Witch hazel has survived four centuries of skincare fashion for one reason: it works as advertised. Natures Aid’s is the classic preparation — an astringent skin tonic and cleansing lotion produced from the leaves and bark of the North American witch hazel shrub, Hamamelis, in a 150 ml bottle.

From Native American remedy to bathroom shelf

Native Americans used witch hazel extracts extensively, the early Puritan settlers adopted the practice wholesale, and the preparation has never left commercial skincare since — one of very few botanicals with that unbroken record. What kept it in service is its astringency: witch hazel tightens and refreshes skin on contact, which is the whole job of a toner, delivered by a shrub rather than a lab.

How to use it

• As a toner — sweep over cleansed skin on a cotton pad, morning and evening, before moisturiser
• As a cleansing lotion — a quick refresh for oily patches through Malta’s sticky months
• Post-shave — the traditional splash for freshly shaved skin that dislikes alcohol-heavy products
• Targeted — dabbed on oily or congested areas as part of an evening routine

Who reaches for witch hazel

People with combination or oily skin who find modern toners either too harsh or too perfumed; traditionalists who want single-botanical products with a track record; and anyone building a minimal routine — cleanse, tone, moisturise — from ingredients their grandmother would recognise. It earns its place on exactly those terms: simple, brisk, effective.

Sensible use

External use only. Patch-test before first use, keep away from the eyes, and if your skin is very dry or compromised, use it selectively rather than all over — astringency is a tool, not a religion. Store cool and capped.

Frequently asked questions

Is it drying? It’s an astringent, so it tightens by nature — oily and combination skins love that; very dry skins should use it zonally.

Fragranced? It smells of what it is — a clean, herbal-woody botanical note that dissipates quickly.

Where does it fit with rose water? Witch hazel is the brisk, astringent option; rose water is the gentle, soothing one — plenty of routines keep both and choose by the day.

The minimalist’s toner shelf

Modern toner aisles are a thicket of acids, essences and eleven-step promises; witch hazel is the exit. One botanical, one function, one price that hasn’t lost touch with reality. Building around it is simple: gentle cleanser, witch hazel on a pad where skin runs oily, moisturiser where it runs dry — a routine that costs less than a single boutique serum and travels in any wash bag. There’s a reason barbers, grandmothers and dermatology traditionalists all kept the same bottle through every skincare fashion cycle since the 1800s: when something does its one job this reliably, fashion becomes irrelevant.

Morning, evening or both? Oily skins often use it twice daily; everyone else does fine with evenings — let your skin cast the deciding vote.

Is this the same witch hazel as in pharmacy gels? Same botanical, classic liquid preparation — the format toners used before gels, and the one that gives you control over where and how much.

Can it sit in a travel bag? Ideally decanted into a small bottle — it’s the rare toner whose formula doesn’t sulk about temperature swings, which made it the historical travel staple it remains.

Does it help after sun exposure? Its refreshing coolness is welcome on hot skin, but genuine sunburn wants aftersun care and shade, not astringents.

Delivery in Malta & Gozo

€6 delivery, free over €40 across Malta and Gozo, or collection from St Paul’s Bay.