This homemade skin toner will improve the texture of skin without the use of synthetic chemicals and costly ingredients. It’s refreshing and light, like summer. Yet it’s made with simple ingredients everyone is likely to have on hand — a pinch of mint from the pots on your front porch, some apple cider vinegar, soft water. This is homemade skin toner that you could eat.
Years ago a friend challenged me with a simple question. “You know,” she began, “your skin absorbs 70% of what you slather on it; so why would you want to put weird chemicals and other junk on it just to make it feel nice?” I started doing for my skin care products what I’d done with my food — looking at ingredients labels. Skin toner, lotion, gentle cleansers. It didn’t matter. They were all costly and had labels that read like chemistry textbooks. So, I stopped using them. I started using skin care products that I could happily eat. Organic coconut oil and ghee became my new lotions, goat milk and honey my new soaps, essential oils my fragrances.
Then I stumbled across this homemade skin toner recipe. I was hooked.
The book is called The Complete Illustrated Book of Herbs and is published by Readers Digest. Full of beautiful, full-color photography and artwork, the book is a reference guide, a tome of herbal wisdom, and an idea bag rolled up into one. It’s the perfect book for an herbal beginner like me.
And it’s beautiful. Not only is looking at it inspiring (everything looks so easy and approachable!), but actually doing a few of the things in the books makes your life just that much more beautiful. You’ll learn how to make beautiful herbal sachets for your pillows, homemade cosmetics like this homemade skin toner, teas, salves, and everything in between.
Apple cider vinegar alone makes a useful astringent that can help clear up oily or blemished skin, but many find the scent to be too off-putting or the straight vinegar to be too acidic. That’s where this recipe for homemade apple mint skin toner comes to the rescue. The mint infusion makes the skin toner pleasant, and the added water dilutes the acidity to the perfect levels for daily use.
Homemade Apple Mint Skin Toner: The Recipe
Homemade Skin Toner: The Players
- 3 tsp chopped fresh mint
- 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups soft water
Homemade Skin Toner: The How-To
1) Place the mint and apple cider vinegar in a screw top jar. Leave on your counter top for 7 days. The mint infuses the vinegar and gives it a delightful aroma.
2) Strain the liquid into a bowl and add the water to your vinegar mixture. Stir well, and pour your newly created homemade apple mint skin toner into a clean, lidded jar and store in a cool place.
3) Enjoy! So simple, and it creates a beautiful and refreshing toner perfect for countering the effects of summer heat.
I wrote this post while participating in the Sowing Millions Project by Real Food Media on behalf of Seeds of Change. I received product to facilitate my post. However, my thoughts and opinions are my own and not of those of Real Food Media or Seeds of Change.
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sweeeet!
going to make some tomorrow.
Great Marsh Artisan Skincare
This is a great recipe for toner. Great minds must think alike, because I just posted my own recipe for homemade toner today! 😉 Apple cider vinegar is definitely an important ingredient. I never thought to add mint–that is a great way to neutralize the smell of ACV and add a cooling effect! We have a whole bunch of mint growing on the east side of our house. I’ll have to gather some tomorrow and give this a try!
If you make it with white vinegar, you can clean your house with it and everyone won’t think you are making pickles! Unless you really ARE making pickles.
Ooh, that’s a great tip! I clean with white vinegar so much that my man thinks I have a complex. Flavoring it with mint would really help the smell I’m sure!
If you’re going to infuse white vinegar for a cleanser, try adding lavender and lemon grass. It is unbelievable and makes the house smell so fresh!!
i may have to add this book to the collection i have already on how to make body care stuff!!!
Sounds wonderful! I may have to grow some mint so I can try this out!
lovely, thanks for sharing this !
You lost me at “store in a cool place”, lol. Here in San Antonio there ain’t no such place, except the refrigerator. However, this sounds lovely and I will definitely be making it to try.
Well, I’m in Austin, and it does just fine for me in a dark bathroom cabinet. The main thing is to keep it out of heat and light, where it will spoil.
I have major amounts of mint right outside my front door and this is exactly what I am going to do with it. thanks for sharing the recipe
Reader’s Digest also put out a book, probably about 15 years ago or so, called “Natural Beauty”. It’s really great!
How long WILL this last in a cabinet anyway?
I shall be making this, what a great post! Should I use distilled water and how long does it keep?
Awesome! I recently found your site and can’t stop reading…
I second the questions above about how long this will last, and would also like to know if storing it in the refrigerator would be ok? It might add an additional benefit for these hot Texas summers… (I’m in San Marcos!)
Of course you can store it in the fridge! I always use mine before it goes bad, so I don’t know how long it would last. What I can tell you is this: it smells great and is so REFRESHING. If it ever starts smelling bad, then you know you’ve hit your limit. I expect that it can last for a month or more in a dark cabinet, but like I said I’ve never actually tested it.
It is true that why put anything unhealthy on your face. This looks like a good alternative to over the counter products.
Can you help me out with what would classify as ‘soft’ water?
Execellant question Leisha, I was wondering about the same thing. What would classify as “soft” water? Can anyone elaborate?
thanks for sharing this! i was looking for a easy-to-make, natural toner 🙂
I added the water right away instead of later… do you think it’s still okay to use?
I’m glad I found this recipe, now I’ve something to try with all that mint growing all over my yard. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, i was wondering—-does anyone know if this works on all skin types? Will it work for ethnic skin?
I tried this and broke out in the worst rash ever. Guess does not agree with me
I value the information on your web sites. Many thanks!.
What type of mint are you using? Peppermint or spearmint? Thank you!
Thanks for sharing your guide and great info, these are actually really good tips for everyday use and for a younger looking skin.
Can i use chocolate mint?