Using toner (or astringent) as part of a regular skin care routine is helpful in removing dirt, tightening pores, and preparing the skin to be moisturized.
Toners are also known to remove excess oil from the skin, which is helpful for those with extremely oil skin. That said, the pore-tightening effects of toner are beneficial to most skin types.
Many of you may already use toner, and I expect you’ve also heard that witch hazel is an excellent, inexpensive alternative to skin care brands. So, today I’d like to share a few different ways you can make toner at home.
Super simple toners (no recipe required)
Green tea
Brew a cup of green tea and allow to cool. Use a cotton ball to apply to skin.
Green tea especially helpful in soothing irritated skin or sunburns.
Witch Hazel
Easily found at the grocery store or pharmacy, witch hazel is an excellent toner for oily-to-normal and combination skin. It is best avoided on sunburned or extremely dry skin. Because of its antibacterial properties, witch hazel is useful in treating acne prone skin.
Aloe Vera juice
Apply pure aloe vera juice as you would any other toner. This is most suitable for oily skin but can be soothing to sunburned or wind burned skin. It is not recommended for extremely dry skin. If you find aloe vera too drying, dilute with up to 50% distilled water.
Toner recipes
If you would like to try your hand at making toner, the following three recipes are simple and quick to prepare.
Soothing Chamomile Toner
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup vodka
- ¼ cup witch hazel
- ¼ cup dried chamomile flowers
Instructions:
- Mix everything in a glass jar. Close with a tight-fitting lid.
- Allow to sit for 2 weeks.
- Strain and pour into a clean jar.
Sweet Orange Toner
Ingredients:
- ½ cup witch hazel
- 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
Instructions:
- Add ingredients to a clean jar, close with a tight -fitting lid. Shake to blend.
Mint-Vinegar Toner
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup distilled water
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients, cover and allow to sit for three days.
- Strain out the mint leaves and pour toner into a clean container with a tight fitting lid.
How to use toner:
Clean skin with cleanser, wash off with warm water.
Pat excess water off with a dry towel.
Pour a small amount of toner onto a cotton ball and apply to the face. If you do not wish to use cotton balls, you may also spritz the face with toner stored in a spray bottle. Just be sure to close your eyes first!
Do you use toner regularly? Have you ever tried to make your own?
Homemade Laundry Powder: 3 Ingredients. 10 Minutes.
I use Witch Hazel once in the morning and once at night, after I wash my face. My routine is simple. In the AM I splash water on my face, apply witch hazel and then moisturize. At night I wash my face, apply witch hazel and then moisturize. I no longer use the fancy pants products and you know what? My skin has never been better! A lot less breakouts since I started this routine… about 2 years ago!!
I love these, Stacy! Pinning for sure!
A friend gave me witch hazel after my son was born to sooth soreness and even though it says right on the front that it tones skin, I never thought to use it as a toner. Duh! I dug it out from the back of the shelf and used it this morning after reading this post and almost immediately noticed a decrease in redness. Will be adding this to my skincare routine!
Great recipes! I’ve been making a thyme/witch hazel toner which is great for oily/ acne prone skin. I blogged about it this summer: http://nearlynaturalnicole.blogspot.com/2012/07/thyme-tincture-for-blemishes.html#
In the first example, is that liquid witch hazel (in alcohol) or the dry herb? Thank you. 🙂
Liquid witch hazel.
Sorry, I’ve got school on the brain. I meant the first “recipe”, not “example”. 😉
I’ve been browsing around different health and natural stores looking for a toner to replace my conventional one (after I read ‘Ecoholic Body’ by Adria Vasil, all the chemicals I was dabbing on my face everyday started to freak me out), but I never, ever thought of making my own toner! I’m going to brew up some green tea right away while I’m waiting for my chamomile toner to set up!
Oh, these recipes look fabulous! I love homemade toners and I’m definitely going to try these – chamomile will be first, I think.
I’ve typically used either rosewater, cucumber, or kombucha in my toners, but I’m going to have to give witch hazel another try after seeing your recipes. Thanks for the inspiration!
Here are the recipes I typically use: 5 Homemade Facial Toners + How to Make Rosewater
Do you have a recommendation for dry skin?
I’m assuming this has absolutely nothing to do with my office’s copy machine toner? That would probably not be best applied to cotton-balls and streaked across my wife’s face. Any chance of a blog-post about facial scrubs you can also spread on toast? Because I believe those are the best kinds of beauty products. You’re close here…but nothing seems that edible. 🙂 Cool stuff though, for sure.
100% edible facial scrub: try with ground oats, drops of water and (optional) a drop of a nice-smelling essential oil. Or try with sugar or salt in a wet face. I prefer oats 😉
Hmmm…I’ve never used a toner. I guess I’ve never known what it was for! lol! I have heard of using witch hazel for acne, but have never tried it. My problem is that I have acne, with dry, flaky skin…NOT oily skin! Seems like anything recommended for acne is supposed to reduce oils, but I don’t want that! Is witch hazel very drying? Maybe I’ll try chamomile or green teas, they sound soothing.
Try cleaning face with honey. Great for acne.
Awesome, thanks for sharing this!
this sounds like a GREAT recipe! i’m wondering if anyone has some good suggestions/recipes/links to cleanser and/or moisturizer other than my typical drug/department store brand?? thanks! 🙂
I just started using witch hazel – I ran out of toner and had wanted to start using more made at home stuff anyway. The problem was I also used witch hazel for postpartum care of stitches, so the smell wasn’t the most pleasant memory wise.
I never thought to add any of the essential oils I have – silly mommy brain. Will definitely have some new things to try out!
Thank you for sharing all of your helpful hints. We are in the middle of needing these type of skin care products, and I thought I would look into home made/natural before buying another “not-so-sure about” product.
i use a toner that is a mixture of unfiltered apple-cider vinegar and a citrus green tea. world amazingly. took a while to get use to the smell though.
I need advice to make my own toner,My skin is dry..what type of toner could you recommend me to make? I have freckles and one or two spots of pigmentation.Thanks
I’ve made a homemade version of makeup remover comparable to lancome’s! All I did was basically mix toner and oil ingrients. Like witch hazel, vit E oil, sweet almond oil, drops of lavender, etc…… It is WONDERFUL. Never buy expensive makeup remover again!! It separates just like the lancome one, so you just shake it first before putting it on a cotton piece. 🙂
Awesome recipe! Does it matter what vodka? Because there’s this really crappy one in my house that’s been sitting there since the last party.
Hi, i am trying for a toner which is alcohol free and chemical free, which suits for oily skin and that can be used on daily basis. Thanks for the detailed review. surely gonna try it 🙂