Happy Chinese New Year!
In honor of the New Year, I’ve decided to share one of my favorite green tea toners. This toner can be used after cleansing to tone the skin, or as a mister throughout the day to hydrate the skin.
Simple Green Tea Toner/Mister
1/2 teaspoon of Green Tea
¼ cup distilled or spring Water
1 tablespoon Aloe juice or gel
1/2 teaspoon Honey or Agave
Directions:
Boil the water. Remove the pot from the stove. Add the Green Tea (cover container with lid) and let it steep for 15-20 minutes or longer.
Strain. Let cool. Add aloe and honey or agave. Shake well.
More Info:
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, very hydrating, and soothing. Aloe is rich in nutrients (like vitamin C), anti-inflammatory, and great for irritated skin. Honey and Agave are emollient and rich in trace nutrients.
Notes:
I recommend using organic Green Tea, Aloe, Honey, and Agave (especially the Aloe). Make sure the Aloe is pure, with a minimum of ingredients (most Aloe juice or gel in health food stores are pure Aloe, with only a natural thickener, anti-fungal ingredients, and citric acid).
Agave is vegan. You can add more Aloe, Agave, or Honey than the stated amounts if you wish.
Shelf life and storage:
I recommend storing this toner in a mister bottle. Store in the fridge, and shake well before each use. Shelf life is a few days to maybe a week when stored in the fridge. Most aloe brands have some sort of anti-fungal in them, so it may last a little longer than stated (but I personally wouldn’t use it if it is more than a week old, unless it contains a true preservative, since infusion/tea based toners are very perishable). If you notice any changes within a few days, discard it and make a new batch. To extend shelf life to a couple weeks, add a broad spectrum preservative.
