First of all, what exactly is an astringent, by definition? Well, believe it or not, it’s not primarily used to describe what we would think of first (most likely, at least me!) as a skin care product or part of the skin care routine, but it is actually something that is antiseptic, or cleansing and antibacterial in nature. So, there are many natural astringents that will help to cleanse as well as take bacteria off the skin, but what about the ones that should be used in yoru skin care routine, as a tightening, toning part of your nightly and daily cleansing routine?
Well, first and foremost, if you do not use an astringent in a bottle, and it is not necessary, but some skin care enthusiasts swear that you have to have this as part of your skin care routine, you should always use a splash of cold water after washing your face in warm water, because the cold water closes up your pores again and does not leave them as susceptible to receive bacteria and dirt into them and cause what we know as an acne blemish or blackhead.
Other ways that you can naturally close your pores up, and for little cost are witch hazel, which is very inexpensive and can usually be found at any local drug store, and rosemary and lemon juice are also known for their astringent qualities, and can supposedly be uised on the skin as a surface astringent. I’d be careful with the lemon juice though, because it is highly acidic, and should probably be dilluted before using as an astringent on the skin. Herbal skin care products may contain rosemary in them if they have an astringent in their line, or they may also contain various levels of witch hazel, or possibly minute amounts of alcohol, or at least we hope.
Witch hazel is a good choice if you want something very mild and don’t want anything that feels like it could take the paint off a bumper like Sea Breeze or Clearasil face pads. Also not a good idea are any astringents that are strongly scented, as that usually means there is a ton of alcohol in them, and alcohol definitely dries the skin more than we want it too.
I have personally used astringents on and off, never sticking to one brand (as I usually do, no brand loyalty here, except for a few of my favorites that will never change), and I personally have not found that much added benefit in using them. I however also have acne on and off and also tend to have more sensitive skin, and I think people with this skin type might be more irritated by astringents than benefitted by them. That’s just my personal experience though.
