Trendy skincare ingredients come and go, but one has remained a star in our eyes for over 150 years. Genuine Witch Hazel Extract is the key ingredient in all our products and has been since the T.N. Dickinson’s® brand launched in 1866. Find out how we transform this extract from a humble shrub into a potent ingredient your skin loves.
What is Witch Hazel Extract?
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a species of flowering shrub native to eastern North America. It’s made into an extract by steam-distilling the mature bark and twigs of Witch Hazel shrubs. This process doesn’t use the plant’s leaves or flowers, as they can impact the quality of the final product.
What are the skin benefits of Witch Hazel Extract?
Witch Hazel is known for its natural astringent properties, which come from tannins within the bark and twig extract. Balancing the correct level of tannins in Witch Hazel Extract is important for it to work effectively. In fact, the United States Pharmacopeia, which sets the standard for purity and efficacy of natural active ingredients, states a limit to the tannin level in Witch Hazel products. Too high a level of tannins can irritate the skin. T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel is always below the maximum level of tannings allowed and is always gentle on your skin.
The optimal levels of tannins in our Witch Hazel Extract help your pores appear smaller and your skin feel smoother. As such, it’s the perfect ingredient for visibly toning and refining your skin. Witch Hazel is also wonderful for assisting with removing excess oil, prompting a balanced-feeling complexion, and smoothing the appearance of your skin.
How is Witch Hazel Extract made?
Although Witch Hazel plants have been used for centuries, our founder commercialised its production in 1866. Our process remains similar to our founders’ – except for some clever manufacturing automation introduced in 1981.
Harvesting
We harvest our Witch Hazel annually in its natural habitat: forests in New England, USA. The best time to do it is during the frosty winter months, when the plant is dormant yet in peak bloom. This helps minimise our environmental impact and promotes the health of the forest. Harvest managers help maintain our 33,000+ acres of certified organic harvest land, ensuring it is in tip-top condition year-round.
Distilling
Genuine Witch Hazel is defined as containing 86% witch hazel distillate and 14% alcohol to preserve the formula. This ensures product stability and safety. We use natural grain alcohol to preserve our Witch Hazel, which can be gentler than synthetic alcohols (such as isopropyl).
Production
We have on-staff formulation chemists, lab scientists, and quality assurance specialists to ensure we’re producing the best products possible. From auditing our organic harvest lands to bottling our formula, everything is done with the utmost care and precision.
What makes our Witch Hazel special?
The United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) is the independent, FDA-recognised organisation that sets the standard for quality, strength, and purity of natural active ingredients and pharmaceuticals. USP regulations require genuine Witch Hazel to be distilled from the bark and twigs of mature, dormant, Hamamelis virginiana plants with 14% alcohol. This produces the purest, most effective product. It’s this distillation process that makes our Witch Hazel the only 100% natural USP-certified Witch Hazel.
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