Essential Oil Alternatives: Face Toner DIY
Restoring the skin’s natural balance doesn’t have to come at the cost of stripping your skin of vital nutrients. Too many over-the-counter facial products are laced with perfumes, alcohol or synthetics that actually lead to more serious skin issues.
CHEMICALS OF CONCERN
Many store-bought toners include SD alcohol 40 (or denatured alcohol) and acetone, both of which can have skin drying effects. “SD” stands for “specially denatured” and is a combination of ethanol and other chemicals to make it undrinkable.
Acting as an cosmetic astringent and antimicrobial agent, SD alcohol has been broadly listed as a toxic agent according to the EWG. Other health concerns associated with SD alcohol include organ system toxicity, enhanced skin absorption and developmental toxicity. Through skin penetration, SD alcohol may even transport to the blood stream onto more susceptible organs, making it a possible carcinogen.
Acetone is typically added to over-the-counter facial toners as a solvent. Not only can acetone irritate the skin, eyes and lungs, it can also lead to neurotoxicity and organ toxicity. In the European Union, acetone is classified as an irritant. Exposure to high volumes of acetone can cause headaches, nausea and vomiting while also negatively affecting the kidneys and liver according to the New Jersey Department of Health.
THE NATURAL WAY
Adding drops of our Age Defy Synergy Blend to your beauty routine can yield wondrous results. From a cellular level, Age Defy reduces inflammation while it sustains smoother, more radiant skin.
In place of the harshness of alcohol-based toners, witch hazel helps remove dead skin and eliminate toxins. It also naturally fights wrinkles and acne while helping to calm puffiness and irritation. Lavender and Frankincense are packed with smoothing properties and antioxidants which support healthy skin.
EG's Essential Oil Face Toner DIY
Enliven your skin with our essential oil face toner. Use our step-by-step guide or customize your own natural toner with your favorite essential oils.
What you need:
Filtered water
Non-alcoholic witch hazel
Polysorbate 20 (emulsifies EOs in water)
Lavender essential oil (optional)
Frankincense essential oil (optional)
2 oz. Bottle
How to
- Fill ⅔ of the 2 oz. glass bottle with filtered water and the manufacturer's recommended amount of Polysorbate 20.
- Fill the remaining ⅓ of the bottle with witch hazel. Leave a little space at the top for the essential oil.
- Add 6-12 drops of Age Defy Synergy Blend.
- (Optional) Add 2-3 drops of Lavender essential oil and 2-3 drops of Frankincense essential oil.
- During your morning and night beauty routine, use toner after washing your face. Let your skin air dry and apply moisturizer.
Note: If you have especially oily skin or acne, add more witch hazel and less water to your mixture. Refrigerate for an approximate shelf life of 2 weeks.
COMMENTS
These comments were contributed by customers without influence from Edens Garden. The opinions expressed in these comments are 100% the authors' own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Edens Garden.
Edens Garden says...
Hi Marsha! We used a 1:1 ratio of polysorbate 20 to essential oils, but we’d recommend you ask the polysorbate 20 manufacturer as this can differ.
Marsha says...
What I am not seeing is how much poly sorbate 20, as there is nothing on the bottle as a recommended amount. Please advise.
Edens Garden says...
Hi Suzi! You can replace Polysorbate 20 with a different solubilizer but aloe vera is not a solubilizer. Aloe vera is also water soluble and thus would not mix with the oils.
Edens Garden says...
Hi Cherie! We purchase ours on Amazon
Edens Garden says...
Hi Deb! That’s true, oils and water do not mix. In this recipe, we use Polysorbate 20 which solubilizes the oil in water, evenly dispersing it throughout the product and making it safe to use.