‘Tis the season for heaps of hydration! This DIY was initially inspired by a popular lavender witch hazel toner product, but I decided to really amp up the hydrating/humectant-y goodness in the spirit of Asian-style hydrating toners (rather than Western astringent-y toners) and that amping has led us off into new territory. The final product is rich in humectants and skin-soothing goodies—perfect skincare things for ultra-dry January!
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The bulk of this toner is a combination of aloe vera juice, lavender hydrosol, and witch hazel. We get soothing goodness from the aloe and lavender, and both witch hazel and aloe are anti-inflammatory. Aloe also helps boost healing and collagen production, and witch hazel is astringent. Witch hazel does smell a bit funky, so I’ve kept it to 20%, and 25% lavender hydrosol gives as a non-funky lavender-scented end product.
The lavender hydrosol I’ve used is quite special; it was distilled by a reader! I met Jen at the Nanaimo Humblebee & Me meetup in April 2019 and she arrived with a selection of her freshly homemade hydrosols. The lavender was my favourite and she gifted it to me! I’ve been saving it for something special and I thought this toner was just the thing ❤️You can check out her YouTube channel here!
That soothing, astringent watery base is then amped up with a variety of humectants. Propanediol and sodium lactate are both inexpensive, effective humectants. I chose propanediol instead of glycerin as it is less prone to tacky-ness, but you could use glycerin if that’s what you have. For even more fabulous hydrating goodness I’ve also included some low molecular weight hyaluronic acid. If you want to learn more about hyaluronic acid and its different weights, I highly recommend this crazy informative post from Simple Skincare Science.
Some panthenol (vitamin B5) and allantoin round off the formulation. Both of these ingredients are moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, and boost healing. Booyah! Allantoin is not very water-soluble (approximately 0.5%), so while the concentration is low (0.4%), it still takes a while to fully dissolve. I still had some visible particles around the 18-hour mark, but the solution was clear by the 48-hour mark.
After sitting for 48 hours the allantoin has fully dissolved.
Since nothing needs to be heated this formulation comes together in a flash. Simply weigh, stir, and you’ve whipped up a lovely lavender-scented skin treat. Enjoy!
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Lavender Aloe Hydrating Facial Toner
3g | 5% Propanediol 1,3 (USA / Canada)
4.86g | 8.1% sodium lactate (USA / Canada)
12g | 20% witch hazel
12g | 20% aloe vera juice
15g | 25% lavender hydrosol
12g | 20% low molecular weight 1% hyaluronic acid solution
0.6g | 1% panthenol powder (vitamin B5) (USA / Canada)
0.24g | 0.4% allantoin (USA / Canada)
0.3g | 0.5% Liquid Germall Plus™ (USA / Canada)Weigh all the ingredients into a small beaker or measuring cup and stir to combine (alternatively you could weigh everything directly into the bottle and shake to combine). Please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the allantoin to fully dissolve. You can cover the mixture and leave it in the beaker or bottle it straight away, but if you do bottle is straight away be sure to stir up the mixture to keep the undissolved allantoin in suspension so it makes it into the bottle.
Transfer to a 60mL (2 fl oz) bottle, cap, and you’re done!
To use, apply to the skin after cleansing, but before heavier products like creams or oils. I usually use products like this after actives like vitamin C & AHAs, but before a gel-cream, lotion, and/or oil serum. I’ll dispense a few drops into my palm and gently massage the liquid into my face.
Shelf Life & Storage
Because this toner contains water, you must include a broad-spectrum preservative to ward off microbial growth. This is non-optional. Even with a preservative, this project may eventually spoil as our kitchens are not sterile laboratories, so in the event you notice any change in colour, scent, or texture, chuck it out and make a fresh batch.
Substitutions
As always, be aware that making substitutions will change the final product. While these swaps won’t break the recipe, you will get a different final product than I did.
- As I’ve provided this recipe in percentages as well as grams you can easily calculate it to any size using a simple spreadsheet as I’ve explained in this post. As written in grams this recipe will make 60g.
- To learn more about the ingredients used in this recipe, including why they’re included and what you can substitute them with, please visit the Humblebee & Me Encyclopedia. It doesn’t have everything in it yet, but there’s lots of good information there! If I have not given a specific substitution suggestion in this list please look up the ingredient in the encyclopedia before asking.
