, water based makeup products instead of oil based.
- Apply other natural remedies like clay, yogurt, and oatmeal etc to manage excess oil on your skin.
Bottom line is, if you have oily skin you have to take extra care.