You know that thing you do that makes you happy, but it’s not really that necessary? Like putting flavored creamer in your coffee? Or dancing naked to The Hush Sound?
That’s kind of what toners are like.
Me, I’m a toner enthusiast. In fact, there are some evenings where I’m completely beat from wrestling bears and creating five-course gourmet meals, and I’ll use only a toner to clean my face – followed by a good moisturizer. But only if I haven’t worn makeup that day (I rarely wear makeup when I wrestle bears.)
Skin experts (or skexperts), though, have wildly differing opinions on whether or not toner is necessary, as well as whether or not its beneficial for your skin. It’s no surprise, though. Skexperts rarely agree on anything.
Let’s look at why you might want to use toner, and then I’ll give you my new favorite toner recipe – inspired by the H2O Sea Pure Renewing Prep Tonic.
The Run-Down on Facial Toners
Toners come in three different forms: Fresheners, Tonics, and Astringents.
The classification they fall in tends to be related to how much astringent they include. Astringents are things like witch hazel and alcohol. The more astringent your toner, the more it’s going to dry out your skin. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, but if you have exceptionally oily skin, you might want to use a toner that’s a little more astringent.
I digress.
Fresheners
The first classification, fresheners, are going to be extremely mild and contain some sort of humectant – like glycerin. They’re best used in a spritzing bottle, and can be used in a fine mist over your makeup, just to refresh your face and give it a little extra moisture when you need it. Remember when cosmetic companies had the bright idea to market “flight fresheners?” That’s the perfect place to use a freshener – on an airplane. If you make it past the TSA agents, I mean.
I like to use a freshener in the winter months throughout the day. Recipe? One cup of rosewater and 2 tsp glycerin, shaken well and then spritzed on the face.
Tonics
The second classification, tonics, is my favorite. Here, you can include a small amount of astringent (I like witch hazel) and other yummy things for your skin. Like lavender water or rosewater. This is what I use at night if I don’t wash my face, as well as what I use right before moisturizing and putting on makeup. They make your skin feel very clean and help tighten your pores a bit.
The recipe to follow, it’s a tonic (although it could be made an astringent, if you prefer).
Astringents
These are the harshest of toners, and while they do a great job of tightening pores, whisking away all trace dirt and makeup, and cleaning the oil off your face, they could cause problems for people with dry to normal skin. An astringent will be mostly alcohol or witch hazel.
If you don’t want to rid your face of all its natural oils (and you probably don’t) an astringent is effective if you use it only on problem areas and individual pimples. Occasionally, if I have a really unsightly zit, I’ll make a mask out of witch hazel, a little clay, and a drop of tea tree oil. Shrinks the blemish overnight. Sometimes, it disappears them completely.
The Milk-Inspired Toner that Doesn’t Spoil
As I was perusing the ingredients in the H2O Sea Pure Renewing Prep Tonic, my eye caught on “lactic acid.”
To be fair, I haven’t spent a lot of time looking at the ingredients in commercial facial toners, so I’m not sure if this is a standard ingredient or not. But it got the gears working in my brain.
How, on earth, could we harness the dead-skin-busting power of lactic acid and the moisturizing properties of milk in a facial toner? One, I mean, that doesn’t spoil? That doesn’t need to be refrigerated? That doesn’t disrupt your sacred closed-door bathroom time?
The answer came to me in my baking ingredients cabinet.
Powdered milk.
But you can’t combine the milk with liquid ahead of time, else you invoke the spoilage principle. So, for this really fun toner, you’ll need two small bottles for two quick and easy steps each application.
And, before I give you the recipe, let me remind you that you’ll want to buy full-fat powdered milk (not nonfat) to get all the good stuff from this toner. If you look hard enough, you can find it in your natural foods store or in the bulk bin at Whole Foods.
Here’s the recipe.
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Two-Step Lactic Acid Facial Tonic Recipe
- 1/2 c. distilled or mineral water
- 1/8 c. witch hazel or vodka
- 3 drops rosemary essential oil (or, alternatively, steep your water in dried rosemary for 20 minutes and then strain)
- Full-fat powdered milk
Combine all liquids in a small bottle. Shake well. Put your powdered milk in another small container.
To Use: In the palm of your hand, sprinkle a VERY scant amount of powdered milk (I mean very – like a fraction of what’s in the picture below). You just need one sprinkle to harness the power of the milk. Over the sprinkle of powdered milk, pour a little of your liquid tonic (make sure your hand is cupped). Take a small cotton pad and soak the toner/milk mixture into it. Swipe the pad over your entire face.
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For the first minute after using this, your face might feel just a little sticky. It goes away and turns into this soft, radiant, creamy texture.
It’s my new favorite thing.
Here’s a picture of two sprinkles of powdered milk. Remember, you only need to use half to a quarter of this much in your hand:
Customize This Recipe: This is a good standard recipe for people who have normal to slightly oily skin. However, you can change this up and around if your skin’s more dry or more oily.
For dry skin: Substitute lavender or chamomile for the rosemary – either oils or dried herbs turned into a “tea.” For even more moisturizing, use rosewater instead of distilled or mineral water.
