Ingredient Focus: New England Witch Hazel
New England Witch Hazel
The Process/ The Witch Hazel plant is found growing in its highest density throughout the wilderness of greater New England, home of our partner, American Distilling. All of the harvests are wild crop certified, the harvest areas are carefully selected, managed, documented and approved according to National Organic Program (NOP) regulations, ensuring the protection of the environment and the regeneration of the Witch Hazel plant.
These harvests promote and sustain the growth and successful proliferation of the species while contributing to the overall health of the forest. Harvest begins in late autumn after the leaves have fallen and continue throughout the winter and spring while the plants are dormant. During this time the ground is mostly frozen, allowing foresters access to the crop with minimal potential for adverse environmental impact. The Witch Hazel plants are then harvested and delivered to be screened and cleaned and transfered.
Raw Witch Hazel pulp is moved to storage silos for conditioning to ensure maximum and uniform extraction during the distillation process, to extracts the therapeutic organic constituents of the Witch Hazel plant material. The process utilizes all the plant materials we harvest to produce various Witch Hazel products. We then recycle the processed plant material into natural, biodegradable landscaping mulch.
Certified Organic Wild Crop
A Modern Power Plant – Hamamelis virginiana- Witch Hazel
Native Americans recognized Witch Hazel’s value and would apply it topically to treat minor wounds, abrasions and skin irritations. Nineteenth century missionaries learned of the plant’s therapeutic qualities and produced the first commercial Witch Hazel Extracts as basic ingredients for a wide array of personal care products.
Today, the applications of Witch Hazel go beyond skin care where a mild but effective astringent is desired; other applications include hair care, eyewash preparations, eye gels, mouthwashes and personal hygiene products. Dermatologists, formulation chemists and end users alike recognize Witch Hazel as a naturally soothing and effective botanical ingredient.
(Witch Hazel Is the Power, We Are the Source | American Distilling, 2019, https://www.americandistilling.com/)
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