Frugal Beauty: Witch Hazel Makes a Great Toner

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

16 Dec 2006 06:43 AM

My mother had beautiful, flawless skin. Wherever she went, she was always admired for this feature. Although I wasn't lucky enough to inherit her skin, I did inherit her beauty secrets. One product that she used in her regular beauty routine was good old witch hazel.

Witch hazel is one of those things that often gets overlooked in beauty. It doesn't come in different colors; it doesn't have fancy packaging, and you never see it advertised. But witch hazel has been around for a long time because it works. It can often be found in either the skin care section or first aid section of the drug or grocery store.

In addition to using witch hazel to treat insect bites, rashes and sore muscles, my mother always used it as an astringent and toner. Place a small amount on a cotton ball or cotton cosmetic round. Then with a delicate pressure simply wipe the witch hazel across your face. You'll be amazed at how much dirt and oil it picks up, even after you've already washed your face. Just look at the cotton ball or cotton cosmetic round for the evidence. Yuck. All of that dirt was on your face. One of the nice things about witch hazel is that it is gentle and doesn't over dry your skin. So if you have dry or combination skin (like mine), you can still use witch hazel to cleanse and tone without irritating your skin.

I decided to compare prices between witch hazel and a brand name toner/astringent. Here in Pennsylvania, an extra large bottle of witch hazel that is not currently on sale costs $3.79. An extra large bottle of brand name astringent that is not currently on sale costs $8.03! Keep in mind that I just went to one store to check prices, but the comparison is pretty dramatic. From a strictly frugal standpoint, there is just no doubt that the witch hazel is a better deal.

Do you have any frugal beauty secrets to share? I would love to hear them!

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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jonesx6 (1606) 18 Dec 2006 11:29 AM

Wow Mary Ann what a great idea!! I am going to look into this. Thanks so much! Laura J.

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 18 Dec 2006 11:36 AM

Laura, let me know how the witch hazel works for you. I've sworn by it for years.

--Mary Ann

ruoyi909 (6) 18 Mar 2007 03:11 AM

This reminded me about a great makeup remover: BABY OIL or MINERAL OIL. It is perfect for removing eye makeup (even waterproof mascara). It works better than most 'official' makeup removers, is very gentle on the eyes, and is much cheaper too!

I would recommend buying a very small bottle though. I've found that larger bottles tend to leak a bit from the top and get a bit of oil on your bathroom counter. Haven't had that problem with the smaller bottles...

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 04 Jul 2007 12:08 PM

Thanks for the tip Ruoyi! Sine the larger bottles tend to be less expensive, maybe they can be decanted into smaller bottles.