For decades witch hazel has fallen in and out of fashion in the beauty industry.
It's often recognized in its liquid form, which looks like water, sitting in a medicine cabinet or in the drugstore next to hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol. While some people have incorporated this extract into their skincare routine, it's sometimes added to creams, ointments, gels, and salves.
Witch hazel is commonly used as an all-natural astringent, doubling down on its anti-inflammatory properties by soothing irritated and inflamed skin. From treating hemorrhoids to calming pimples, this product can be used for a wide variety of medicinal purposes.
Herbalists have treasured its cooling effect for centuries, and its distinctive woody scent is easily recognizable. That's because witch hazel is derived from the twigs, bark, and leaves of elm trees. Four species are native to North America, one to Japan and one to China.
Skincare products have used witch hazel extract as a natural remedy for reducing the appearance of blemishes, providing a cooling sensation to lotions, and tightening and toning the skin.
Anyone who's found a long-forgotten bottle stashed in the back of a medicine cabinet might wonder, before twisting off the cap, whether it has surpassed its expiration date and turned.
Does Witch Hazel Expire?
The short answer is: yes. Witch hazel does go bad, as is true with most all-natural products.
Witch Hazel from Public Goods is completely alcohol-free and doesn't include any artificial fragrances or ingredients. Instead, it contains aloe vera and lavender oil. With no alcohol in the formulation, it can stay good for around two years.
Some witch hazel products contain alcohol, which may prolong shelf life. It's worth reading the ingredients before use to see whether a bottle contains pure witch hazel or a combination of ingredients.
While alcohol may prolong shelf life, that added ingredient may also cause unwanted side effects. For example, using witch hazel on the face to calm inflammation could be further dried out and irritated by added alcohol. Witch hazel with alcohol may be better reserved for cleansing minor cuts and scrapes.
Examples of Expiration Dates for Witch Hazel
From Nature With Love notes that 86% witch hazel (which contains added alcohol as an ingredient) expires after two years.
Thayer's claims that its Rose Petal Witch Hazel Facial Toner, which contains grapefruit seed extract as a natural preservative instead of alcohol, does not technically expire, though they recommend using it for only two years after opening.
Additionally, American Distilling states that its witch hazel product, containing 14% alcohol, has a shelf life greater than three years.
So the answer to whether witch hazel goes bad is largely dependent on the specific product selected.
How To Know If Witch Hazel Has Expired
While some brands put an expiration date on the box, the most important tools for checking whether a bottle is still good to use are simply sight and smell. If it looks ripped, stained, or shows any mold growing on it, that bottle should probably be trashed.
The same goes if a bottle is swollen with water, or has been rolling around a bag or coat pocket without proper packaging. If the wrapper or seal is only slightly compromised but the bottle is otherwise intact, that may still be fine. A funky smell, however, is a clear sign that the product should be tossed.
What Happens When Witch Hazel Goes Bad
Witch hazel that's suspected to have expired should be thrown away. Since it's typically used to soothe minor skin irritations, expired witch hazel will only make them worse and may cause infection.
When using witch hazel, avoid double-dipping. While it has astringent properties, it is not a disinfectant.
To avoid contamination, it can help to pour a portion of witch hazel into a bowl and dispose of the excess rather than dipping directly into the bottle.
If applying witch hazel straight from the bottle, dabbing it onto a cloth or cotton ball instead of dipping the cloth into the solution helps avoid contaminating the whole bottle with a foreign object, which can expedite spoiling.
Fortunately, witch hazel is relatively inexpensive to replace. Public Goods' Witch Hazel is biodegradable, alcohol-free, cruelty-free and vegan. Made with organic aloe vera, it's safe for sensitive skin and works well as an active ingredient in DIY face wash, makeup remover, deodorant, aftershave, and acne cleanser.
Leave a comment