Nada Abbady 
Facial toners are an underrated but essential part of your skincare routine, not only do they unclog and tighten your poresو but they also balance the pH level of your skin and gives it a natural glow. Considering you need to use toner twice a day, buying expensive toners with a short shelf-life might be draining, so, I will give you easy and quick Homemade skin toners to overcome this.
Here's your guide on how and why to use a skin toner and get the natural glow you've always wanted while saving time and money by making your own natural facial toner at home.
How to Use a Skin Toner?
Your skincare regime is called CTM which means; cleanse, tone and then moisturize. Your facial toner comes in second place after your facial wash/cleanser. So the steps go as follows...
1. Wash your face with a mild cleanser.
2. Soak a cotton pad with toner.
3. Swipe the cotton pad in an outward motion all over your face.
4. Wait a couple of minutes for your skin to absorb it.
5. Apply a moisturizer compatible with your skin type.
Benefits of Using a Facial Toner
Now you're probably wondering how do skin toners actually work to give your skin a natural glow? Well, the functionality of each toner varies based on its composition, yet there are common benefits that almost all of them grant and I've listed them down for you.
- Maintains pH Balance
The pH level of the skin is a scale from 1 to 14, 1 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline, the optimum ph level is 5.5 so when you wash your skin with an alkaline cleanser, your naturally acidic skin loses its pH balance. A facial toner is used to maintain a balanced pH which acts as a barrier to bacteria and keeps your skin healthy.
- Tightens Skin Pores
Toner helps you eliminate the excess oil, sweat, dirt, and makeup residuals stuck inside the skin pores. With fewer toxins settling on your face, your pores shrink in size giving you a fresher and clearer appearance.
- Fights Against Acne
The anti-bacterial properties of the toner remove oily buildups and unclog your pores which not only assists in reducing facial acne and blemishes but also prevents future breakouts.
- Keeps Skin Hydrated
A facial toner works as a moisture preservative which helps in keeping the skin hydrated for a longer period of time providing you with an effective base or primer for makeup and facial cosmetics. Therefore toning guarantees that your favorite moisturizer can nourish your skin deeply.
If you want to add more organic products into your skincare routine check these 5 organic skincare brands that redefined the beauty industry standards.
5 DIY Natural Skin Toner Recipes
1. Green tea natural toner for acne
Image credits: Pinterest
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of strongly brewed green tea (preferably leaves)
- 8 drops of tea tree oil
Steps:
1. Add tea tree oil drops to brewed tea.
2. Place in a glass spray bottle.
3. Shake well before use.
Aside from toning, green tea has countless benefits for your skin.
Find out What green tea can do for your skin.
2. Rice water facial toner
Image credits: BLDG 25 blog
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of raw rice
- 1/2 cup of filtered water or tap water but boil it and let it cool
Steps:
1. Rinse rice under running water until it starts running clear and not milky.
2. Place rice in a glass bowl and cover with water.
3. Let rice and water sit for 30-45 min, during this time the rice infuses its vitamins and minerals.
4. Strain water in another bowl and then place it in your spray bottle.
5. Shake your toner before each use.
3. Iced rosewater skin toner
Image credits: Pinterest
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of rose water
- 1/2 cup of aloe vera
Steps:
1. Mix both the aloe vera and the rose water together.
2. Place in an ice tray.
3. For usage swipe one ice cube on your face directly.
Here are other Six ways to use rosewater.
4. Cucumber and aloe vera toner
Image credits: Helloglow.com
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of cucumber juice
- 1 Tbsp of aloe vera gel
Steps:
1. Add the aloe vera gel to the cucumber juice and mix well.
2. Place in a glass spray bottle.
3. Shake well before use.
4. After usage, wash your face with cold water.
Also, check out what Aloe vera can do for your skin.
5. Basil facial toner
Image credits: Pinterest
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup of boiling distilled water
Steps:
1. Shred the basil leaves and press with a fork
2. Poor on it the boiling water
3. Place in a glass spray bottle
Things to remember:
- These are natural toners made from natural juices so store them in the refrigerator to stay fresh and they will probably live for up to one week.
- You can experiment using each of them or only the ones that you like, but different skin types react to different natural ingredients so always choose the one with ingredients suitable to your skin.
- Placing them in a glass container instead of plastic is highly recommended.
Main image credits: Instagram @anyaholdstock
