Rebecca of The Daily Muse has great skin, and she swears by her homemade, super simple skin toner. She says it’s environmentally friendly, all natural with no harsh chemicals, and it’s much less expensive than store-bought toner. Best of all, apparently it actually works — it’s known to clear up blemishes and smooth skin tone. The secret: it’s made from Apple Cider Vinegar!
You can find Rebecca’s vinegar-as-toner instructions below. But while we’re on the topic, I’m curious: have you ever tried vinegar on your skin? Do you have other homemade beauty recipes you’re addicted to? Please share!
Rebecca’s Instructions on How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar in Place of Your Regular Toner:
1. It has to be the raw ACV, with the mother. side note: I hate the phrase “with the mother.” It sounds like a dirty joke that ends in “ya motha.”
2. Bragg ACV is a reputable brand and can be found at most any grocery, vitamin, or health store.
3. It should be noted that a 16oz bottle of ACV costs around $3. Toner making jackpot!
4. Find an empty travel size container to make your toner. Sephora makes great little pump bottles that work perfectly.
5. Dilute the ACV to 3 parts water, 1 part ACV.
6. The exact ratio will vary according to your skin type. Dry skin? Use more water. Oil making machine? Use more ACV. You’ll find the right balance after a few weeks.
7. Use it as you would regular toner. Once or twice daily.
8. The heinous vinegar smell goes away once it soaks into your skin.
As with any beauty product, be patient. I’ve been on a strict ACV regimen for over 6 months now and I’ve noticed that my skin has become more normal. Not too dry, not too oily. Over time, it has even faded those annoying red blobs left over long after the zit has gone.
One last thing: Did you know that most drug store toners are just made of alcohol and perfume? Tis true.
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Thank you so much for sharing, Rebecca. I love inexpensive try-at-home tips like this!
{ 82 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a slight obsession with toner, the one I usually get is too expensive and I was already looking for alternatives. This sounds doable and simply amazing.
Will have to try this!! I LOVE mxing some salt and oilve oil before a long shower and scrubbing all over! Leaves a nice moisturizing sheen!
Ohhh. That sounds lovely, Sara! I think I’ll have to try that.
Or you can use sugar if salt is too rough on your skin.
Love this idea and The Daily Muse!
Design Mom and Daily Muse? Together with an easy DIY? Love – and it’s not even noon yet! :)
This is genius. So excited to see Rebecca over here. Her blog is going places!
Love this!! Great post!
Wonderful!! I’m slowly but surely trying to replace my pricey, chemical-laden store-bought beauty products with DIY products. I’m looking forward to trying this.
I’m definitely going to make this. I need to go to whole foods + sephora ASAP! Thanks Rebecca!!
I started doing this when I was pregnant – it’s been great! I have pretty oily skin and I do about 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Sometimes I get crazy and add a couple drops of essential oil to my bottle too. Live on the edge, that’s my motto. :)
I have been learning so much about apple cider vinegar. It heals up warts in a matter of days–even painful plantars warts. It also took care of my daughters boil. Same method– put it on half a cotton ball and tape on with medical tape. I’ve also read recently that, mixed with water and sprayed on your windshield, it will keep it from freezing for a couple of weeks. Haven’t tried this yet. It kills germs so it’s great for house cleaning as well. I’m very excited to try it for toner. I’ve been using witch hazel for a natural alternative and have been less than impressed. Thanks!
Heals up warts?! Must try this. I have one on the bottom of my foot that I can not seem to get rid of.
Hear, hear for the ladies with plantar warts! They are the most stubborn things. I am going for the apple-cider vinegar. Pretty small investment, even if it doesn’t work.
ACV works very well for warts. Just know that for a long-standing wart, it may take a while—two weeks or so of consistent application. I love it for treating my childrens’ warts since it (usually) doesn’t hurt!
Yes! isn’t it lovely that the most effective treatment is essentially painless? My poor neighbor took her son to the doctor only to have his plantars wart frozen and eventually cut out! I felt terrible for not sharing this with her sooner. The sad thing is that even with these drastic measures, the virus still may not be taken care of so it may come back. Even after all that. But the ACV kills the virus and the skin begins healing itself.
Also, reusit.com has a lovely facial cleanser recipe where you mix olive oil and castor oil, massage it into your skin, then get a steamy washcloth and hold it on your face until it cools. Then wipe and you’re done. There are different ratios for different skin types here as well. This is the nicest thing I do for myself every day. It feels like a spa facial and leaves my skin glowing and pores almost invisible. So very relaxing.