- You could use a different hydrosol for a different scent.
- You could use all aloe vera or all witch hazel distillate if you want. You could also replace either or both of those ingredients with distilled water, but that will result in the loss of the benefits of the aloe and/or witch hazel.
- Please refer to the encyclopedia entries for the remaining ingredients for substitution ideas.
- If you’re like to use a different preservative, please review this page.
Gifting Disclosure
The lavender hydrosol was gifted by Jen. The hyaluronic acid was gifted by Pure Nature.
Thanks for posting this Marie. I can’t wait to try it! I have a quick question re: proper storage/handling of Liquid Germall Plus. When you use it, what sort of protective equipment do you wear (any special gloves or fancy face mask)? If you wear gloves are they disposable or re-usable (and if the former, how does one dispose of them properly so the residues don’t contaminate the environment)? And last question (I promise!), what sort of set up do you have for storing it (type of container, locked away from curious kids/animals, etc.)?
I appreciate any answer you can provide. I’d love to start making my own toners and emulsions, but want to go about it responsibly. Thank you for all you do!
Hi is there going to be another meetup in Nanaimo this year? I live on the island and would love to come! Is there a spot these meet ups are posted?
Thanks
Wendy
I sure hope so! My parents live nearby, so if I visit them I will have another (possibly in Victoria, though? I’m not entirely sure at this point!). I typically share all meetups on the Humblebee & Me Facebook page & mention them in my weekly newsletters, so stay tuned to those!
Keep me posted too as I would love to meet up on the island too
Oh goodness, I hope I can travel again soon! And that gatherings are ok! ❤️
I made this yesterday, and I absolutely love it! I swapped out the witch hazel for rose water and the sodium lactate for glycerine because that’s what I had and it smells amazing.
I have a question about the sodium lactate: you mention in the encylopedia that it’s a sodium salt of lactic acid, but I couldn’t really figure out what that means. I can’t find it anywhere in the UK, but I can find lactic acid. So I wondered if they can be substituted for one another or if they’re too different?
Thanks for the great recipes!
Lucy
Hi Lucy, the soapkitchen and gracefruit, both stock sodium lactate, I get mine from either (depending on what else I’m ordering) Hope that helps 🙂
Hi,
It will only works if the conservative is soluble in water ? I’m have Nipaguard at home, but it says that in water is soluble only 0,05g/L (at 20°). Can i use Nipaguard in a Toner ?
Please read this FAQ 🙂 Happy making!
Hi, thank you so much for this recipe! I’m a newbie at all of this and trying to lern as much as possible. You say that a preservative is necessary for this — is the liquid germall plus the preservative? I read the description on the order page but want to make sure.
Yes it’s a broad spectrum preservative
Yes, that’s it! If I say a formulation needs a preservative there will always be one in the formulation 🙂
Thanks for posting this Marie! I made this quick before a transcontinental work trip. Over 26 hours in a plane (so far) and my skin is doing great. This and another of your toners sprayed and spread every couple of hours and it never got too dry. I even did the beach thing in Dubai and my skin didn’t parch out! The smell is also great and helped distract from plane odors.
Hooray, I’m so thrilled to hear it! Thanks for DIYing with me, and happy making 🙂
Hi Marie, I made this earlier with glycerin (85 %) instead of sodium lactate + propanediol and rose instead of lavender + different preservatives… because that’s what I had. I’m suprised by how low tack it feels. It hydrates very well and I sometimes even do few water-oil layers. I’ve tested + about to test so many new actives lately (b3, prebiotics, betaine) so I appreciate toners like this that doesn’t cause any issues for my skin but are concentrated (less waste, perhaps long’ish self life and so on…) . 🙂
Anyhow, I’ll remake this at some point just to see compare them. I’ll propably add some betaine to help with allantoin. This feels exacly the kind of product I’d need after my “actives”, too. I’ve mostly used your hydrating rose water toner + rose sheet when I need hydration. These are fantastic!
Hi, Marie! I can’t find the witch hazel distillate where I live. Maybe you’re looking for it wrong. Would the distillate be the alcoholic extract of witch hazel made with grain alcohol?
