Homemade Herbal Toner and Preventing Acne

What we put ON our skin will end up IN our body.  Have you ever thought of using cleaner cosmetic products?  I like it to keep it clean, simple and health promoting.  It’s silly to pay $30+ for a small bottle of organic face toner when you can make a nice batch of homemade organic herbal face toner right at home.

I love herbs!

First you’ll need your toner base – Apple Cider Vinegar:

• I love to use apple cider vinegar for skin care because it contains natural alpha hydroxy acids that exfoliate and brighten the skin. It restores the natural pH balance of the skin. Many soap and cleansers are very harsh and alkaline.

Dilute with – Rose Water OR Witch Hazel:

• Rose Water is great for all types of skin. As the gentlest of all astringents, rose water is often used as toner for fair and dry skin. It is great to reduce pain and inflammation.
• Witch Hazel, with its antibacterial & astringent properties, is great for oilier skin types. It can reduce the inflammation on a pimple. Daily use helps with acne. Use alcohol free witch hazel. It’s important to note that many commercial witch hazel products contain more alcohol than witch hazel so you need to be careful when choosing a witch hazel product.

You need a mix of organic herbs and spices: You can use just about anything, but of course you want to choose organic herbs and spices that will be beneficial to your skin type.

Grab some essential oil: Lavender or tea tree are great.

 The herbs, spices and essential oils I use in my organic face toner:

• Equal parts: fresh organic rosemary and organic lavender.
• A tiny bit of fresh organic basil.
• A few cinnamon sticks and a tablespoon of dried whole cloves.
• A tablespoon of grated organic orange peel along with the peels of half an organic lemon.
• 2-3 drops of organic tea tree or lavender essential oil.

How to make your homemade toner:

Place all your herbs, oils, and essential oils in a jar. No need to break up your herbs or chop them. You also don’t need to grate your spices. Fill the jar to 2/3 with apple cider vinegar and top it off with rose water or witch hazel to cover your herb and spice mixture completely.

Let the mixture sit for a while in your fridge – I usually allow mine to sit for a week, but you can keep it in there for 2-3 weeks for optimal results. Shake it at least once per day. This will permit the medicinal properties to come out in the liquid. Strain your mixture.

Take 1/3 of the mixture and dilute it with the same amount of distilled water.  Keep this solution in your bathroom in a small bottle while keeping the potent mixture in your fridge to preserve it. VOILA! Your toner is ready to use.

To use your toner:

You can apply toner to your face lightly with your fingers or an organic cotton pad or washcloth.  You can use this to freshen your skin or to remove make-up. You can also use this as a quick face cleaning solution or as a refreshing mist is you have a tiny mist bottle. Just close your eyes and spray your face. This feels great in hot weather.

Preventing and Treating Acne with Herbs

When treating acne it is important to take a two-fold approach: Internally and Topically

Generally speaking, just treating the skin topically does not address the internal causes of acne and skin eruptions.

Topically, you can combine any number of herbs, essential oils or kitchen ingredients. Some of my favorites are CALENDULA, LAVENDER, TEA TREE OIL, WITCH HAZEL and ROSEWATER, depending on the specific condition of your skin.

CALENDULA promotes healing of skin tissue. You can make a strong infusion of this herb and use as a facial wash or steam. It is also available in creams.

LAVENDER compresses are used to relieve inflammation.

ROSEWATER is applied topically for pain & inflammation.

TEA TREE OIL is a powerful antiseptic but must be diluted before applying to skin.

WITCH HAZEL has antibacterial & astringent properties.

CHAMOMILE is an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, sedative, aromatic and it’s very soothing which makes it ideal for use on the skin; it’s mild and gentle enough to use routinely to prevent infection and inflammation. Chamomile is generally considered to be a very safe herb to use.

GOLDENSEAL is an anti-microbial, which stops oozing.

CLOVES are often recommended for skin care, especially to those with acne.

SWEET BASIL, cosmetically, is used as the main ingredient for an aromatic body rub, which tones the skin. An infusion of basil in wine is also used on the skin to close enlarged pores.

WALNUT LEAF is a useful astringent skin wash.

CLARY SAGE is a therapeutic essential oil in skincare that is an astringent as well as antiseptic and anti-bacterial. It also balances the production of sebum, and eliminates over-dry or over-oily skin. It acts as a tonic on the skin and has a mild effect on encouraging cell regeneration.

DANDELION contains insulin, which improves the skin by removing bacteria.

ROSEMARY delays the aging process and is very invigorating. For this purpose, the essence of rosemary herb can be used in face masks. The effect of stress and toxins on skin is also taken care of by rosemary, by safeguarding a protective protein known as HSP70.

JAMAICAN DOGWOOD skin hives, rash, or itchy or swollen skin.

ALOE GEL has astringent & antibacterial properties and can be applied topically and consumed internally.

LEMON JUICE in skin care is a natural exfoliant, skin brightener and anti-infective. It is rich in fruit acids that will exfoliate to gently remove dead skin cells and will also bleach darkened or discolored area known to protect skin cells that prevent the age-related changes in skin such as wrinkles.

Other herbs that can be used:

Lemon balm, roses, comfrey leaf, burdock root, dandelion, myrhh, goldenseal, thyme, tansy, bergamot, strawberry leaves, rose hips, etc.

Another common cause of outbreaks is a sluggish liver. When the liver is not functioning optimally it cannot clear excess hormones. When trying to clear acne it is important to balance the hormones and cleanse the liver.

Internally, a good combination for cleansing the liver and blood would be a tincture of MILK THISTLEand DANDELION. The traditional dosage is 30 drops in a little water 3 times daily.

BURDOCK ROOT and DANDELION contain insulin, which improves the skin by removing bacteria.

MILK THISTLE is the most commonly used herb for cleansing and strengthening the liver. It also helps remove excess hormones through the stool by stimulating bile production.

ECHINACEA tincture taken internally promotes healing, reduces inflammation and fights infection.

Preventing Acne with Good Nutrition

Diet plays a big role in preventing acne and other skin conditions. Aspects like increasing water intake, eliminating fried foods and hydrogenated fats from the diet, and taking extra vitamin A and zinc will often reduce acne outbreaks.  Ensuring an optimal intake of zinc is important; consume raw pumpkin seeds or 15-25mg daily of the chelated supplemental form.

Food allergies and intestinal bacteria overgrowth (probiotics are helpful for this) also seem to increase acne problems (possibly from bio-toxins produced in the gut and absorbed into the body). For some people, dairy products are the major causative factor for acne and skin inflammation. Decreasing dairy intake or completely eliminating it from the diet could improve skin tremendously. Gluten can also be an issue.

Extra essential fatty acids, such as 1 or 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds or chia seeds daily (or 1000-4000mg of omega 3 fish oil) are very helpful as well. Cutting out sugar and refined carbohydrate are also very important because these acidify your blood, feed the bad bacteria and cause more inflammation. You want to assure that you're eating a lot of alkalizing and cleansing foods such as leafy greens and other raw fruits and veggies.  Green tea is also beneficial and health promoting in general.