I saw this on Pinterest about 6 months ago and decided to try it… needless to say, I love it! So cheap, and my face is so much less oily now. I definitely recommend this to everyone :)
I’ve been doing that too now for a year and my skin looks so much younger and fresher! I’m hooked and will never use soap on my face again. Finally no more breakouts and less fine lines! :)
Raw ACV is amazing! It has a lot of healing properties. I hadn’t heard of using it as a toner, but it doesn’t surprise me that it works. Thanks for sharing this great piece of beauty advice. I am always interested in natural / DIY products. Now, if I could get past the not so pleasant taste of ACV and swallow a couple of tablespoons a day. It’s supposed to be so good for you.
Love that Rebecca. If you haven’t seen her in real life, her skin is even more beautiful in person. I have to start doing this!
I’ve recently started using ACV to treat my seborrhic dermatitis and it works great! (I use a 1:1 ratio and use a clean hair color applicator bottle to apply it to my scalp. Wrap my head in a towel for 15 minutes and then wash my hair.) I will definitely be trying this toner too, as my SD effects my face as well! Awesome.
And I can testify to the fact that the vinegar smell doesn’t last long at all.
I’m curious if it requires refrigeration. I’m excited to try this!
WOW. I can’t wait to try this! Recently, I’ve replaced expensive spa scrubs with homemade varieties and love them: why not, this, too! Thank you for sharing!
This post makes me laugh because it reminds me that my little sister had a friend in high school with gorgeous skin, and she swore it was because she did shots of apple cider vinegar (the exact same kind as above!) every day. So what did we all do? We all chugged a glass every day. Until it occurred to me that it was possibly eating the enamel on my teeth and I needed to stop! Ah, the good ol’ days.
so many great ideas being discussed… adding essential oils, using ACV on your scalp/hair as well.
briana- the toner just stays in my medicine cabinet. from the fridge in the summer doesn’t sound like a bad idea though.
yes! Every time I had a sunburn as a child, my mom would pat me down with a vinegar soaked cotton ball. It really works. I used it to get rid of a wart on my foot, and I’ve heard it is great for your hair!
Sunburn too? I must find myself a bottle. Does anyone know what “with the mother” means on the label?
The ” mother” is the cloudy bit that makes the cider turn into vinegar.
“mother of vinegar” refers to the harmless bacteria that converts alcohol into acetic acid. Here’s a great article about it: http://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/ask-ted-how-to-make-homemade-vinegar/index.html
HTH!
Jamaica and Alberta – thank you both for the helpful info!
I’m so glad you asked! I was feeling a little dumb when, 23 comments later, no one had asked. Really thought it was some slang term–ha!
You crack me up with the “with the mother” talk. hahaha I am right there with you….and “ya motha”! (Like a bad joke ending.) It’s good to know there is, at least, an explanation for it. : )
I’m really getting into homemade skin care. I’ll need to try adding this to my regimen.
Excited to try this!
Funny–I just stumbled upon this toner recipe a couple weeks ago and have been using it myself. I need to be more consistent, but so far I like it!
Just plain Saki Japanese rice wine works really well too!
Good to know!
Yes, I’ve used ACV before and it makes your face super soft! I love that you posted this because I recently stumbled upon NUDE skin care products. I checked out the ingredients and was super impressed with what I saw. Apparently some of the facial creams have won awards? But its out of my price range for sure. So instead I’ve had lots of fun making my own facial toners (with ACV) herbal masks, lip balms, healing salves and body scrubs. Glad to see others out there are trying this and liking it!
I use this dilution of ACV on my dog for her itchy skin…she smells like a salad or a chip for awhile, but it helps a lot!
Yes! I think that vinegar is the best kept beauty secret! I have been using it (and the castor oil/olive oil combo that someone mentioned above) on my face for almost a year now and am thrilled with the results. I did a whole blog post about my oil and vinegar facial routine last year because so many friends were curious: http://plumfieldshop.blogspot.com/2011/08/skin-care-101.html
i use vinegar to clean. i keep some in one of those nifty spray bottles, 50% water, 50% white vinegar.
i also use it on my hair. after shampoo and rinse, i spray some on and leave it for a couple of minutes while i do other shower stuff, then a quick rinse to get it out. the vinegar smell disappears once your hair dries. (i almost wish it didn’t, i love that smell.) anyways, this helps prevent split ends and i do it 2 – 3 times a month.
now i must try acv on my skin. (although i don’t really use a toner, i’ve never seen the point.)
(lemon juice works wonders for sunburn, so it doesn’t surprise me that acv would, too…)
love this post and the comments!
I’d never heard of lemon juice for sunburn. It seems like that would sting! So fascinating that it’s helpful.
I’m going to have to try this.
Thanks for sharing this. For exfoliation, I use coffee granules (granules after the coffee was brewed), I mix honey & olive oil together. I used it for face n body scrub.