No; it would be almost entirely water and is made by distillation. Sometimes it’s just called “witch hazel”—it is readily available at pharmacies here in Canada 🙂
Hello Marie! What about the pH balance? I am looking for a toner that will balance my pH after the use of an activated charcoal CP soap on my face. Will that one do the trick?
This is mildly acidic, but you are always welcome to test & adjust downwards further if desired 🙂
Thank you Marie! A little acidic should be fine to rebalance the pH after the use of a CP soap.
Hi Marie! In your Hydrating Rosewater Facial Toner, you advised us to halve the concentration of 2% sodium lactate and 1% glycerin to reduce tackiness. Comments section reported it was very tacky.
In this recipe you used 8.1% sodium lactate, how did this affect tackiness?
Sodium lactate isn’t tacky, so… not tacky 🙂
I infused this and your ha B5 serum together – meaning that I used 4 % B5 and skipped propanediol. I wish I had access to mpg or other cheap diol – it feels gorgeous (like nothing) on skin even with glycerine. This is wonderfull! Lavender blends nicely with witch hazel. I actually think it’s as effective as many aha toners but lots more hydrating. I’m planning to make eye gel and silky gel today too. 🙂
Can I use Tea tree hydrosol instead of alo vera juice?
You can try it, but it will make the entire product smell strongly of tea tree. I hate the smell of tea tree, so I wouldn’t, but you might like the smell of tea tree 🙂
Tea tree definitevly isn’t for every one. Sounds nice! I personally enjoy teatree hydrosol a lot (I find the scent mild, fresh and watery) but don’t like the eo at all (even diluted). Perhaps you could try tea tree witch hazel aloevera spritz first (really simple one) to find out how you like the scent? I mean small batch without any other fancy ingredients and apply that on your facial area? Have fun!
I’m currently searching for alternatives to lavender (I’m not a huge fan) and I honestly don’t know any other hydrosols which play nicely with witch hazel (and which many people find soothing). x
I love this toner. I’ve made it several times with minor changes. Super easy to make! It’s fabulous hydrating + soothing toner/ essence. I bed that this would fit to any skincareroutine. I don’t notice tackyness at all but it glides on skin nicely without peeling off (even when layered) leaving my skin all plumped up. Only thing I’d add is caffeine. Love the simplicity, performance and skin-feel. I’m now hooked on combination of lavender and witch hazel. Adam likes this too – so does my sister. It smells nice and calming to me, helps faid small stress related wrinkles and faid scent of low pH preservatives I often use. Neroli is nice too.
This is pure gold with my fave oil serum! I think that pentylene glycol works great to sub propanediol here – though I liked glycerine too! I like pentylene glycol as co-solubilizer (with real solubilizer) to reduce the foam – that’s why I chose it over other non-sticky humectants. I tried all (8,1+5) sodium lactate but my skin didn’t like it. I also like to use this as body serum, after shave and after sun and even sheet masks. Thank you for bareing my comments, I know I have a habit of making things too complicated.
Would you consider formulating a solid toner recipe? I just discovered them but they are so expensive!
The Birthday Suit Solid Body Wash I shared has a really similar base to the solid serums/toners I’ve seen 🙂 The problem is that sodium stearate sticks HAVE to be basic, and that’s not a great place from which to start skincare formulations :/
Hi♂️ Thanks for all the amazing recipes – I’ve made so many from your site and loving them. For some reason when I make this it feels and has a really sticky finish. I follow the recipe and has all the correct products. Not sure what I’m doing wrong ? Thanks again . Best
Lucas
Hi Lucas! I recommend watching my “Midweek Musing” on stickiness/tackiness in products on the Humblebee & Me Facebook page or IGTV 🙂 Happy making!
Can you explain difference between dl-panthenol pro vitamin b5 And Pantothenic acid vitamin b5? Also which one is used in the formula.
I was wondering why the choice to use sodium lactate and propanediol together. Do they act differently/better together?
Hello, thank you for the gorgeous recipes, I am getting so inspired! Is there a way to add niacinimide to this recipe?
Thank you!
can i use this in a spray bottle?
You can try it, but you may find the very slight viscosity the hyaluronic acid solution contributes makes it “jet” instead of “mist ” 🙂