I’ve never used commercial toners, never felt it was needed. In my opinion toners are just an invention from cosmetic giants to make us consume more. Most of commercial toners contains alcohol and while it does have a short lasting tightening effect, it ends up drying your skin and creating sebum imbalances.
I will share with you two easy to make, DIY Natural Toners Recipes below, Aloe vera gentle and soothing cleanser & Rose hydrosol and Neroli hydrosol cleansing water and face toner.
Your skin pH is a result of the skin’s acid mantle, a mixture of sebum (skin oils) and sweat that form on the surface of your skin. This acid mantle keeps the pH of your skin at about 4 to 4.5 (Remember, low pH like 1 to 5 is acidic, high pH 8 or above is basic, and the middle, around 7, is neutral.) This slightly acidic pH is a good thing on your skin because it helps ward off harmful bacteria.
When you wash your skin, you strip away this acid mantle. I never use any soap, neither wash nor use toner on my face and do not recommend you to use any as it disrupt the fragile sebum balance of your skin.
Of course when you are use to wash your face with soap, the switch from washing your face to just rinsing with warm water will be troublesome for most (it was for me when I made the switch 5 years ago) but you will be glad you did.
Washing your face with an alcohol base toner or soap remove the sebum that is suppose to protect your skin and you end up with oily skin as your skin is trying to create more sebum to create that natural barrier. In the end you end up with an imbalanced and too oily skin which can create pimples and black heads.
To help you make the switch you can you natural alternative such as aloe vera juice, rose water, neroli and lavender flower water. They are very gently cleansing and hydrating your skin without removing too much of the natural sebum. You can use them every day but also try to just rinse your face with warm (not hot) water. You can also use the floral water to remove make up.
Aloe Vera is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and helps heal wounds of all kinds.
Suitable for all skin type.
Suitable for sensitive skin. Orange Blossom (Neroli) Oil is used in skin care preparations to stimulate cell regeneration. It has antibiotic, antiseptic, calming and tonic properties. Rose water is balancing. Use it only at night at neroli can be photosensitive.
Combine all ingredients in a dark colored glass bottle. This liquid does not require refrigeration.
Apply with a cotton pad and let dry naturally.
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View Comments
Hi, can I use Germall Plus liquid for it to have a longer shelf life?
Hello Eve,
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. I noticed that one of the ingredients for Aloe Vera Cleanser is Vit E capsule, is it ok if I replace it with Vit E oil?
Hi Rebaone, yes you can replace it with 1/4 of a teaspoon of vitamin oil.
I am looking at some hydrosols online and seeing that the require refrigeration, do all of them require it? and also its a preservative necessary? Id love a simple toner but don't want it to be bad/mold.
They do require refrigeration if you want to preserve them for a long time. if you make your toner every week, then no need to put it in the fridge.
Great.i have a question about first recipe.how long it lasts if i hold it outside of fridge?is that necessary?
it does not require refrigeration. It last as long as the shelf life of the hydrosol you are using.
thank you eve.i love your recipes
hello eve,, thank you for the recipes so far. please what is the difference between aloe vera juice and aloe vera gel?.
Hi Faustina, the aloe vera gel and juice are from the same plant but the difference is in the texture. Also ALOE VERA GEL is the clear thick gel substance you see when you split the leaf in half. The juice is found under the green skin of the leaf and is thin like water.
How can i get aloevera juice from its leaf?i thought i can make aloe juice when i blend aloevrra gel with blender.so if its not the way and that is not aloe juice then what is it and how can i get it?tnx
hi! i want to make a hair product with plants but the product doesnt last. the water rotts after 2 weeks. how can i make it last? is vitamin e(powder) good? is there any other natural stabilizer i can use? i want something that dilutes in water not oily stuff.thank you!
Hi Diana, if you use water in a homemade product, it will mold. What are you trying to make exactly?
Is it possible for a toner to be alcohol and fragrance free?
Hi Dani, yes if you use rose hydrosol (or also called rose flower water) for example which is a by product of the distillation of the essential oils. There are no alcohol nor artificial fragrance in rose hydrosol. There is a rose natural scent but it goes away fast and it is 100% natural.
What do you think of washing your face with coconut oil? This is what I use everyday and love it, but I have received a request for a facial cleanser and just wondering if I should try to convince her to try the same or can you recommend a recipe?
Hi Nathalie, coconut oil is comedogen which means it can clog pores. I personally don't use it on my face and prefer camellia seed oil or rosehip oil.
how long do these last?
Hi zaira, these last 6 months to a year depending on what is the shelf life of the hydrosol you use.