Witch Hazel Leaf Extract

What is witch hazel?

The American witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana is a shrub common in deciduous forests ranging from Nova Scotia to Wisconsin and south to Florida and Texas (R). The plant has long used in the southern and westerm portion of the United States as a remedy for all forms of wounds and bruises (R). The leaves, twigs and bark of the witch-hazel shrub contain a number of active compounds, such as tannins, catechins, gallic acid, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonol glucosides plus their corresponding aglycones quercetin and kaempferol (R, R, R, R, R, R, R).

Witch hazel is often included in cosmetic products. A 2014 review of 52 moisturizers for acne found that 19% contained witch hazel, presumably as an anti-inflammatory agent (R).

Do witch hazel extracts get absorbed?

We were not able to find any published data on the skin penetration of witch hazel extracts, though a study referenced in the European Medicines Agency's witch hazel assessment claimed that witch hazel extracts applied locally in therapeutic amounts do not penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin because of the astringency of its constituents (R).