This document provides recipes for homemade facial toners using ingredients found in most kitchens. It lists several ingredients that can be used as natural facial toners including cucumbers, carrot juice, green tea, lemon/lime, aloe vera, tomato juice, peppermint tea, potato juice, coconut water, rice water, apple cider vinegar, and rose water. Each ingredient is described in 1-2 sentences highlighting their skin benefits such as controlling oil, reducing blemishes, fighting aging, or providing hydration. Instructions are provided for how to prepare and apply each toner.

1. d.i.y facial toner

2. Facial toner is important in controlling excess oil, refining pores and providing anti-aging nourishment. There are great facial toners in the market that do a great job keeping the skin youthful and radiant. However, if you are feeling a bit adventurous and want to d.i.y, or you want to be in control of what cosmetic ingredients go into your body. Perhaps you simply can't find the right store bought toner that suits your skin, maybe you're on a budget? Then keep reading for simple and effective ingredients from your kitchen you can use as a facial toner.

3. Cucumbers: Fade dark eye circles and reduce puffy eyes with this vegetable. An excellent after sun treatment, cucumber rejuvenates the skin leaving it glowing and radiant. Using it continuously will fade blemishes and reduce hyper-pigmentation. Cucumber has a cooling effect on the skin and is loaded with vitamins like vitamins B2, C, E, as well as a rich source of amino acids. To use, simply take a slice of cucumber and rub on your entire face and neck and allow to dry. Wash it off the next morning.

4. Carrot Juice: High in vitamin A and antioxidants, this crunchy vegetable can be used to treat blemishes and scars. Carrots have antiseptic properties that clarify and tone the skin. It protects the skin against harsh sun rays and aids collagen production. To use, simply take the juice of a carrot and apply on your face and let it dry leaving it on till next morning. You can take an extra step and add carrot juice to your daily diet for a healthy dose of radiant skin and sparkling eyes!

5. Green Tea: Green tea is rich in antioxidants. It flushes toxins from the skin and helps in healing blemishes. Studies have shown that applying green tea topically can reduce sun damage. It reduces signs of premature aging and soothes the skin. A perfect brew to calm the skin after a hectic day hustling in the sun. Simply brew a cup of green tea using 1 teabag or 1 teaspoon (if using loose tea leaves) and allow the tea to cool completely. Store in a clean bottle and refrigerate. To use, spray the tea on your face or use a cotton ball to dab on your entire face. Remember to include your neck.

6. Lemon/Lime: I can't complete this list without mentioning lemons. Lemons have been long celebrated as a natural remedy for acne and skin lightening and... rightly so! High in vitamin C, it plumps up the skin, brightening it andminimizing pores. If you don't have lemons, you can substitute with lime or oranges.To use, simply cut in half and rub on your face or squeeze out the juice and pat it into your face. Best to use this at night as using in the day time can increase your sensitivity to the sun. Also, if you have dry sensitive skin, dilute with a bit of water before using on your face.

7. Aloe Vera: My favorite! A truly wonderful plant for skin. It is a great after-sun and sunburn treatment. A great moisturizer that stimulates collagen production and fights aging, this plant removes hyper-pigmentation and leaves you with glowing youthful skin. A great form of oil control for oily skin, it is excellent for fading scars. If you intend using aloe vera juice on your skin, be sure do a test patch to make sure you're not allergic as some people are sensitive to this plant. To use, simply cut a small piece of aloe plant and rub the clear white liquid gel on your face and neck area. Use this in moderation as excessive use will result in your skin becoming sun sensitive.

8. Tomato Juice: Shrink your pores and tame that oily skin with tomato juice. A great astringent, tomatoes are used to control and clear up acne. Banish blackheads and get glowing with this juice. To use, simply mash one medium sized tomato and use clean fingers or clean cotton ball to rub it gently on your face. For added punch, you can drink fresh tomato juice (nothing like getting beautiful from the inside out!)

9. Peppermint Tea: Spritz this on your face to brighten, tone and hydrate your skin. Use this tea to tame your oily skin. Peppermint is a natural astringent that balances the skin PH. It is used to calm irritated, dry skin and also, to treat acne. To use put a teabag in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Once it's cooled, store in an air tight bottle and refrigerate. Make sure your peppermint tea is 100% peppermint leaves and NOT peppermint flavored tea. You can check the list of ingredients on your tea pack.

10. Potato Juice: This juice is used to treat blemishes, dark eye circles and crows feet. Potatoes contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese. Regular use will result in glowing soft skin. It is an excellent treatment for skin rashes, insect bites and itchy skin. It also helps in treating eczema. Potato is a natural skin lightener and helps with sunburn.

11. Coconut water: Massage this on the face to hydrate dry, dull skin instantly. Coconut water contains plant growth hormones called cytokinins which encourage tissue cell growth. It is used to treat acne and blackheads. This water is cooling on the skin and has been used to treat chickenpox and rashes. It has a whitening effect helping to fade scars and blemishes. It combats oily skin giving an instant glow. Also known as a natural treatment for dehydration, drink this to boost your skin from inside out. Your skin and overall health will surely benefit from it's multiple nutrients. To use, simply crack open a fresh coconut and collect it's water. Store this in a bottle and keep refrigerated. You can use in the morning and evening.

12. Rice Water: Rice water is a natural skin lightener used for centuries in Asia. It is used to lighten hyper-pigmentation, age spots and sun spots. Rice contains B vitamins called ‘inositol’ that helps promote cell growth thereby slowing the aging process. It contains UV absorbing properties and if left on the skin, will provide slight protection from sun rays. Use rice water to shrink pores, tighten, brighten, and soften the skin. To use, take a cup of raw rice, lightly rinse the rice to remove any dirt. Put the rice in a bowl and pour clean water up to an inch above rice level. Allow the rice to sit in the water for about 15mins or until the water turns milky. This will allow the minerals from the rice to seep into the water. After 15mins, drain the rice and store the water in a bottle and refrigerate. To use, simply apply and leave on your skin.You can use this morning and night.

13. Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar contains a type of acid that can be used to combat bacteria causing acne. ACV is a great gentle exfoilant for the skin which is key to maintaining healthy skin. It promotes blood circulation, dissolves excess oil on the skin and is used in treating warts. pH balance is important in keeping your skin healthy and ACV restores and balances out the skin pH. It normalizes sebum production resulting in skin being not too dry and not too oily. It also unblocks pores allowing the skin to breathe. To use, mix ACV and bottled water in equal parts and store in bottle. Use unpasteurized ACV for best results. To determine if it is unpasteurized, it should have a cobweb like, light colored appearance at the bottom of the bottle. This is known as the "mother of vinegar". Use preferably at night as it can increase your skin's sensitivity to sun.

14. Rose Water: This fragrant toner is great for calming the skin, reducing signs of stress, fine lines and wrinkles. It regenerates the skin strengthening skin cells. Rose water is very gentle and protects the skin from bacteria, heals sunburn and maintains the pH balance of your skin. Rose water controls excess oil production. It soothes inflamation due to it's anti inflammatory properties. Rose water is best applied at night. To use, wet a cotton ball with rose water and apply to your face and neck. To boost it's moisturising properties, you can add a drop of glycerine to the rose water. Alternatively, you can buy glycerine and rosewater at most cosmetics shops.

15. There you have it Beauties! Do try these natural alternatives and see how it works for you. If you've been using these remedies, do let us know how you use them and how they've worked for you. As always, stay beautiful! xoxo, Laila Beautie