DIY Grapefruit Toner

I know I haven't been posting pretty much at all, you all know how life gets. I don't always have interesting things to write about. Lately I've had my nose deep in a few books and sites, which isn't really entertaining to read about. I've also been down the dark, deep rabbit hole of genealogy, which probably deserves it's own post, but I'll save that for another day.

Every morning when I wake up, I spray some homemade toner on my face. It helps wake me up, it smells good, and it's good for oily skin. Any of you who know me know that the past few years my skin has gotten worse than that Krusty Burger employee in the Simpsons.

Yeah, That Guy...

Over time I've figured out what helps me most--as much as hormones would allow, that is. This recipe is kind of a spin on what my aesthetician recommended and what I have experimented with.

I use a 3 oz spray bottle and pour everything directly into it. I'm not particular on brands; grab whatever you prefer, but keep in mind that many times you get what you pay for.

Fill the spray bottle about 3/4 full with plain witch hazel. This stuff is magic. Then add a drop or two of vitamin E oil--should be self explanatory. Then add 5-10 drops of tea tree oil, depending on how strong you can stand the smell versus your skin sensitivity. After that, 10-15 drops of pink grapefruit oil. The smell mixes well with the tea tree oil, and citrus also tends to be good for skin. Put the lid back on your bottle and shake. Be warned, this stuff *does* separate when it sits, so you'll need to give it a vigorous shake every time before using it.

Although this toner is awesome and natural and lovely, but it is one step in a whole skin-care regimen. At nights I use Jan Mirini cleanser and a night cream with Manuka Honey.

A Productive Day.

Okay, so, somehow in the past year or two, my skin has decided that it no longer appreciates what I do for it. It has given me hell almost every day, no matter what I try. This is pretty impressive, since I managed to get through a high-stress, super-dry deployment with minor issues--once I discovered daily moisturizer. Over the past year I have also discovered toner, charcoal, and facials. I've been going to the same spa pretty much since I started acting like a girl... but my usual gal is out for medical reasons for a while. Bless her heart, I love her to death, but it turns out Ms. A is actually way better for my skin anyways! After cleaning me up a couple weeks ago, she gave me some specific recipes and tips for my skin. I finally got around to making the toner she recommends, which is less drying and probably more protective than what I have been using [although I did love it, too]. It made my skin feel &*^#$A(#$ fantastic. Highly recommend.

 

The other project I finished today [which I had been only mildly putting off], was transplanting the start of my windowsill herb garden. I found the planter at Big Lots [my god, I love that store]. I had to leave a spot for the Rosemary, which wasn't quite ready yet. And actually, I might sub the Rosemary for a different herb, because I'm thinking it needs to be kept more dry than the others?

On the top shelf, I believe that is Cilantro, Dill, Thyme, Lavender, and the one that is growing well is actually catnip, but don't tell them that. I had to restart my Dill and Thyme, and accidentally doubled up on Cilantro. The planter below has Parsley, Sage, Oregano, and... um... Basil. The herbs I use pretty much all day every day. To the left you'll also see ThePlantThatWillNotDie, doing quite well this year [it's going to bloom!]. There's still a little room for Miss Maow to sit herself in the window, but I'll be damn glad when we give HellCat back to his dad, because he likes to eat my aloe.