An astringent is a product that shrinks tissues, reducing the appearance of pores. It can also remove excess oil, but some astringents can dry out the skin, so it is important to choose the right product for your skin type. Astringents are liquid-based formulas, usually containing isopropyl (rubbing alcohol) . However, natural astringents with alcohol from botanicals and even alcohol-free astringents are also available. Astringents work best for oily, acne-prone skin, as they help remove excess oil and unclog pores. Some common ingredients in astringents include witch hazel, citric acid, salicylic acid, and alcohol. Astringents may have several benefits for your skin, such as shrinking the appearance of pores, tightening skin, cleansing irritants from skin, reducing inflammation, reducing acne, and providing anti-bacterial benefits. However, they may also have side effects, such as drying out the skin and making acne worse.
In Ayurveda, astringent is the sixth taste (after sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter) represented by "air and earth". The astringent taste is a flavor of dryness that is generally produced by tannins in the bark, leaves, and outer rinds of fruits and trees. It causes the mucus membranes in the mouth to contract and results in an immediate dry, chalky, and sometimes puckering sensation in the mouth. Examples of substances that illustrate the astringent taste include apples, bananas (green), cranberries, pomegranate, alfalfa sprouts, avocado, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots (raw), cauliflower, green beans, lettuce, peas, potatoes, most raw vegetables, and pasta (wheat) .