But how do you stand the smell of vinegar on your face?
Hah! I’ve been thinking the same thing and didn’t dare ask it. I don’t love the smell of vinegar. I wonder if it’s easier to bear when it’s diluted with the water.
I LOVE ACV!!! I drink it twice a day in ice cold water. I do use it as a toner but I am not find of the smell it leaves behind. For toner I use distiller water and depending on the season either lavender or tea tree oil. I have used ACV on a nasty wart on the pad of my thumb. It started to go away but then I pealed the skin that was lose and it made it raw so putting more ACV was excruciating. I need to try it again. It’s crazy though you can actually see the warts root turning black and dying. ACV has so many medicinal values.
I love ACV for my skin. It’s almost like a spa treatment cause my skin feels so refreshed afterwards. Sometimes I even use it straight….if I really need to clean off the old face…but I recommend only doing this once a month cause it does make you red for about 2 hours. I also LOVE almond oil and apricot oil. I mix a 30/70 mixture with a few drops of rosemary. I use it every night and it’s beautiful. I sometimes use it in the morning if it has been a really dry night. But I understand all skin types can use it.
For a homemade toner I just use rosewater. You can find it at any middle-eastern/mediterranean grocer. It leaves me a dewy glow and smells great naturally!
I will have to try this when I know I will be alone for a few hours. I’d hate for anyone to think my face or hair smelled like a douche!! : )
Can’t wait to try this! I’m a natural skin junkie, and love the oil cleansing method!
http://pinterest.com/jlaf/au-naturale/
ACV really helped me immensely when I had acid reflux during pregnancy. I would mix one tablespoon ACV with a full glass of water and sip it down with a straw. It would stop the reflux burn like magic.
Also, this past month I have been using a “No Poo” method of cleaning my hair and scalp. Every other day, I apply a baking soda / water mixture (1 tablespoon baking soda to 8 ounces water) to my scalp and scrub it in. After rinsing out the baking soda mixture, I apply an ACV / water mixture (1 tablespoon ACV to 8 ounces water). I work the ACV rinse through my hair for about 1 minute and then I rinse with warm water. It took my hair about a week to adjust, but it has been the best natural beauty regimen I have ever tried. My hair is shiny, smooth, and it does not smell like ACV. My scalp is not dry at all. And the price is right!
does this work with hard water? So many natural hair remedies don’t rinse out with hard water so I haven’t tried this. Would love to, though.
I just tried it. The smell goes away very quickly. Not pickly at all
My mom just introduced me to using drained coffee grind as a facial exfoliator. I moisten my face, gently rub coffee for a minute and rinse. I have been doing this for a month and my face looks so much better.
Another use for vinegar: iychy mosquito bites. Just dab any old vinegar on the bite with cotton wool and the driving-me-insane itching stops every time. It’s a pretty common remedy among Southern European folk, so l’ve been doing this since l was a kid.
Oh, and l always mop my floors with hot water mixed with vinegar. The vinegar smell only lasts for about a minute.
I’ve used vinegar on my skin, but not my face. The knuckles of my hands get chapped and crack in the winter. I visited a dermatologist about it. She recommended I use a product called Acid Mantle. It was amazing. It worked almost over night. The problem is that it isn’t made any more. After talking to my dermatologist about it, she recommended that I rinse my hands in a diluted vinegar solution, followed by a good moisturizer (I use Aquaphor.) It works great. Apparently, skin and hair like to be a little acidic – our sweat is even acidic.
Also, I’ve used vinegar on my kids. Again, it was recommended by a doctor – this time a pediatrician. After using antibiotics one of my children got a bad yeast infection in the diaper area. We started a prescription for it, but (as directed) I also started putting a cup of vinegar in the bath. It worked amazingly well! Fast, cheap, and effective.
Looking forward to adding this to my natural skin care regimen. My favorite natural product is raw honey to wash my face. It seemed like a sticky/messy idea at first, but it feels great on the skin and rinses off no problem with warm water. Smear it on the skin dry, rub around, rinse. Really terrific and soothing during drier months, but great all year long. Honey is naturally antimicrobial, bonus!
Thanks everyone !
My mom used to put apple cider vinegar on a sunburn… smelled a little strong but it really helped!
HI Gabrielle! I use ACV as a hair conditioner, a disinfectant for cleaning the house, an occasional rinse in the laundry to remove soap residue and a window cleaner. I also love it doused on my salads. I have recently discovered the most amazing natural skin “lotion”… pure lanolin (not oil) and coconut oil mixed in equal parts with a splash of lavender oil. I use it on my entire body including my face. Eyes, too! On Valentine’s Day, my husband was looking curiously at my face then finally declared that I look YOUNGER since I began using my homemade “lotion”! At 44, this was a very nice Valentine’s gift! ;)
More on the subject of homemade and natural… baking soda as shampoo, clothing soap, tooth paste… – (oh no, don’t get me started)… and the list for that little gem can go on forever!
