Acne has always been a problem for me. My middle school days were filled with envy of the girls who, unlike me, didn’t have faces covered with tons of angry red bumps.
I distinctly remember a boy (I won’t name names, but I do remember the scum bag who said this) telling me that my acne was so bad that he could connect the dots on my forehead. Nice, right?
Although high school and college brought nicer, clearer skin, acne is still something that I suffer from. I’m always eager to try new skincare solutions, especially because nothing that I’ve tried so far has actually wiped out my acne entirely.
I find myself disappointed again and again with the skin products that are available. The products that work are completely unaffordable, and the products that are affordable don’t seem to work as well (read: at all).
Because I’ve grown SO TIRED of spending my hard-earned money on products that don’t work for me, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Making your own skin products is intimidating, I will admit, but I put my big girl pants on, I buckled in, and I made an apple cider vinegar toner that kicks ProActiv’s sorry ass to the curb.
If you’re doubting the effectiveness of a homemade apple cider vinegar toner versus a pretty-packaged, $90 kit that contains the smallest bottle of toner you’ve ever seen, let me answer a few questions that you may have.
What exactly is a toner?
Great question! Facial toners are used to cleanse skin, shrink pores, and remove any stubborn, lingering oil and gunk that is clinging to your face.
Are pre-made toners actually that expensive?
Yeah, pal, they are if you want something that actually works. A 6-ounce bottle of Proactiv toner costs $30, a 6-ounce bottle of Murad toner costs $24, and an 8-ounce bottle of Mario Badescu toner, a brand that Kylie Jenner swears by, costs $18.
I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ballin’ on a budget. How am I supposed to afford a tiny bottle of this stuff and the other necessities like a cleanser, an exfoliater, and a moisturizer?
Well what is apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is pure apple juice, made from crushed apples, that is fermented twice. Fermentation is a fancy word that means the natural sugars in the apples turn into alcohol, which is what gives the liquid all of its superpowers.
And why should I rub apple cider vinegar on my face?
Yet another excellent question. Malic acid is formed when apples undergo this process, and it’s a really strong antibacterial substance. This eliminates bacteria and toxins, which eliminates those pesky blemishes that refuse to take a hike.
Another thing to think about is that the use of apple cider vinegar is completely natural. Pre-made products are made up of a laundry list of chemicals. Whenever I attempt to read the ingredients in any store bought skin product, I have no idea what the chemicals are, much less what their effects are.
So, here’s an amazing recipe.
Apple Cider Vinegar Toner
Ingredients
Instructions
Pour the apple cider vinegar into a container of your choice. Jars and bottles work pretty well.
Pour the filtered water into the same container. Shake or stir the mixture until the two liquids are combined.
Using a cotton ball or pad, rub that apple nectar of the gods on your freshly cleansed face, avoiding the eye area. Voila.