Create Your Own Facial Toners, Astringents and Skin Fresheners

Discover how to use essential oils and botanical infusions to create your own facial astringents, toners and fresheners that are a gentle yet effective way to feed and nourish your skin and keep it in peak condition.

But why stop there...?

For the enjoyment of friends and family make the most of the recipes from my article on homemade face creams and body butters and create customized skin care sets and gift baskets to give away on special occasions like holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries.

Astringents stimulate circulation as well as the entire skin system, reduce oiliness and help to refine pores and rough, unevenly textured skin.

Astringents tend to be drying and should only be used on oily skin or skin with large, visible pores. They should not, however, be used on blemishes or acne as they may actually worsen this condition.

Toners and fresheners are much milder than astringents and work to balance the skin’s pH as well as refine skin texture. Toners, for the most part, can be used on all skin types.

Acneic skin benefits most from toners and astringents that are gentle yet effective at healing, calming, soothing and correctly balancing the skin.

Astringents in general:

1-ounce witch hazel

3-ounces orange flower water

1-tsp organic cider vinegar

2-drops juniper essential oil

1-drop each lime and grapefruit essential oil

Astringent recipe for oily skin:

Botanical brew (see below)

¼-tsp borax

3-tbsp witch hazel

Dissolve the borax in the witch hazel or appropriate flower water. Stir in the "botanical brew". Mix in the glycerin and pour into a disinfected bottle with a snug-fitting lid. Shake well before use.

Stimulating astringents include:

1-ounce witch hazel

3-ounces rose water

1-tsp organic cider vinegar

2-drops basil essential oil

1-drop each of peppermint and chamomile essential oil

Dry, sensitive and mature skin toner:

3-ounces of rose water or homemade flower water base

6-drops of glycerin

2/3-cup witch hazel

1-2 drop of essential oil such as sandalwood, Palma rosa, bois de rose (for dry skin)

1-drop German chamomile (sensitive skin)

Toners for acneic or blemished skin:

3-ounces of lavender water

1-ounce witch hazel

1 -2 drop of lavender, juniper, chamomile (German or Roman), clary-sage or thyme essential oil

Make a "botanical brew" by macerating select herbs and flowers in 4 tbsp 70% ethyl alcohol or 6 tbsp of either vodkaor Everclear for 2 weeks, shaking well once daily. When ready, strain through a coffee filter, cheesecloth or gauze and incorporate into your mixture.

Create your own base waters with an infusion of flowers and herbs. Base waters can be made from cornflower, lavender, chamomile, elderflower, orange flower, marigold, and rosehip to name a few.

For your infusion, begin by placing one and one-half handfuls of fresh botanicals or 1 ounce of dried herbs into a heat-resistant glass container. Bring 2 ½ cups of distilled water to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling water over the herbs and cover tightly. Allow to steep for 30 minutes then strain. This mixture can also be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use for up to 3-days.

Tip: Having trouble finding dried herbs and flowers? Substitute these with the flowers and herbs found in herbal tea bags!

Familiarize yourself with natural botanical and organic ingredients unique to your personal skin care to impart a radiant, glowing, balanced complexion.

Herbs for oily, problematic skin include:

• calendula, comfrey, elderflower, fennel, lavender, linden tree blossom, lupin seed, nettle, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, violet, watercress and yarrow.

For skin that is oily with large, visible pores consider adding a few drops of essential oils such as:

• bergamot, camphor, cedarwood, cypress, lavender, lemon, juniper, frankincense, sage and geranium.

Deep cleansing and purifying herbs include:

• yarrow, watercress, sage, rosemary, peppermint, nettle, fennel, lupine seed, ivy, and fennel.

To improve skin circulation there is:

• cedarwood, cypress, bitter orange, rosemary, sage, sandalwood and sweet thyme.

Herbs that are suitable for normal skin types include:

• aloe vera, calendula, chamomile (has lightening properties), comfrey, elderflower, fennel, juniper berries, lady’s mantle, linden flowers, mint, nettle, lavender, orange flower, and rose.

For skin that is cracked, chapped and dry select from essential oils like:

• chamomile (German and Roman), geranium, lavender, neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood.

Good herbal ingredients for rough, dry, chapped and sallow skin are:

• aloe vera, borage, calendula, comfrey, dandelion, elderflower, hens and chicks, lavender, linden tree blossom, marsh mallow, orange flower, parsley, and rose.

Mature skin benefits from clary-sage, fennel, frankincense, lavender, and myrrh essential oils.

Sensitive skin responds well to chamomile (German), neroli, lavender, sandalwood and rose.

Apply your toner or astringent after cleansing with cotton pads or mist over the entire face, neck and décolleté. Shake well before use and consider storing your toner or freshener in the refrigerator for an added pick-me-up.

Some essential oils and herbal ingredients can irritate sensitive skin and these include bay, bee balm, geranium, neroli, pennyroyal, peppermint, sage, and spearmint. Highly sensitive skin types should also exclude such ingredients as agrimony, almond oil, cocoa butter, cowslips, cucumber, glycerin, henna, ivy, lanolin, linden blossom, lovage, nettles, primrose and violet leaves.

~Remember to disinfect glass bottles before use.

~Use only distilled water in your cosmetic preparations.

~Spray and mist glass bottles are especially nice for applications to skin.

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”

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