Homemade natural facial toner
Whether you need a basic facial cleansing lotion or something more specific—for relieving acne, say, or deep cleaning grimy hands—creating custom cleansers should be well within your scope.
Our skin is exposed to so many pollutants in the course of each day, yet many of us omit a nightly cleaning ritual and then wonder why our skin looks patchy, lifeless, irritated, greasy, or red the next morning, or has begun breaking out. Plus too many commercial cleansing products, with all their chemical additives, may actually make matters worse. But with handmade cleansers you have the advantage of knowing exactly what went into them—only safe, natural ingredients.
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANSERS
These will be your everyday facial washes: easy to prepare, easy to apply, and mild but effective.
Kitchen Choices: To keep things really simple, there are pantry or refrigerator items you can use alone to clean your face, including honey, yogurt, olive oil, avocado, or pureed macadamia nuts. That latter two are rich in fatty acids and polyphenols that nourish the skin and combat signs of aging. Massage a light layer of the substance into your skin with a circular motion, then place a warm washcloth over your face to open the pores. Rinse with warm water.
Homemade natural facial toner
Basic Skin Cleanser: This standard recipe can be modified by changing up the essential oils. Begin with 1/4 cup liquid castile soap combined with 1/4 cup chamomile tea, and 3/4 cup almond or olive oil, and add 8 drops of essential oil, your choice.
SPECIFIC REMEDIES:
You can also prepare cleansers to treat skin diseases or chronic conditions, reduce the signs of aging, remove grime, and slough off dead skin.
Skin Therapy: A soothing tisane made from fresh or dried chamomile steeped in hot water is ideal for bathing skin irritations, rashes, chicken pox, eczema, psoriasis, or sunburn. Dip a small cloth compress into comfortably hot tea and press against the affected area until the cloth cools. Repeat every four hours.
Face mask
Antiaging Cleanser: To prepare an effective antiaging facial cleanser, combine a tablespoon of aloe gel with a teaspoon of coconut oil, massage the mixture in your palms until it’s warm, then use it to wash your face. Rinse and pat dry.
Handy Scrub: To fully clean greasy, grimy, or garden-soiled hands—or to exfoliate hands and feet while you’re in the bath—combine a few drops of eucalyptus oil with Epsom salts and sea salt and use as a scrub.
ACNE TREATMENTS
Acne is generally caused by hormonal changes or fluctuations, but there are still steps you can take to prevent breakouts or heal them quickly.
Vanilla Acne Cure: Vanilla’s antibacterial properties and healing B vitamins are able to combat flare-ups of acne and even reduce scarring from earlier outbreaks. Combine 5 drops of vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon yogurt in a small bowl. Massage onto the face and leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing.
Acne Control: To prepare a gentle acne control that can also be used to remove makeup, mix 1/4 cup canola oil with 10 drops tea tree oil in a small, lidded glass jar and shake well. Apply to outbreaks with a cotton ball or swab, rinse with warm water, and end with a mild toner.
Face sponges