Finding a natural skincare routine can be tough. It often leads to strange things like washing your face with olive oil or making a face mask out of yogurt.
It can be hard to find natural alternatives to some of your favorite conventional products, but this recipe is one that made the switch easy!
How to Make a DIY Natural Witch Hazel Toner Recipe
I never really understood the purpose of a facial toner until I had kids and occasionally had skin that was a mix between dry and oily at the same time.
My confused skin was challenging to care for, as I needed something that would help even out my skin’s oil production.
I found that a toner greatly improved my skin tone almost immediately and realized there were several reasons for this:
- Skin is naturally acidic, but many skincare products are more on the alkaline side. A quality toner can help restore natural skin pH.
- Facial toners can also help shrink pores and balance oil production.
- When used under makeup, toners can provide a protective barrier on the skin to prevent impurities from makeup from penetrating skin.
Natural Facial Toner Ingredients: Vitamin C and Witch Hazel
I chose the ingredients for this toner carefully.
Witch Hazel Benefits
Witch hazel, an extract from the leaves and bark of the Hamamelis virginiana shrub, has a long history of use, especially in skincare. Many use it successfully as a natural remedy for hemorrhoids, burns, and other skin irritation.
It is naturally anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, making it excellent for helping reduce the appearance of acne, redness, and skin irritation. It helps lock in moisture, making it a good choice for oily and dry skin, and is high in tannins that reduce the appearance of fine lines.
Vitamin C Benefits
Vitamin C helps tighten the skin and maintain the natural pH. Many high-end skin products (that cost hundreds of times as much as this homemade toner) use vitamin C (often synthetic) for this purpose. Vitamin C is also important internally, but topical vitamin C provides much more skin benefit.
IMPORTANT: Vitamin C is an acid and while the skin likes a mildly acidic environment, too much too fast can create irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin. You can add up to 3 times as much vitamin C as I include in this recipe, but start slowly and work up to find your skin’s perfect balance. Over time, you can add slightly more vitamin C, but don’t exceed 1.5 teaspoons.
Tips for Homemade Facial Toner Success
This recipe makes a small amount of facial toner, and this is important. Though you could easily double the recipe, it wouldn’t be as effective.
Vitamin C breaks down over time. I prefer to make about as much as I need for a week at a time and keep it in the fridge to have a cooling toner to use after washing my face.
You do not need to keep this refrigerated, but it slightly extends its shelf life. Either way, keep out of sunlight and away from heat.
Witch Hazel Toner Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ tsp natural vitamin C powder
- ¼ cup witch hazel extract
- 8 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small glass bottle, spray bottle, or dropper bottle.
- Shake well to incorporate.
Notes
Or, Make Vitamin C Serum Instead!
If you have really dry skin or don’t want to use witch hazel, you can use food-grade glycerin in place of the witch hazel. This will produce a serum instead of a toner. Either one should be made in small batches and often because vitamin C oxidizes so quickly.
Ever made your own witch hazel toner? Try it and let me know what you think!
Hi, what would the shelf life be on this?
Would buffered sodium ascorbate (vitamin C crystalline powder) work? It’s non acidic. Thanks!
I am worried that the vitamin C would make the skin more sensitive to the sun. Any thoughts or articles, anyone?
It can, so apply this toner at night 😉
Hi Katie! I love this website, it is so inspiring and have learnt sl much already from you! Also i am managing to improve certain areas pf my lifestyle, so first of all a big THANK YOU for your amazing job 🙂
I would like to know if instead of commercial witch hazel i could use a homemade infusion of the bark.
What do you think? I have a lot just sitting there which i dont know how to use, maybe this could be a solition!?? ??
Vitamin C should be used in the form of esther C. It’s not as acidic and won’t irritate the skin, making it perfect for toners and serums. Great Article!
You actually want to use ascorbyl palmitate which is also known as vitamin C esther.
It’s a common antioxidant used in food and skin care products and has a longer shelf life.
Esther-C is something else altogether. It’s a metabolite of ascorbic acid, the vitamin found in many powders and supplements. It is marketed separately but not shown to have any difference in bioavailability when taken orally.
I had mysteriously itchy underarms at one time. Super itchy. I crushed my vitamin C pills and made a paste with water and applied to armpits. In a few days itch was gone!
I will try this skin care , may it make a differance. I drink pure orange juice with most pulp, it’s the orange & pure juice together, as the orange’s are $ 1.00 a peice, I get the orange juice on sale at times for $ 6.00 a gallon. So I get 2 in one orange juice & the orange cut up in the juice’ I was asked by friend of mine, what can you do for flabby under chin & under arm’s. I said I’d ask you. Would powered alium made into a paste & rub on. These places to reduce the flab. Please reply.
I always use your blog for advice on sooo many things :)) thank u!
What would be the best ingredients for a wrinkle prevention lotion or face wash?
My local health food store has an anti wrinkle vitamin A and E oil that I put in my homemade lotions and it works really well.
Would you just apply this in the morning? Do you know where to find spray bottles for this?
Thank you!
Is it possible to use the witch hazel without the alcohol and where would I be able to find it? Thank you!!
witch hazel is usually sold right next to the alcohol in the pharmacy section like target, walmart, walgreens and so on. It is really affordable which is another reason I use it.
I don’t believe alcohol in Witch Hazel is recommended by Wellnessmama.com. I got mine from Spark naturals.
I use witch hazel everyday for my face. Adding vit C powder is genius!!! I have that in my cabinet! thanks. 😀