In the fitness world everyone is focused on toning their body.

What toning about your skin?

Muscles boost your metabolism, but your skin is essential to detoxifying your body.

It is the largest organ you have that works 24/7 to defend against disease, remove toxins through sweat, and keep you radiantly attractive.

Using a skin toner is a quick and powerful way to strengthen your skin because…

…It shrinks pores.

It’s as simple as dipping a cotton ball or pad into a bit of toner and wiping your face to easily remove oil and shrink your pores.

…It balances your skin’s pH.

Our skin is cozy at a naturally acidic pH around 5 or 6, which is disrupted after cleansing, due to the alkaline nature of soap. To get back to normal, your skin puts in extra effort to bring back the balance- possibly resulting in oily skin. A toner helps balance your skin quickly.

…It adds a layer of protection.

On a cellular level, toners tighten up pores after cleansing to not only make it tougher for bacteria to get a foothold for infections or acne, but also it pushes back environmental contaminants from entering into the skin, such as chlorines, and other compounds in tap water.

…It moisturizes.

Some toners are humectants, which are ingredients that love water and bind moisture to the skin.

…It refreshes skin.

Need a midday pick-me-up? Use a toner to clear your skin when it’s oily or dirty for a quick refresher on the go.

Ok, ok, I’m sure by now you’re 110% ready to start toning.

But buying another beauty product can get pricey, right?

That’s how I feel too!

Honestly, I prefer to invest my money in high-quality foods and top-quality nutrition information (because I’m a bit of a nerd). However, skin health is too important not to take care of!

Instead of adding another pricey beauty product to your shopping cart, try one of these natural toner recipes that work great for pennies.

1) Cucumber-ade Toner

Grab a cucumber, lemon, and head to the kitchen. If you have a juicer- awesome, it’ll be much easier to juice the ingredients.

Otherwise, you can use a food processor, or even a grater to grate your cucumber. Filter the pulp through a fine mesh grater or cheesecloth into a bowl. Really squeeze to get as much cucumber juice as you can.

I like to add a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice to help it last longer. Being so fresh and potent, this toner will last up to a week in an air-tight refrigerated container.

Pro-tip: Freeze in ice cube trays so keep active ingredients intact for up to 4 months. When you’re running low, add an ice cube into the fridge to thaw overnight and be ready for you to use in the morning.

Feel free to add an ice cube or two to your water for a refreshingly hydrating boost.

2) Apple Cider Vinegar Toner

All you need is apple cider vinegar and water, I prefer unfiltered apple cider vinegar, with the mother. Apple cider vinegar, as a vinegar, is acidic stuff. So you have to find the ratio that works the best for your skin here.

To start, mix 1 part apple cider vinegar with 4 parts water.

If you find this is too mild, then increase the ratio of apple cider vinegar to water up to 1:1.

You’ll find that the oiler your skin is, the closer to 1:1 you’ll want the ratio because your skin can become more oily if it needs help restoring your pH balance.

3) Sake Toner

You read that right, sake.

The fermented rice drink from Japan makes an excellent lightweight toner. You can use it straight out of the bottle, I prefer junmai-sake.

Don’t speak Japanese? I got you covered.

Junmai sake is pure sake- no other grains, starches, or alcohols added. It’s slightly tart and not as fragrant as other types of sake. This means you get a higher concentration of the main ingredient at work- kojic acid.

This weak acid works to lighten skin, reducing brown spots, and keep your skin looking as young as a baby’s bottom!

Similar to the cucumber toner, adding lemon juice or other source of vitamin C will up the amount of antioxidants and help this mixture last longer in the fridge.

Try the toner that sounds best suited for you skin and comment below how radiantly healthy your skin looks in a matter of days.

Do you have any other whole food DIY beauty recipes? Share below =)

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THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY: Zack Zeller B.E. is an author, lecturer, and Practical Nutrition Coach who loves to help frustrated dieters  break free from their diet ruts to cultivate confidence, happiness, and health. Starting off with friends and family, Zack’s combination of plant-based nutrition and the power of leveraging small daily habits has spread into an effective system that women from all over the country seek out. For more information about Zack and his services, visit www.dailynutritionhq.com