Licorice & Green Tea Toner

 

Hold onto your face towels, folks! My Licorice & Green Tea Toner is here to give your complexion a VIP pass to the party of flawless and evenly toned skin. 

Licorice Root tincture (or as I like to call it, Glycyrrhiza glabra when we're feeling fancy) is the talk of the town when it comes to dark spots. It's like a natural flashlight, possibly lighting up pigmented skin and making it sparkle. 

But what's a star without its supporting cast? Green Tea tincture is chock-full of flavonoid phytochemicals called polyphenols (catechins) - think gallocatechin, epicatechin, and the tongue-twisting epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin. 

These polyphenols are like the bouncers at the club, providing protective support against those party crashers known as free radicals. They're also pretty skilled at shaking up some potent antioxidant cocktails. 

So, ready to let this toner turn your skin care routine into a fun, skin-loving party? I thought so!

I also use Aloe Vera Gel and Witch Hazel in my recipe.  Mountain Rose Herbs Aloe Vera Gel is made from the pulverized inner fillet of certified organically grown Aloe Vera plants and their Witch Hazel Extract is a potent double distilled true Witch Hazel extract with only 14% alcohol. 

I also use four wonderful hydrosols in my recipe. Hydrosols are produced from steam distilling plant materials and have similar properties to essential oils, but much less concentrated.  They contain all the beneficial components that whole plant materials have to offer.

I use Calendula, Tulsi, Yarrow, and Geranium Hydsosols in my recipe.

Calendula hydrosol is from the steam distilled flowers of Calendula officinalis and is a well-known for its therapeutic properties. It makes a perfect addition to facial toners. It also has a very refreshing aroma.

Tulsi hydrosol is from the steam distilled aerial parts of Ocimum tenuiflorum and is very soothing to the face and body.

Geranium hydrosol is from the steam distilled aerial portion of Pelargonium capitatum and is very balancing to the skin.

Yarrow hydrosol is from the steam distilled Achillea millefolium and is very cleansing and astringent and great for blemish-prone skin.

Check out Mountain Rose Herbs for a wonderful selection of hydrosols.

I use Licorice tincture which has the constituent Glycyrrhizin and is made from the dried root & stolon.  You can get tinctures from Gaia, Herb Pharm, or Mountain Rose Herbs.  You can also make your own.

Licorice & Green Tea Toner
60 ml Witch Hazel Extract
30 ml Aloe Vera Gel 
5 ml Calendula Hydrosol
5 ml Tulsi Hydrosol
5 ml Yarrow Hydrosol
5 ml Geranium Hydrosol
10 ml Green Tea Tincture
10 ml Licorice Tincture

Combine all the ingredients into an amber bottle and shake well.  To use: shake well and apply a generous amount to a cotton ball and massage gently over cleansed skin to tone and soothe. Avoid contact with eyes.

This is what the finished product looks like.  It has a wonderful herbal aroma.   Discontinue use if irritation occurs.  If you have any medical issue, please discuss the use of any and all herbs with your physician first. Herbs can be very potent and are sometimes not recommended for use by pregnant women, those on medications and those with medical problems. 

Enjoy & Green Blessings!
Shannon

This information is for educational purposes only, it is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or, diagnose any disease or condition. Nor is it intended to prescribe in any way. This information is for educational purposes only and may not be complete, nor may its data be accurate. As with all herbs, do not take internally unless working with a qualified and expert practitioner. Keep away from children.  I am an affiliate with Mountain Rose Herbs, please review my disclosure page for details. Shannon Buck and Fresh-Picked Beauty strongly recommend that you do not rely solely on the information presented on this website and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before using or consuming any type product. Anything you find on this website still needs more research to establish the potential effectiveness and safety of any ingredient and/or suggestion.  Before you consider using anything you find on this website, you need to consult with a medical professional to help you weigh the pros and cons of using natural ingredients.  You also need to review all the available safety data for each ingredient before you use it.  Herbs and natural ingredients have been used successfully for many years, but as a precaution, I suggest that you consult a naturopathic doctor, licensed herbalist, or holistic health practitioner who is qualified to guide you in the safe use of herbs and natural ingredients. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.