DIY Facial Toner

What do you do when your favorite skincare products are toxic? Lately, I've been trying to make my own. It's been sort of a science experiment in my kitchen these days, but some of my creations are good enough that I'm not missing the fancy department store counter as much. Like this one.

This is the easiest DIY ever. Seriously. And it totally works! It feels great on the skin and rivals even my most beloved toners of the past in terms of cleansing and that great tightening feeling. The only thing I'm not loving about my first batch is the smell ... but I can fix that in my next batch by adding a few drops of essential oil.

The star ingredient in this toner is raw apple cider vinegar. Raw apple cider vinegar is a pretty impressive health tonic - it naturally has antiseptic, antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial qualities, in addition to many other health benefits. Seriously - nutritionists around the world go wild for this stuff. For external use, it's particularly great for oily or acne-prone skin.

Enjoy!

1 part raw apple cider vinegar - I like Bragg's
1-2 parts filtered or distilled water - make sure your filter is appropriate for your water! Check out EWG's Tap Water Database to find out what's in yours and which filters work best for your water.
A few drops essential oil - be choosy about which essential oils you use for your face, as not all are safe for facial use. Rosemary or lavender would be good choices.

Combine ingredients. Shake before use. Apply gently with a cotton ball to clean skin before moisturizing.