What is a toner and why is it important?
You probably have heard about toners from many skin care professionals or even from your friends who use them in their daily skin care routine. Toners are one of those skin products that a lot of people doubt for its effectiveness ,whether they actually do anything or how to use and when to use the toner. A toner helps in tightening the pores, refreshes and rejuvenates the skin by reducing sebum production. It can also be used as a gentle makeup remover to remove all fragments of makeup.
Toners are the best buy especially for the people with oily skin as it removes excess oil from the skin which leads to less acne. They are specifically designed to restore the Ph balance of the skin.
The basic skincare regime is known as CTM ( cleansing, toning and moisturizing). Toners are the second step of the process which are supposed to add hydration to make it supple and smooth. Avoid chemical, alcohol based toners and buy only natural toners for providing long term hydration to the skin.
In this article, we have shortlisted a few handmade toners for glowing skin which you can definitely try making at home. The steps are very simple to follow.
- Green Tea Toner : Green tea is perfect for a homemade toner because it is packed with nutrients and soothing agents that can improve the quality of skin and delays the signs of anti aging.. There are numerous ways of using green tea in your beauty regime. This recipe of making green tea toner is so easy and will trap the moisture to keep your skin hydrated all day long.
Steps to make :
- Add 1/4th cup of green tea into 2 cups of boiling water.
- Allow green tea water to cool down
- Strain the green tea and add 2-3 drops of essential oil
- Deport the solution to a clean spray bottle.
- Spray the solution on your face directly or you can use a cotton pad or ball for the application.
- Do it twice a day for better and effective results.
- Rose Water Toner : Rosewater is very effective in toning oily skin, reducing acne and calming sunburns. Its blissful fragrance enhances your mood and makes it an amazing product to be considered in many skin care routines. Rosewater presents a number of benefits for the skins and it is a very gentle astringent toner.
Steps to make :
- Take two cups of fresh rose petals and mix it with 2 cup of water.
- Place this mixture to a pan and simmer under low heat until water is reduced by half and rose petals have lost most of its colour.
- Strain out the petals by using a strainer and let it cool down.
- Store it in a spray bottle and apply it after cleansing and before moisturizing.
- Add glycerine to the toner if you have dry skin as it will add more moisturizing quality to the skin.
- Cucumber and Aloe Vera Toner : Blend of Aloe vera and Cucumber is contemplated as practically an excellent mixture for your face and skin and perfect addition to any skin care regime. Thanks to its soothing and healing ingredients. The humid and suffocating summer and workout sweat can use up most of the water present in our body, which makes your skin look lifeless and sluggish. It is crucial to hydrate your skin to make it look youthful and radiant.
The mixture of Aloe vera and cucumber will help you in making your skin hydrated and rejuvenating throughout the summer season.
Steps to make :
- Peel and slice half a cucumber and blend it into a blender. Then add aloe vera gel into the mixture and blend it again into a food processor or a blender.
- Strain the mixture by using a strainer and mix in 2 tablespoons of water to water down the solution.
- Store this in a spray bottle and put the bottle in the fridge to preserve the freshness.
- Finish it within a week to retain the freshness.
- Neem Toner : The evergreen, neem leaves provides a number of skin benefits including its ability to fight skin pigmentation, dry skin, facial acne, scars, wrinkles, sunburn, fungal infections. It has been claimed to be a natural cure for skin related issues for thousands of years. Neem leaves are laden with antibacterial properties which reduces the chances of producing further breakouts and skin damage.
Steps to make :
- Take a handful of neem leaves and wash them perfectly with plain water.
- Place them into a container of boiling water.
- Enclose the lid until the leaves change its colour.
- Remove the container from the heat and let the mixture cool down.
- Filter the liquid into a container and place that into a spray bottle later.
- Keep it in the refrigerator and finish it within a week by applying it on your face twice a day.
- Rice Water Toner : This staple ingredient used in our daily life can do wonders. Rice water rehydrates the skin, makes it plump, supple and prevents wrinkles and fine lines. It has been considered the best way to promote longer and thicker hair. Besides, now it is gaining acceptance as a skin treatment too. It helps in healing acne and prevents redness caused by pimples.
Steps to make :
You can use any white rice available in your kitchen but it should be organic and natural.
- Put 3 tablespoons of rice in a strainer and rinse it really fast.
- Put the rice into a container and cover with water.
- Let it soak for at least 2 hours. Best if you leave it overnight.
- Strain the rice and keep the water in a spray bottle.
- You can also add any essential oil or aloe vera gel into the mixture for better results.
There are many other natural and organic toners available in the market with the nice blend of 100% pure ingredients. You can try them as well. So, that’s it. These are the best handmade toners for your skin. Try and commit yourself to use these DIY toners everyday to get the supple and dewy milky glow.