I’m a fan of homemade remedies for acne and oily skin. They’re cheap, you know what all the ingredients are, it’s fun to make each little potion and they usually work. Not always, but most of the time they do. But trying to pick out which ones are worth trying can be low key irritating – which is literally the last thing anyone needs. So here are my top 3 picks for homemade DIY toners, for acne and oily skin.
GREEN TEA TONER
Let’s start off with the most gentle toner. Green tea is of course delicious, and very good for you. But have you tried it as a toner? It has calming properties, so it’s good for redness and inflamed skin. It’s super simple to make, and should be kept in the fridge.
You will need:
- Hot water
- Green tea bag
- Mug
- Small container
Method:
Pop the kettle on and heat some water. Add the green tea bag to the mug and pour almost boiling water over it. Let this cool (you can pop it in the fridge), and then poor the liquid into the bottle. Can be used twice a day, but won’t last long even if kept in the fridge. Best to make a new batch every 3-4 days.
WITCH HAZEL AND TEA TREE TONER
This toner isn’t entirely DIY. It’s more like one you can jazz up with extra bacteria-busting qualities. Witch hazel is awesome for acne and oily skin, and the tea tree oil helps to kill bacteria. This one can be a bit stronger compared to the green tea toner, so if you have sensitive skin it might not be the right fit.
You will need:
- Witch hazel toner
- Tea tree oil
- Small container
Method:
Fill the container almost to the top with the witch hazel toner. Add around 10 drops of tea tree oil for a bottle this size. You don’t need to keep this one in the fridge, and it doesn’t really have an expiry date due to the witch hazel. But my advice is to only use this once a day, as it can be quite strong.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR TONER
Consider this to be the ‘ultimate’ DIY toner. It can help to even out the Ph level of the skin, minimising acne and reducing pore size. However, it’s important to dilute it, as the apple cider vinegar is very strong. Well, the second you open the bottle you’ll know all about that! Don’t let the smell put you off – you won’t smell it once it’s on your skin.
You will need:
- Apple Cider Vinegar (aim for one ‘with the mother’)
- Water
- Small container
Method:
Add the apple cider vinegar and water to the bottle with the 50/50 ratio. Keep this in the fridge, as it can go a bit funky if left out. Use once a day, and if your skin is loving it, bump it up to twice a day. An optional extra is to swap out the water for rose water. Try it and see which you like best!
If you’d like to see all of these fantastic little acne and oily skin toners mixed up in front of your eyes, fee free to watch my YouTube video below. Oh, and if you’re wondering if you can ‘mix and match’ ingredients: yes, you can! Just be aware that they don’t all have the same properties, and can’t all be kept out of the fridge. Listen to your skin, and if one ingredient isn’t working, then leave it out or swap it for something else. And if you’ve got any suggestions for ingredients, share them below! I’m sure everyone would love to try them out.