Facial toners have come a long way since the 1990s, when the most common commercial varieties (often marketed to teenagers) used high concentrations of alcohol to help remove oil from the skin. Purported to reduce acne, they were purposely drying and too astringent for most skin types. Today’s facial toners with natural ingredients, on the other hand, provide benefits that can help to maintain the normal pH and hydration of our skin, both of which are essential to maintaining the moisture and elasticity that gives our complexions a smooth, healthy appearance. This important and fine balance is impacted by a wide variety of factors in our day to day lives. Soaps, makeup, and sunscreens all affect the skin, as does getting too much sun or prolonged exposure to the elements. The realities of modern work life can also take their toll on that healthy balance—spending all day in an office or warehouse can be very drying, and if your job involves frequent travel, you know that a few hours spent in an airplane tends to leave you feeling far from smooth and fresh. Plus, aging makes the skin more vulnerable to wear, damage, and imbalance from any of these sources. Although our skin does its best to return to its normal levels, using a toner can support it in doing the hard work of restoring its proper, happy state.
With summer soon upon us, a cooling facial toner comes in particularly handy for hydrating and soothing stressed skin in the heat of the day. Calendula is a traditional herb that has been used in body care products for hundreds of years, particularly in formulations for skin and hair. Combined with calming lavender, it makes for a DIY toner that provides skin with a refreshing boost when it needs it most. This spray can also be misted to calm the minor skin irritations so common to warm weather activities, helping us to revitalize at the end of a long day of play!
Makes 4 ounces.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tips
You might also enjoy:
Topics: Natural Body Care, Herbal Gift Ideas, Recipes, Herbalism, Specialty Ingredients
Heidi is an award winning freelance writer with a passion for urban homesteading. She has been honored to receive a number of literary prizes including the esteemed Pushcart Prize and an Individual Artists Award in Creative Writing from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is proud to have earned a certificate of completion for the Herbal Medicine Making Course at the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food, crafting herbal formulations, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a book.
Facial toners have come a long way since the 1990s, when the most common commercial varieties (often marketed to teenagers) used high concentrations of alcohol to help remove oil from the skin. Purported to reduce acne, they were purposely drying and too astringent for most skin types. Today’s facial toners with natural ingredients, on the other hand, provide benefits that can help to maintain the normal pH and hydration of our skin, both of which are essential to maintaining the moisture and elasticity that gives our complexions a smooth, healthy appearance. This important and fine balance is impacted by a wide variety of factors in our day to day lives. Soaps, makeup, and sunscreens all affect the skin, as does getting too much sun or prolonged exposure to the elements. The realities of modern work life can also take their toll on that healthy balance—spending all day in an office or warehouse can be very drying, and if your job involves frequent travel, you know that a few hours spent in an airplane tends to leave you feeling far from smooth and fresh. Plus, aging makes the skin more vulnerable to wear, damage, and imbalance from any of these sources. Although our skin does its best to return to its normal levels, using a toner can support it in doing the hard work of restoring its proper, happy state.
With summer soon upon us, a cooling facial toner comes in particularly handy for hydrating and soothing stressed skin in the heat of the day. Calendula is a traditional herb that has been used in body care products for hundreds of years, particularly in formulations for skin and hair. Combined with calming lavender, it makes for a DIY toner that provides skin with a refreshing boost when it needs it most. This spray can also be misted to calm the minor skin irritations so common to warm weather activities, helping us to revitalize at the end of a long day of play!
Makes 4 ounces.
Ingredients
Directions
Pro Tips
You might also enjoy:
Topics: Natural Body Care, Herbal Gift Ideas, Recipes, Herbalism, Specialty Ingredients
Heidi is an award winning freelance writer with a passion for urban homesteading. She has been honored to receive a number of literary prizes including the esteemed Pushcart Prize and an Individual Artists Award in Creative Writing from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is proud to have earned a certificate of completion for the Herbal Medicine Making Course at the Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine. When she isn’t working in the garden, cleaning the henhouse, preserving food, crafting herbal formulations, or writing and editing content for really fantastic small businesses, you’ll likely find her with her nose in a book.
