DIY Facial Toner: Our Favorite Witch Hazel, Aloe & Rose Water Recipe

Yes please!

Even better, our homemade toner is way gentler on your skin and skips the synthetic fillers, fragrances, and plastic packaging—making it a win for both your face and the planet.

In this simple, tested recipe, we’ll show you how to make your own natural beauty alternative that helps tighten pores, calm irritation, balance pH, and prep your skin for the rest of your routine.

A facial toner is a lightweight, liquid skin care product used after cleansing to remove leftover impurities, tighten pores, and balance the skin’s pH. It preps your skin for better absorption of serums and moisturizers while offering a refreshing boost of hydration. This simple natural toner harnesses the astringent properties of witch hazel to cleanse, soothe, and control excess oil in and easy and affordable homemade recipe.

Ingredients:

• Witch Hazel (1/4 cup): A natural astringent that helps minimize pores, reduce inflammation, and balance oil production.
• Rose Water (1 tbsp): Adds hydration and a soothing effect, especially for sensitive skin.
• Aloe Vera Gel (1/2 tbsp): Helps to calm irritation and add a light layer of moisture.
• Apple Cider Vinegar (1 tsp, optional): Helps restore the skin’s natural pH and fights breakouts. May be too harsh is you have very sensitive skin.

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a clean glass bottle or jar.
2. Shake well before each use.
3. Apply with a cotton pad or spritz onto the skin after cleansing, avoiding the eye area.
4. Follow with your favorite moisturizer or facial oil.

Store-bought facial toners can feel like a skincare essential—until you realize you’re paying $15 or more for a small bottle that might not even suit your skin. But making your own? It’s not only easy and effective, it’s seriously affordable.

With just a few budget-friendly ingredients like witch hazel and apple cider vinegar, you can whip up a gentle, natural toner for about $1.60 per batch.

That’s a savings of roughly $13.40 every time you skip the store-bought stuff—and you’ll know exactly what’s going on your skin. Here’s the numbers.

Cost Savings:

• Witch Hazel: $8 for a 16 oz bottle (~$0.5o for ¼ cup)
• Rose Water: $7 for an 5 fl oz bottle (~$0.70 for 1 tbsp)
• Aloe Vera Gel: $12 for a 12 fl oz bottle (~$0.24 for 1/2 tbsp)
• Apple Cider Vinegar: $13 for a 16 fl oz bottle (~$0.16 for 1 tsp)

Cost per batch: ~$1.60 per batch

Store-Bought Equivalent: ~$15 for a single bottle 6 Fl Oz (e.g., CeraVe, Thayers, and similar face toner brands)

Savings per Batch: ~$13.40

While store-bought facial toners promise quick results, they are packed with synthetic additives and rely on alcohols, artificial fragrances, preservatives, and unnecessary fillers. These may offer a temporary “tightening” or refreshing effect, but they can also strip your skin’s natural moisture barrier, trigger irritation, or worse. Here’s a few common suspects you’ll find those pretty drugstore bottles:

• Alcohols (e.g., Denatured Alcohol, Ethanol): Frequently used to create a quick-drying feel, alcohols can disrupt the skin’s protective barrier, leading to dryness, redness, and sensitivity—especially with long-term use.

• Synthetic Fragrances: Often disguised under generic terms like “fragrance” or “parfum,” these can contain dozens of undisclosed chemicals, including phthalates, which have been linked to hormone disruption, skin irritation, and allergies.

• Preservatives (e.g., Parabens, Phenoxyethanol): Used to extend shelf life, many preservatives have raised health concerns. Parabens, for example, are known endocrine disruptors and have been detected in breast tissue.

• Colorants and Fillers: Synthetic dyes may make a toner look appealing, but they offer no skin benefits and may cause allergic reactions or irritation—particularly for those with sensitive skin.

By making your own beauty products like homemade face masks and DIY makeup remover, you skip these unnecessary additives entirely, the high price tag and the wasteful packaging.