Pine Needle Infused Facial Toner

This was me on Dec. 1st.

This year's Christmas budget was SUPER tight what with getting married over the summer and then moving to a new state in the fall. So my husband and I had two choices: A-Don't give anyone anything at all. or B-Figure out a way to make things cheaply to give as gifts that don't suck.  My DIY nature obviously chose B, but I didn't know just how I was going to set about achieving such a hefty goal.  In the end, things went beautifully! I made something fun and useful for everyone on my list and then some!

To get myself going on this Christmas mission, I started scouring the internet for homemade gift ideas. I found more than my fair share and stumbled upon DIY bath and beauty products.  That took care of the women on my list. (I'll save the dudes' gifts for another post.) One of the many things I created for Mission Christmas-Is-Possible was a pine needle infused facial toner.

Totally hit this last holiday season!

First, toners are great for your skin and should be a part of your skin care routine (though I'm still trying to make sure I don't slack off in this department!). They tighten your pores to help prevent breakouts and often add a brightness or glow to your skin as well.

However, toners can get a little pricy depending on what brand you buy from what store. (Hence my aforementioned slacking.) I ran across a nifty little recipe about creating your own toner with just three ingredients: pine needles, witch hazel, and water.

Let's start with water. It's a good idea to always use distilled water when making your own bath and body products, but if you don't have any available you can use filtered tap water. It is really important to use filtered tap water if you have extremely hard water as the minerals could interfere with the quality of your products.  However, if your water is relatively soft and you feel a little lazy, it should be fine.

Witch hazel is an astringent derived from a plant and is very good for your skin. It's often used as a base for various types of tinctures.  It's not only an astringent, but also an antimicrobial agent, an anti-inflammatory, and it contains tannins that tighten skin and promote healing.  The tannins make it useful for as an anti-aging ingredient.  It is also used to treat dry skin conditions because it has moisturizing properties.  It is used to treat eczema and even sunburns! It can be picked up rather cheaply from grocery/drug stores for no more than a few bucks per bottle.


Pine needles are good for improving one's circulation, which helps to improve your complexion. When steeped in hot water, it creates an astringent. (If you are into aromatherapy, pine is said to promote feelings of tranquility. I certainly feel like it calms me, but that might be because using this toner has become part of my before-bed routine.) Pine needles are free if you know where to find them. You don't need much, so the tree won't mind if you borrow some fresh green needles to keep your face younge and firm! If you live in an area without pine trees, you could probably order them online, but I'm guessing your best bet would be to try a different type of DIY facial toner. (I'll probably post more recipies in future blogposts, so be on the lookout!) The species of pine that you use doesn't matter as all pine needles have the properties that you are looking for. This toner should be good for all skin types, even sensitive skin types, but always be sure to do a test patch of skin the first time you use it to make sure you don't have any adverse reactions!

Okay, without further ado, here is the recipe I used for the toner you've just read about:

Pine Needle Infused Facial Toner

1 cup Fresh Pine Needles
*~*Note: Collect from trees, not ground!*~*

1 cup Distilled Water

1 cup Witch Hazel

1) Place water and needles in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

2) Remove from heat and allow water to cool to room temperature.

3) Strain needles out of water and discard.

4) Stir in witch hazel.

5) Store in a bottle with a lid or cork.

~To use, pour a small amount of toner onto a
cotton ball or cotton pad and apply all over face.~