1. White Vinegar
White vinegar is a natural astringent that I personally use for my more nasty acne and oil prone areas. Simply mix water (tap, distilled, etc.) with white vinegar in equal proportions. You don’t want too much of either. Then, dip a cotton pad into the solution and wipe all over the face or over the most bothersome places for smoother, clearer, and less oily skin.
2. Mint Leaves
Mint leaves smell wonderful and will make your skin look and feel even better. And better still, you can grow the plant in your backyard or in a small pot beside a sunny window and have a year-round supply. You’ll want to mix the mint leaves with hot water. You’ll essentially be making mint tea as you steep the leaves in the hot water. Allow the solution to cool. You don’t want to burn your face, so if you can’t dip your fingers into the solution, it’s still too hot. Wipe it all over your face using a cotton pad/ball.
3. Cucumber Water Toner
Cucumbers are known to have a wonderful cooling effect on skin while helping cleanse skin pores of excess sebum and dirt. Cucumber water can be used as an astringent (to tighten pores) or as a spray mist to set makeup. You just need peeled slices of fresh cucumber mixed in with water. Let them sit in the water for a bit before applying to the face with a cotton pad/ball. This is gentle enough for all skin types.
4. Rose Water Toner
Rose water is an ancient remedy for oily skin used to tone skin, tighten pores, and check wrinkles. You’ll need to store pure rose water (organic pesticide-free is highly recommended to avoid skin irritants) in a clean spritzer bottle to spray onto your face. Or, dab it on with a cotton ball, if you prefer. Apply it before you put any makeup for a dewy glow or before going to bed for soft skin the next morning.
5. Tomato Juice and Honey
Tomatoes and honey work wonders on skin because they have natural occurring antioxidants to fight excess sebum and dirt as well as moisturize dry skin. Simply blend a few tomatoes and extract all the juice you can. You’ll want to do this with fresh tomatoes so as to avoid any added chemicals and sugars found in canned tomato juice. Mix the tomato juice with pure honey in equal proportions. Again, you’ll need pure organic honey to get all the antioxidants. You mix until you get a thick paste. Dab that all over your skin and leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse off.
6. Green Tea Toner
Green tea is full of powerful anti-oxidants to clear away acne-causing dirt and contains wrinkle fighting nutrients. Green tea is your best bet for an all-round healthy skin regimen simply because it is packed with polyphenols that destroy the nasty free radicals that cause wrinkles and fine lines while locking in the right amount of moisture. Just steep 1-2 green tea bags in boiling water. Let it cool before applying to face.
7. Aloe Vera Toner
Aloe Vera works wonders as it restores the skin’s natural pH, moisturizes, and tightens skin pores. It will even soothe sun burnt skin and wind burned skin. You can use it on peeling skin and acne. Don’t worry if you have sensitive skin, because Aloe Vera is gentle enough for all skin types. You’ll need to carefully extract the clear gel inside an aloe vera leaf, dice it into small pieces, and blend them until all you have left is a gel-like substance. Then, mix the gel in with water and apply to face. (Optional: you can add a few drops of essential oils like lavender for a tiny hint of a refreshing scent).