When it comes to your daily skin care routine, you probably have your main products down, cleanser, serum, moisturiser, and SPF. What you may be missing out on, though, is that extra cleansing – pH-balancing toner.

The reality is many individuals don’t use toners because toner has historically got a bad rap for one specific ingredient – alcohol.

Alcohol is a harsh astringent that causes excessive dryness when applied to the skin. Alcohol also causes the skin to become tight in some instances.

If you have opted to avoid using toners formulated with alcohol you can always create your own alcohol-free toner by whipping up your very own DIY facial toner at home.

Toner is a cosmetic product that is used to provide a second cleansing — a few swipes can break down leftover soap and makeup residue along with other impurities, balance your skin’s pH levels, and prime your face to absorb the rest of the products in your routine.

Depending on your skin needs, a toner can lend a helping hand by boosting nutrients and hydration. And the best way to customise it is to make your very own!

The best thing about DIY facial toners is that they don’t contain any chemical additives. Here are a few homemade toner variants for the different skin types.

DIY facial toners for normal and combination skin

When you treat your skin right, your face glows differently. Add your DIY toner to your skincare routine and reap the benefits!

For natural and combination skin, try using any of these variations to help give your face that final cleanup.

Simple DIY facial toner – simply mix ⅛ cup apple cider vinegar with ¼ cup (distilled) water. The vinegar keeps the pH value of the skin in balance and removes any form of residue from your skin. 

Aromatic and nourishing toner – mix ⅛ cup rose water, ⅛ cup orange blossom water and ⅛ cup witch hazel water with one tablespoon aloe vera gel and about ten drops of chamomile extract.

DIY facial toners for dry skin

If you struggle with dry or sensitive skin, try out these DIY facial toner variations to find out what works best for you.

Extra moisturising toner – you’ll need a quarter of a cucumber and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Peel the cucumber and remove any large seeds before pureeing it together with the lemon juice into a well-blended, consistent liquid. 

For floral homemade toner – for this one, you’ll need to brew marigold and chamomile flowers into a concentrated tea. Let the tea cool down and strain the liquid. Mix it with about one to two teaspoons of aloe vera gel. Your homemade toner is ready!

Rose water toner – due to its soothing effect rose water is great for dry and blemished. Make sure to use pure rose water without any additives. You can use this as a toner on its own, or mix about three ounces of calendula tincture (extract) to make a DIY disinfecting facial toner. 

DIY facial toners for oily skin

To make an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory DIY facial toner yourself, try these two recipes. They’ll help with oily and blemished skin.

Witch hazel toner – for this facial tonic, you’ll need to mix about ⅓ cup of witch hazel water with about 1 ½ tbsp of aloe vera gel.  

Witch hazel is known as one of the best toners there is and can be used on its own. Witch hazel water has an analgesic and healing effect thanks to the essential oils it contains.

Green tea-based toner – to make this toner you’ll need ¼ cup green tea (cooled), 1/8 cup of pure pomegranate juice and 1/8 cup of distilled water and combine everything to form a mixture.

Green tea is a rich source of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is known to help improve acne and excess oil by blocking or slowing sebum production.

When making DIY facial toner, you should follow these tips:

• Use organic ingredients whenever possible. Grown without pesticides and free of chemical additives, organic ingredients are good for the environment and your health.

• Make DIY toner in small batches. Most homemade facial toners don’t keep for more than three to four weeks, and last longest when stored in dark bottles in the fridge. 

• Ensure that you sterilise jars or bottles before filling them with toner as this will ensure all the germs are killed. 

• Use distilled water if you have particularly sensitive or irritated skin.