Toning is an often overlooked yet essential part of any beauty regimen. Sweeping it over the face after cleansing makes sure any makeup (particularly eye makeup) or cleanser residue is removed while rebalancing your skin's PH levels to help mattify oiler skin and retain moisture for drier skin.
This is an essential step to disinfect and tighten the skin so that your pores can remain clean and clear (so if you suffer from breakouts using toner is a  must).

Ever since I can remember I have been using plain old distilled Witch Hazel. It's a natural, single-ingredient astringent produced from the witch-hazel shrub that's often used as a medicine for skin irritations and minor ailments so is perfect for sensitive skin. As I've grown older (I sound like a grandma... I'm only 23!) and my skin has been through many conditions, I've added a few ingredients to adjust the Witch Hazel base and personalise it for my current skin concerns. Here're a few ideas to get you started:

What you'll need:

- witch hazel

- essential oils to suit your skin type (we'll go through this is a bit)

- a bottle (with lid) to decant the witch hazel

- cotton pads

To chose the right essential oil(s), you first need to discern what your problem areas are. Here are a few of the best options for each skin concern (most of these are very affordable at under £2 each and I have provided links where possible... just click on the oil you want):

Oily

grapefruit, lavender, lemon, rosemary, ylang ylang, bergamot, sandalwood, cedarwood

Dry

frankincense, myrrh, orange, clary sage, jasmine, lavender, rosewood, geranium,  vitamin e

Normal / combination

lavender, rosewood, geranium, neroli hydrosol, ylang ylang 

Sensitive

lavender, rosemary, chamomile, rose, yarrow hydrosol, jasmine, carrot

Acne-prone

tea tree, german chamomile, rosemary, manuka, thyme linalool, lemon myrtle

Blackheads

peppermint, lemongrass, coriander, thyme vulargis

Puffy

peppermint, oregano, clary sage, celery, cypress, rosemary, spanish marjoram, fennel

Scarred

carrot seed, rose hip extract, lavender, petitgrain, galbanum

Mature / ageing

carrot seed, myrrh, lavender, sages, frankincense, geranium, patchouli, rose hip extract

Large pores

myrtle, lemongrass, rose, cedarwood

Eczema

calendula infused oil, cranberry seed

Decant your witch hazel into a glass / jar / bottle (making sure it has a lid... witch hazel evaporated quickly so if left to the elements you'll wake up with none left!) 

Add up to three essential oils at two drops each. 

The oils will separate so before each use give it a good shake and damped a cotton wool round with it before gently sweeping over your skin. 

If you have sensitive skin you may want to dilute the formula with water at a 50/50 ratio.

The great thing about this toner is that it costs next to nothing but it always suited to what your skin needs. If your skin is prone to change (if you're a teenager, your hormones are affected by a condition, or you suffer from that-time-of-the-month breakouts) you can make several smaller concoctions for each concern and use when necessary.

Do you use essential oils to combat your skin problems? What toner do you love?