Rose without a Thorn- DIY Toner Recipe
Updated: Jan 6, 2020
Toner is one of the easiest things you can make at home; and there are a ton of reasons for this.
-You can come up with complex and pricey combos for a fraction of the cost in a store.
-You can personalize them to suit YOUR needs.
Different essential oils offer different skin benefits.
Dry skin? There's an oil for that.
Mature skin? There's a different one for that.
Acne prone? Yup, there are oils for that too.
-Toner tends to have a long shelf life, compared to many homemade products, which makes this a simple item to start with.
-I also love having the peace of mind of knowing that there are no toxins in my products. I know the name of every ingredient I use.
We are living in an age where we are becoming more aware of the dangers in many personal care ingredients. We are also living in a country where we've only banned a handful of ingredients, compared to thousands in the EU and other countries around the world.
All of these reasons coupled together have fueled my passion for becoming a DIYer of cosmetics!
Initially I went through a long period of research and experimentation before settling on recipes that I loved.
So here's my favorite facial toner. You can spritz this on your face after washing and layer your moisturizer on top or you can apply it to a cotton round and gently go over your face and neck. I even know some people who use it as a refreshing body spray!
Rose Toner for the Face
2 oz Rose Water
2 oz Witch Hazel
2 oz Distilled Water
12 drops Lavender EO
12 drops Geranium EO
6 drops Frankincense EO
4 drops Vitamin E Oil
Whisk all ingredients together and pour into a 6 oz fine mist spray bottle.
Makes 6 ounces.
Below I'll explain exactly why I choose these ingredients, give you a list of alternative ingredients, and provide links to my favorite brands so you can make this at home!
-Rose Water- Rose water has therapeutic, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory effects. It is a known acne preventative, it has anti-aging effects and naturally balances the skin's PH levels.
-Witch Hazel- Witch Hazel acts as an astringent to help shrink your pores, soothe your skin and reduce inflammation.
I like this one because it's alcohol free which can overly dry out the skin.
-Distilled Water- I prefer to use distilled water because it doesn't contain any bacteria which lengthen's the shelf life of your toner.
You can get a gallon of distilled water at your local grocery store.
-Essential Oils
-Lavender Essential Oil- Calms and relaxes your senses, has anti-inflammatory properties, and has been documented as speeding healing of minor cuts, scrapes, burns and abrasions on your skin. Has natural anti-histamine properties which aids in skin irritations and allergies.
-Geranium Essential Oil- The best oil for dry skin and dry skin conditions. Excellent for psoriasis, eczema, flaky skin, and skin that is lacking moisture.
-Frankincense Essential Oil- Well known for slowing the visible results of aging such as wrinkles and sunspots. Frankincense is also great for hyper-pigmentation, and minimizing the appearance of scars.
I purchase all of my essential oils here.
-Vitamin E Oil- Vitamin E works as an anti-oxidant, protecting your skin from free radicals and reversing damage caused by the sun's UV rays.
I love this one because it's the maximum strength available.
Other oils to consider adding and why:
Lemon- Lemon has natural detoxifying and anti-bacterial effects. It's helpful for minimizing acne, and is especially good for evening out skin tone and hyper-pigmentation. I suggest using this with Frankincense to optimize these benefits.
One word of caution when applying Lemon to the skin. Lemon oil has photosensitive properties, which means it will increase your risk of sunburn when used within 12 hours of sun exposure. For this reason I suggest you either use this only at night, or always use a broad spectrum SPF.
Tea Tree- Tea Tree is excellent for fighting skin blemishes. It has anti-fungal properties and anti-bacterial properties and is known as an excellent cleansing agent.
Patchouli- Patchouli has astringent properties which can help minimize sagging of the skin. It can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, blemishes, and other skin imperfections.
