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I used 100% and I ran out. I just now went to Walmart and bought some and saw later it was 86% Witch Hazel with 14% alcohol, not the 100% like I had. The 100% bottle also said it contained 14% alcohol (I didn't throw it away yet).

Are these the same, just different marketing? If not, which should I use?

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  • Please do not answer in comments, that is not what the comment system is for.
    – JohnP
    Commented Jan 14, 2016 at 18:42
  • @JohnP Surely, a small, brief answer in the comments section, is better than no answer at all? :/
    – user19679
    Commented Jan 14, 2016 at 23:57
  • Can you expand a little on what you want to use the witch hazel for? It's a good astringent solution for topical use, at both 100 and 86%. Right now I can't answer but the obvious question, which is probably off topic.
    – Atl LED
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 3:11
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    @user19679 - No. Comments, unlike answers, cannot be downvoted. It circumvents one of the primary functions of the site.
    – JohnP
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 4:12
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    @user19679 no. If your answer is good enough to answer the question, then post an answer. If your answer is not good enough, then don't post it anywhere. This is not an exam where you have to show that you know at least a little bit of the topic. It is a place where people expect reliable, thoughtful answers. If you can provide them, great. If you can't, don't. Don't offer substitute pseudoanswers in places where answers don't belong.
    – rumtscho
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:57

1 Answer 1

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With out a little more information, I'm not sure I can provide a meaningful answer. In response to comments, I thought I would make it clear that both products are likely the same (double distilled witch hazel). You should continue using the new bottle as before, assuming you were properly using it in the first place.

I doubt there are any truly 100% witch hazel products, other than the plant itself, that are commercially available. The "100%" product is normally labeled as "essential oil." This would be opposed to the "extract" which has a higher concentration of solvent (in this case ethanol), which can be removed in sequential distillation steps.

Double distilled extract is what is most commonly used medically, and it has 14% ethanol by volume as you described. Any medical recommendations you received would almost assuredly be about this concentration. Did it perhaps say it was 100% Witch Hazel in a 14% ethanol solution? While not clear, that would be accurate.

Browsing my institution's ordering system, the highest concentration I could find was from a chemical supply company, and that was with 8% ethanol. I don't think this would provide you any advantage, and you should probably just by a reasonably priced generic from your local retailer.

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  • You haven't actually responded to his/her, true question. The OP is enquiring about Acne and Dermatology. OP is asking, whether the pure product or the dilute product is better to use considering his skin type and hence, why the question was posted in Health.SE and not elsewhere. You only have information/"fluff", about the different products which is somewhat irrelevant and unimportant.
    – user19679
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 17:18
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    @user19679 If you will note, other than the tag, there is no mention of acne in the question. Further, I asked very clearly in a comment to the question what the witch hazel was for (which again, is not provided in the question). Then, if you look at the first sentence of my answer, I acknowledged this shortcoming. Finally, you note I answered the only question she actually asked, and if you read and understood my answer, the products she's asking about are most likely the same, not a dilute or pure version.
    – Atl LED
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 17:31
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    @user19679 I disagree as a mater of fact. The question "Are these the same, just different marketing?" is directly answered by my post. I'm willing to entertain that the question should be marked as off-topic as such. Further the question "If not, which should I use?" is also answered because the products are likely the same, for the reasons listed.
    – Atl LED
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 17:41
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    @user19679 yes, you do in fact, need to say more. Or rather, the OP does. Just adding a tag to a question does not suddenly change the question.
    – YviDe
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:38
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    For what's it worth, I strongly believe there's just no difference at all in the two solutions the OP bought. Both contain 14 percent alcohol, and since it's impossible for there to be more than 100 percent in there, the rest is witch hazel.
    – YviDe
    Commented Jan 15, 2016 at 18:40

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