For oily skin: Use 1/4 c. distilled or mineral water and 1/4 c. witch hazel or vodka instead.
You May Not Be a Skexpert, But …
I’m curious as to how you feel about facial toners.
Are they something you use regularly, or is it a step you skip? Do you have a favorite facial toner? I’d love to know what it is – so I can take a look at the ingredients for even more inspiration.
In milky-sweet-complexion crunch!
I have been using a facial toner for a couple of months now. I always thought toners were unnecessary and did not actually benefit the skin, but perhaps just refreshed the skin-that’s all. I did, however, purchase a toner which has french lavender water and rose water, and i’ve been using it quite regularly and it’s improved my skin; for example,my skin is no longer breaking out as much as it used to do, scars on my face are less prominent, and my skin looks more radiant. I have dry/flaky skin and rose water really helps in locking in moisture and lavender water helps balance my skin. But, the toner that I purchased has a preservative called methylparaben? I love the toner, but i’m not sure what this preservative might be doing to my skin!! Betty, can you give me some tip as to how I can make my own lavender/rose water toner at home? and how long would you suggest I keep the toner for? two weeks? a month?
Any cruelty free Vegan tips could I ask for next posts? Loving it here.
Blessings.
I use Fresh Aloe Vera as my toner. I cut off a piece, rub it on my face. Then massage in with my fingers. I then wipe gently with a cotton pad, allowing some to stay on. I allow to dry before adding any oils. Aloe is a natural antibacterial and moisure rich. Very good healer of our precious skin cells as well.
You forgot to mention dancing naked to anything!
I’m guilty of just using toner to wash my face on occasion as well (I don’t wrestle bears often, but I do have to wrangle small children pretty regularly, which can be just as exhausting!). I like mine pretty astringent since my skin does get pretty oily, especially when I’m all sweaty, as child wrangling tends to make me. I usually just use a mix of witch hazel, aloe, and some nice smelling scent (currently sweet orange EO–I love that) that doubles as an after shave 🙂
I’ve used witch hazel as I normally have oily skin, but apparently, while I’m pregnant, my skin is super duper dry… gonna try this as soon as I can get some powered milk!
(or could I use any regular milk and forget the water/powdered?) I have milk on hand, but not powdered. I’m desperate for any and all help with my acne! I had pretty clear skin before my pregnancy hormones messed it all up. Must be a beautiful little girl growing in my belly!! lol 😉
No, well not in the well known store bought or commercial suggestion
of Cleanse Tone Moisturize…I do the opposite, example in the shower
I do my Salt Toner use Sea Salt apply to wet skin and leave as long as
possible (whole body treatment toner)
My regular toner is Cold Water, wet skin then massage in my oil potion…
Amazing toner thru out the day as well, discovered at work
(work in a hot factory) I was so hot, 115 degrees and high humidity. I
kept slashing my face, arms, legs with water after it dried I noticed how
toned my skin was and it tighten my pores. For me Cold Water is the best regular Toner. Otherwise treatment type toners, like masks. I think a toner should do what it says TONE.
In the past I have bought toners and it did tone, then apply the moisturizer and the toner effect disappeared.
Betty, you always come up with the greatest ideas! Im gonna make this soon!
I enjoy a toner too, glad to know how drying witch hazel is, I’d always pulled it out when I didn’t have something else that struck my fancy.
By the way, mixed up and used the body oil yesterday. (Grapeseed and vanilla was what I ended up with) And I really liked it bunches. In fact, I really can’t wait to bathe, just to use it again!
I LOVE TONERS! I used to use really harsh ones (back when I didn’t know better), when I’m broke I just use straight witch hazel. I may get lazy about my skincare at times, but always use toners no matter what. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Quite a while ago I used to get one that I absolutely loved from Rachel Perry that smelled SO good… but they don’t make it anymore. 🙁 Also, there was one I liked a lot from Caswell-Massey that was cucumber-y. Oh, and I got one a year or two ago from Boots (Target) that was damask rose scented and I got the brilliant idea to add a couple drops of lavender EO to it… big mistake.
witches hazel, thats it. haha thats all i use as a toner but im deff going to try this out as the witches hazel doesnt seem to be doing anything
I have used toners in the past but I’m not a huge fan. It’s an extra step that I’d rather skip and I hate using those little cotton pads. I like the spray on idea and using it at night. I am especially lazy with face washing at night. Unless I have makeup on, then I wash. But that’s only like twice a year.
I am back to using toners since your recipes (love the rosemary/fennel one right now). Sometimes I skip if my skin is a little dry. But I make sure to use one daily right before that time of the month, it’s really helping with the breakouts. I will definitely try this one, the creaminess sounds divine.
I don’t use toner. I used to buy whatever toner “matched” my cleanser and moisturiser, back in the day when I spent ridiculous money on branded products with fancy packaging. I have exceptionally dry skin and found that no matter what toner I used it was too much. Now I wear tinted moisturiser, remember to use cleanser about twice a month and just splash water on my face each morning. The only thing I do religiously is moisturise. Or I would shrivel into a dried up prune! I still love reading all your recipes and have indulged in any moisturising ones and my mirrors have never been so shiny!!!
Keep up the great work,
Gina