Thanks Design Mom, for your fantastic blog. I am open to suggestions for my own. xo
Came over here from Rebecca’s blog. I have some Bragg sitting in the cabinet. I’m gonna mix this up tonight!
I’ve been using diluted tea tree oil with pretty good results but nothing life-changing. I just bought a huge bottle of apple cider vinegar so I’ll definitely be trying this!
xo
cortnie
I’ve been rinsing my hair with Apple Cider Vinegar for a little while now and it does in fact add shine to my hair! Smells a little strong at first, but does fade away. I poured some in a little spray bottle (from the craft store) and leave it in my shower. I’ve also recently started brewing Kombucha at home and have heard that you can use it as a toner and in your hair (similar to ACV) if you let it brew long enough (it needs to achieve vinegar -like properties; you wouldn’t want to drink it at this stage). I’m definitely going to try the ACV as a toner!
Thanks for the tip!!
Kelly
I use ACV on my kids hair as a conditioner. Works great. Can’t wait to try it as a toner.
i *love* acv…. use it as ‘shots’ when i think i’m getting sick, as a hair/scalp spray, on little rashes… it is wonderful. love all your posts, as usual!
I got rid of strep throat this last winter sipping on acv, grated fresh ginger, water and honey. I’ve used it as a toner and hair rinse. Nothing will make your hair shine better, but it does smell;)
What do you suggest for natural eye make-up remover? I just ran out of my store brand and if I can make it from my pantry, I’d rather use that $6 to buy some new jams on iTunes!
Try using some oil on a cotton pad. I’ve tried olive oil, coconut oil and sunflower and they all work like magic! No stinging and no chemicals!
Coconut oil is an excellent make up remover! Very gentle & safe. It’s also good for very dry hair. It had a mild flavor & as a good fat, it can’t be beat!
I’ve been using plain witch hazel for the past two months (new year’s resolution, baby!) and my skin has never looked better!
I’ve been using this and a baking soda scrub on my face for a few months now, and it has worked wonders! I also use baking soda/ACV for my shampoo/conditioner! I love how natural, cheap, and effective these household products are!
My “motha” used to fill the bathroom sink with cold water, add a glug of apple cider vineagar and splash her face with it after cleansing. She did it almost every night and she had beautiful skin.
I’ve been using this and I’m really happy with the results! I’ve noticed a significant reduction in the amount of shine on my face, after only 10 days. I use it morning and night, and I am using it in a 2:1 ratio since my face is so oily. I also added a few drops of lemon essential oil as well. Thanks for sharing! I would pay A LOT of money for something that works this well, and to think I only spent a little over $3!
love all the neat tips here! i use the acv toner but replace the water with green tea to increase the antioxidant power and do a ratio of equal parts. this is my favorite face and body scrub and mask: green tea, honey, apple cider vinegar and sugar. easy, inexpensive and satisfying. the recipe is on our website: http://www.wonderfulingredients.com/green-tea-and-honey-facial-scrub
enjoy!
Apple cider vinegar…..soooo awesome for skin care. Works great for reducing those bumps on the back of arms too! Just apply full concentration when showering.
I loved reading all the tips. Thank you all! I mix baking soda with a small about of water to make a paste, this makes a great scrub for your face, elbows, knees and feet.
I’m so glad I saw this a few weeks ago on pinterest. I’ve been using it every morning since (I wash with the oil cleansing method at night) and all the wintery dry skin problems I had are gone! (Somehow even when I was cleaning my face with oil, things were dry). It’s been really great. The smell actually goes away after a few minutes, so don’t worry about that. Thank you for sharing this!
My sister uses Braggs Apple Cider Vinger all the time on her face. Once she started, we could easliy tell the difference. Her skin became clearer and brighter, like she has an awesome glow whenever she does it. I can’t get over the smell, that is the only reason I have not done it. I also have a old high school friend that uses and recomends Braggs fro everything from weight lose to cold to heal cuts and scrapes fast.
Another thing that vinegar is great for is curing hiccups. Just swallow a teaspoon or two and they’re gone! Works every time.
I have struggled with acne all my life. Proactive cleared my skin but left it horribly dry and flaky as did other acne regimens. Since I started using ACV, I don’t worry about breakouts. I mix it with a little bit of green tea, apply and let it sit while I brush my teeth at night, then use a mild face wash followed by moisturizer. Wish I would have known about this when I was a teen