Hyaluronic acid is a popular anti aging tool in skincare. Today I’m going to teach you exactly how to add it into a DIY face toner recipe. It’s easy to make yet gives your skin a boost in the anti aging department! This homemade facial toner contains only simple ingredients and gives your skin an instant, natural glow.
Typically hyaluronic acid is used in a serum. Adding hyaluronic acid to a toner rather than saving it for a serum cuts down on the amount of products you use. This DIY recipe eliminates the need for a serum because the toner contains all the benefits of both skin care products! Despite having 100s of skin care recipes, I really do prefer a more simple skincare routine and if I’m going to skimp on any product, it’s always my serum. I never miss my toner or face oil.
I’m thrilled at how this recipe turned out and am using this toner morning and night. I’m feeling more hydration and my skin appears smoother. This toner is definitely a step up from the typical DIY toner.
This hyaluronic acid homemade toner recipe is great for all skin types. It is safe for acne-prone skin and can help regulate oil production. It’s also great for mature skin and can help plump and smooth wrinkles. Anyone should feel free to make and use this toner!
What is in a DIY Face Toner:
A DIY face toner can be as basic as using a bottle of witch hazel which is a natural astringent. You can also add water based ingredients such as aloe vera or floral waters like rose water. Other additional ingredients are rice water, green tea and botanical extracts. These ingredients can customize your own toner to whatever your skin needs.
Many popular diy toner recipes include apple cider vinegar which is great at balancing pH but can be a bit harsh on the skin and not recommended for sensitive skin types and dry skin types.
Today, we’ll take a basic toner recipe and take it a step further! Adding hyaluronic acid into a toner helps plump, moisturize and smooth the skin instantly!
Why Should You Use a Face Toner?
- A toner’s main purpose is to restore the skin’s pH level. Balanced pH levels are the key to healthy skin. Typically cleansers have a high pH in order to strip the skin of dirt, oil and makeup. The issue arises if the pH of the skin isn’t restored after a cleanse. When the skin is not in balance, several issues occur. Excessive dryness or the overproduction of oil are the main ways the skin reacts to being out of balance. When pH in the skin is off, the skin’s acid mantle can also become damaged. The acid mantle is a protective barrier that keeps bacteria, pollution and other irritants at bay.
- Face toners also help to remove traces of dirt, makeup and oil that might have been left behind by a cleanser.
- Face toners deliver skin nourishing botanicals, vitamins, minerals and essential oils that can help target a specific skin concern.
- Toners can help you get the most out of your moisturizer. Getting the skin balanced can help creams and oils and serums penetrate deeper.
- Combination skin types can benefit greatly from using a face toner because a toner addresses the imbalance of both sides of the skin. Combination skin lacks balance. Plus, the intense hydration hyaluronic acid delivers will help the dryness without clogging the oily skin.
Related Posts: You might also be interested in my Aloe Vera Toner Face Toner recipe and my Green Tea Toner recipe.
Benefits of Daily Use of Hyaluronic Acid:
First, what is hyaluronic acid? Hyaluronic acid is actually a substance, like elastin and collagen, that our body produces. As we age, the production level of hyaluronic acid drastically declines. Hyaluronic acid attracts and holds on to water. It’s what hydrates the skin, plumping it and making it appear youthful. It is a great addition to any skincare routine.
According to several studies, hyaluronic acid plumps fine lines and wrinkles and also improves the skin’s elasticity.
Increase your skin’s water content and you will be restoring the youthfulness of your skin.
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant. This means it draws in water and holds on to it. HA can hold 1000x it’s weight in water!
- Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles!
- Hydrates.
- Repairs the skin barrier.
- Eradicates free-radical damage.
- Smooths and softens skin.
- Increases elasticity!
- Heals damaged tissue.
- Protects from UV rays.
How to Make Hyaluronic Acid:
Hyaluronic acid is water soluble and can be added to a water based ingredient to make a gel. It is so simple to make-You pick your water base (distilled water, aloe vera, witch hazel or hydrosols), sprinkle hyaluronic acid over the top, close the lid and shake. Put it in the fridge overnight and the serum will have thickened and be ready for use!
Directions:
- Add 1/4 cup of a witch hazel to a squeeze bottle using a funnel.
- Add 1/8 tsp. of hyaluronic acid powder.
