Witch Hazel & Ethyl Alcohol ~ What's the Difference?

Hamamelis virginiana tree

Hamamelis x. intermedia

 +Bloomfield Bath uses two alternatives to alcohol in the making of their skincare products, Witch Hazel and Cetearyl Alcohol. The cetearyl alcohol is used in the lotions, creams, butters, and conditioners to prevent the product from separating. The witch hazel extract is used in the Floral Water Skin Toner to help cleanse and moisturize your face, gently. This blog is going to address effects of witch hazel, cetearyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol on the skin and is only for informational purposes only. Please consult your dermatologist regarding your skincare needs.
  If you are wondering, "What is Witch Hazel?"It is a small tree found in the damp woods through out North America and Asia. There are 3 species in North America and one each in Japan and China. The extract is made from the bark, flowers and leaves. The colors of the petals can be yellow/pale, orange or red. The fruit has two parts each with a black, glossy seed. Eight months after the tree has flowered, the seed explodes from the fruit, flying up to 33 ft away from the tree. Most of the species of the Witch Hazel Tree blooms between January and March, except for the Virginian species. This species blooms between September and November. The branch of a witch hazel tree was once used to find water, now this tree is used as a natural herb for cleansing, moisturizing and toning the skin.

the buds on the witch hazel tree

The bark, leaves and twigs of the witch hazel tree has high amounts of tannins, which when used on your skin, will tighten pores, reduce/soothe aching, inflamed varicose veins and remove excess oils. All this without drying out or breaking down your skin cells. The properties of this tree causes the body tissues to contract which helps with reducing blood flow in minor bruises. There are many uses for witch hazel, most being external, and it is an ingredient used in many healthcare products. In addition to being able to tighten the skin and remove excess oils, witch hazel can be used as a natural remedy for psoriasis, eczema, cracked or blistering skin, poison ivy and even treating insect bites. Witch Hazel is a powerful antioxidant and it also contains procyanadins, resin, and flovonoids. These antioxidants contributes to the removal of damaging impurities. Witch Hazel will even treat sunburn and it will disinfect minor cuts. Many tattoo artists use witch hazel in the after care of doing a tattoo.

Home Remedy uses for Witch Hazel

Why shouldn't we use rubbing alcohol on insect bites, cuts and bruises? Ethyl Alcohol (also known as rubbing alcohol) is a flammable chemical made of a specialized methylated spirit (also known as Denatured), ethanol alcohol and water. (Denaturing makes the solution undrinkable when mixed without altering the chemical makeup.) Rubbing alcohol breaks down your skin's barriers preventing the skin from naturally protecting the body. Witch Hazel, on the other hand, nurtures the skin by moisturizing and preventing it from drying out. When you use witch hazel instead of rubbing alcohol, your skin will continue to doing what it is made to do, defend your body against harmful dirt and grim.

long term alcohol use on the skin prevents your skin from doing its job.

Alcohol can be mixed with any ingredient easily and some skin and hair care companies add this to their products, to increase the ability of their ingredients penetrating through the skin. Some of the ingredients may be good for the body, but there are some ingredients that could be damaging. The more you use alcohol on the skin, the more damage you are doing to your skin cells making it more difficult for them to be repaired. Some with oily skin may think that using ethyl alcohol to wipe away excess oils is helping, but this is not good practice. The alcohol will not only dry up the skin, but it will also cause your pores to produce additional oils as a response to the dry skin. Thus, causing you to use more alcohol. This is not a chain reaction you would want to repeat. The more you apply the alcohol to your skin to more it will tear down your skins barriers. Making you more susceptible to the invasion of impurities. There are natural options available to help keep your skin soft, beautiful and protected. Bloomfield Bath offers a Beautiful Face Set that comes with a cleanser, a toner (alcohol free) and a moisturizer. The beauty in the set is you do not have to use all ingredients at once for the product to work. If you use the cleanser in the morning, there is no need to use the toner. If you choose to use the toner that night, no need for the cleanser. You may want to use the face cream to add moisture, but the key here is minimum works best. There are three floral water options: jasmine, lavender, and rose. This is not a scent choice, it is more of a type of flower you would prefer to receive floral water from. 

Another way to draw out impurities and gently exfoliate your face is using the Facial Mask. The mask contains natural fruit extracts and are beneficial to your body's care as well.

The 2nd alternative to alcohol that Bloomfield Bath uses to keep your skin protected is a natural vegan alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol. Cetearyl Alcohol is a mix of  cetyl and stearyl alcohol and it is found in plants. Cetearyl Alcohol works as a foaming agent in addition to be a stabilizer. This alcohol helps binds ingredients together, naturally. The added bonus of Cetearyl Alcohol is the calming properties that maintains the skins smoothness and softness. Your skin's barriers is the protection your body requires. So Use alcohol free products and say "Bye-Bye" to ethyl alcohol for your skincare needs. 

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