The son of a physician and one of Massachusetts’ founding families, Henry Thayer was trained in the medical arts at Boston Medical School and received the degree of M.D. The special study to which he devoted himself was chemistry, under the most eminent chemists of Boston and New York.

Initially, Dr. Thayer practiced medicine for a short time, and at 21 years of age in 1843, opened a drug store in Douglass Block in Cambridge, where he continued for a few years, only leaving to establish his famed Henry Thayer & Company in 1847, on corner of Main and Essex Streets in Cambridge.

Dr. Thayer began a series of experiments in 1850, aiming to perfect the technique of evaporating in vacuum with the goal of preparing extracts in a concentrated form. With the success of these experiments, he began the manufacture of fluid extracts. During the Civil War, the products of his establishment were in active demand for the Army, as the government looked to Henry Thayer & Co for a large portion of its hospital supplies. The products found favor with all practitioners in the treatment of disease. During this period of time, Henry Thayer & Co has been described as the largest manufacturer of pharmaceuticals in America, finding sale of the company’s preparations both at home and abroad.

Over time, Dr. Thayer continued to produce his line of herbal extracts, which grew to include over 800 products in the form of infusions, poultices, syrups, tinctures, and wines. Prominent among the products was Witch Hazel Extract, listed as a “tonic, astringent and sedative.”

Witch Hazel, a flowering plant known for its medicinal properties, has become the brand’s hero ingredient. Today, Witch Hazel is incorporated into our highly sought after alcohol-free toners and astringents, as well as our new facial mists and body bars. Thayers Witch Hazel is Certified Organic and sourced from a family farm in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Our products are made the old-fashioned way – and not distilled – so they contain 195% more tannins, which are naturally occurring substances found in the bark and skin of some plants, including Witch Hazel. Tannins have mild antioxidant properties and help to balance skin’s pH levels, reduce irritation and serve as one of the best natural acne remedies.

In addition to Witch Hazel, we harness the power of Slippery Elm that is extracted from the Ulmus Fulva Tree, and endorsed by the FDA for its soothing, protective, moisturizing and healing properties. A natural demulcent, Slippery Elm is the active ingredient in our Lozenges, to heal sore throats and overworked vocal cords. Incorporated into Thayers Lip Balms, it moisturizes and heals dry, chapped lips.

A legacy brand, Thayers natural elixirs have been a fixture in medicine cabinets for generations – for 170 years to be exact. Through a long-standing commitment to creating pure, effective, cruelty-free products of the highest natural quality, we have built a loyal consumer base. Once you use them, you’ll know why.

Our founder Henry Thayer, M.D., esteemed for his medicinal knowledge and skill (and kindly disposition!) devoted himself to the science of natural extracts, opening his laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1847. Thayers Natural Remedies has stood the test of time and today we follow the path Hanry Paved, creating high quality, effective skincare sourced from nature.

Witch Hazel is a flowering plant known by many for its medicinal properties and natural toning benefits on skin. Native to New England and grown at the farm outside our office, it is harvested each autumn and extracted with care in a slow maceration process, never involving acohol.

Our products act like elixirs to refresh, moisturize and give skin glow. With 98% Natural-Origin Ingredient formulas that are clean, Cruelty-Free, Vegan, and Dermatologist tested for Safety, and with over 33,000+ outstanding product reviews on Amazon, we are truly a cult favorite.