- Replace the cap and SHAKE!
- Refrigerate overnight.
What You Need to Make DIY Face Toner with Hyaluronic Acid:
Materials
- 1/4 cup hyaluronic acid/rose water mixture (directions above)
- 2 tbsp. hydrosol
- 1 tbsp. aloe vera gel *optional
- 1/4 leucidal liquid
- Top off with witch hazel
Tools
- 4 ounce bottle w/ disc cap
- Small Funnel
Instructions
How to Make Hyaluronic Acid:
- Add 1/4 cup of a witch hazel to a squeeze bottle using a funnel.
- Add 1/8 tsp. of hyaluronic acid powder.
- Replace the cap and SHAKE!
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Once HA has dissolved and thickened, add 2 tbsp. of hydrosol.
- Add 1 tbsp. aloe vera gel.
- Add 1/4 tsp. leucidad liquid.
- Top off with witch hazel.
- Transfer to a 4 ounce bottle.
Recipe Notes:
- We must make 1/4 cup of hyaluronic acid first. If we add all the ingredients and then add the HA, the entire toner will thicken and you’ll have more of a serum than a toner.
- I added aloe vera gel because I love adding it to my toners. However, I always get aloe vera from Mountain Rose Herbs and their aloe is extremely watery. Most aloes are a thick gel and might not work as well in a toner. If you don’t use MRH’s aloe, you might have to experiment by adding less or adding more witch hazel or hydrosol.
- Skin toners are typically stored in a spray bottle but because of the hyaluronic acid, the spray nozzle didn’t work as well. This is why I’ve put mine in a bottle with a disc top. I like to stick with glass bottles for all my DIYs and even though you can’t squeeze the toner on to a cotton pad, giving it a good shake will get enough product out and still allow you to use glass. I had a 4 ounce glass bottle and was able to find a disc top on another bottle. I’ve linked plastic bottles that are BPA free though so don’t fret too much about not finding glass. Plus the disc top isn’t vital either. A plain screw top would work.
- I like to use Thayer’s witch hazel. It’s easy to find, affordable and alcohol free. I used their rose scented witch hazel because it’s what I had on hand but I love the lavender and the cucumber witch hazel as well! Really, any scent Thayers makes is fine for this DIY.
- I chose rose hydrosol but you could choose any floral water you prefer. You could even use distilled water if you’d like since we are using a preservative. Plant Therapy has an extensive line of hydrosols as does Mountain Rose Herbs.
- I formulated this recipe to be 4 ounces rather than my usual 2 ounces because it would be too difficult to get the HA powder proportions correct using a smaller amount of liquid.
Adding Essential Oils:
I chose not to add essential oils to my natural face toner but you could if you would like. Tea tree oil has powerful antibacterial properties and can be helpful to acneic skin. Lavender essential oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce redness and accelerate healing. Peppermint oil is also a great idea to energize the skin. Plus it has a refreshing cooling effect.
Add 10 drops per 4 ounces.
How to Use DIY Face Toner
- After cleansing, deposit enough on a cotton pad to cover the entire face and neck. You can also apply to your chest.
- Follow up with a moisturizer.
This DIY toner can be used morning and night.
Typically my DIY face toners are meant to be sprayed on the skin but with the addition of hyaluronic acid, the toner turned out to be too thick to get an even spray. Using a cotton ball or pad actually helps to remove excess dirt, oil and makeup so it’s a nice change with benefits!
Does This Recipe Need a Preservative?
I have added a preservative to this toner recipe since we are making 4 ounces. Is it 100{2ac9033caf61aa83cf45584f992fcbdbe657ee6f770037f39c3ded45073822b8} necessary? I believe so. The witch hazel we are using has a preservative as does the aloe vera gel. Hydrosol does not and since we are not using any essential oils I felt like it is a good idea to add a natural preservative. Leucidal liquid is a natural and gentle preservative.
If you are new to DIY skincare products, check out my Beginner’s Guide to DIY Skincare to get all the basics you need to know to get started!
Making your own facial toner is one of the easiest DIY natural products you can make. With the addition of hyaluronic acid, we’ve taken a toner and kicked it up several notches all while keeping with natural ingredients-no harsh chemicals! This facial toner recipe is versatile and is not aimed at any specific skin type. All skin will benefit!
xx, Jenni
