The name doesn’t sound all that appealing—the last thing I want to my skin to resemble is anything that remotely calls to mind a witch—but witch hazel can actually do wonders for your skin. Witch hazel is an astringent that comes from the leaves and bark of the plant of the same name, and it has a ton of uses—it’s basically an essential product for any household. Most importantly, witch hazel can really help transform your skin. Below are a just a few of the most impressive things witch hazel can do to give you glowing, healthy skin.

Witch hazel in various forms

Brighter Eyes
When applied to the skin, witch hazel works at shrinking blood vessel, which ultimately tightens the skin. Not only with that help reduce puffiness around the eye area, among other spots, but it will also work to fix the discoloration, ultimately leaving us with brighter, younger eyes. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball in some witch hazel oil and then apply to the area you’d like to treat, leaving it on for 5-8 minutes before rinsing.

Shrink Veins
In addition to witch hazel’s ability to shrink blood vessels, it’s also a powerful anti-inflammatory and can help reduce swelling. This makes it a wonderful natural solution for treating varicose veins. Not only will it help reduce the appearance, but it also helps to alleviate any pain from this condition. Soak a terry cloth in witch hazel oil and apply the cloth to the area. Propping the area up high will also help to decrease blood pressure and in turn reduce swelling, making the treatment most effective.

Fight Acne
Witch hazel is not only a natural astringent, but it also has antibacterial properties, which means it works to kill harmful bacteria that like to find a home on your skin. This makes it a great solution for many skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and of course acne. Additionally, the catechol tannins in the formula help remove excess oil, making it great for blackhead removal and prevention as well as a fix for blemishes. Simply apply witch hazel oil to the affected area.