Use one (or more!) of these facial toner recipes to optimize your skincare regimen.

Being the stickler I am about my skin, the toner concept always bugged me. Applying a facial toner has been the most neglected part of my skincare regimen to date. Doing so always seemed unnecessary – for me, cleansing and moisturizing did the trick. But was I missing out on something essential and perhaps, game changing?

I came to learn that I was indeed missing out on an important step in attaining and maintaining a healthy, youthful complexion. A facial toner successfully cleans and tightens pores and restores the skin’s natural pH levels. It also can soak up excess oil and remove dirt, makeup, and dead skin cells from the face. Considering the pollutants and stress I’m exposed to on a daily basis, a facial toner was set to make a huge difference for my skin. And, it did!

Even so, I wasn’t about to break the bank for a substance that is more or less flavored water or willing to put alcohol or toxic substances on my face when it is most vulnerable – post-cleansing. I decided to make my own facial toners, one for each of its shifting states throughout the year: oily, sensitive, and dry.

These facial toner recipes are my go-to concoctions. Try them out for yourself and see which works best for you. As a rule, apply a facial toner after cleansing and before moisturizing the skin. All of the following recipes suggest pouring the toners into a spray bottle, so you can apply the tonics as a mist, but you can very well use a cotton ball or pad to dab or lightly rub the toner onto your skin as well.

3 Facial Toner Recipes for 3 Skin Conditions

1. For Oily Skin

Makes ½ cup

Ingredients

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 3-5 drops of lavender oil

Directions

Pour the apple cider vinegar and water into a spray bottle and shake. The mixture is stable enough and does not need to be stored in the refrigerator.

2. For Sensitive Skin

Makes ½ cup

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried rosebuds
• hot filtered water

Directions

Pour the water over the rosebuds in a small bowl and let sit for one to two hours. While steeping, the essence from the rosebuds will infuse into the water and the water will cool to room temperature. Once finished steeping, strain the mixture and pour the rose water into a spray bottle.

3. For Dry Skin

Makes 1/2 cup

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried rosebuds
• hot filtered water
• 1 drop chamomile oil
• 1 drop geranium oil

Directions

Follow the directions for the sensitive skin toner recipe above. Once finished steeping, strain the mixture and pour the rose water into a spray bottle. Add a drop of both chamomile and geranium oil. Shake to mix.

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Herbal ingredients image via Shutterstock

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