Astringents do wonders for the skin, especially they are very effective for treating oily skin. They are one of the beauty product that should be used as a part of the daily skincare routine.

In general, astringent is used to shrink or constrict the body tissues, enhance the blood circulation, controls the sebum secretion and shrink the pores to get rid of many skin problems, including acne.

However, the usage of cosmetic astringents will harm your skin with its harsh chemicals if used in the longer run. Do you know that you can prepare an astringent with natural ingredients? Surprising, isn’t it?

Yes, you can prepare astringents with natural ingredients that are gentle on the skin, cost effective and aids in best results. In this article, we will come across some easy homemade astringent recipes.

DIY Homemade Astringent Recipes:

Here are some easy to prepare, natural and effective astringents that work well in cleansing your skin, refreshed and make it free from infections.

1. Rose Water Astringent:

Rose water acts as a natural astringent that helps to cleanse the skin pores and gently tone your skin. It also reduces the redness and blotchiness on the skin. Lemon helps to lighten the skin, clear the infection causing germs and fade away the scars.

Steps to be followed…

• Boil 1 cup of water for few minutes and pour it into a bowl.
• Then add a handful of thoroughly washed rose petals in this water.
• Let it soak for 30 minutes and then filter out this solution into a container.
• Now add few drops of lemon essential oil to this rose infused water.
• Shake it well and use this rose water as your astringent to enjoy healthy and glowing skin.
• For best results, use it regularly on your skin (as rosewater is best to use on any skin type) to get rid of acne, scars or to enjoy even skin tone.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Astringent:

We all know that raw, organic and unfiltered apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an astringent that helps to shrink the pores, absorbs excess oil from the skin and thus even out the complexion. It also forms a protective acidic layer on the skin to make it feel smooth, infection – free and fresh.

Steps to be followed…

• Add 25 ml of apple cider vinegar in 100 ml of distilled water (or simply in 1:4 ratio of ACV and water) in a bowl.
• Stir well and add few drops of lemon essential oil to this ACV water.
• Shake it well and pour it into a container to use it as your astringent.
• Apply it on your face and neck by using a cotton pad for few times daily to tighten the pores and also to control the production of excess sebum.
• Do the application regularly to get a healthy problem free skin.

3. Witch Hazel Astringent:

Witch hazel is a popular natural astringent due to its high concentrations of tannins that help to remove redness, inflammation, excess oil, and prevent the bacterial infections like acne or blemishes. Basil used in this astringent will help to reduce the blemishes, redness, and improves your skin texture.

Steps to be followed…

• Pour a handful of fresh basil leaves in a pot of water.
• Boil it for few minutes and when once its starts boiling then remove it from the heat.
• Let the water steep for 2 hours to get cool to room temperature.
• Strain the water and add few drops of witch hazel to it.
• Stir well and store the mix in a container to use it as your astringent.
• Continue the application of this basil – witch hazel astringent to get blemish – free and healthy skin.

4. Lemon Astringent:

Lemon has L-ascorbic acid that makes it act as natural astringent, which helps to shrink and constrict the skin pores. It reduces the excess oil, redness, and brightens your skin to get an even skin tone.

Steps to be followed…

• Add 1 part of fresh lemon juice with 3 parts of water and stir well.
• Pour this lemon water into a container and use it as your astringent.
• Regular usage of this lemon astringent will help you to get rid of acne, oily skin and make your skin glow with an even tone.

5. Chamomile Astringent:

Chamomile acts as an effective astringent that helps to constrict the skin pores, removes dirt, controls oil secretion and tightens the skin. It also revitalizes the skin to make it look healthy and glowing. Mint used in this smoothie is also used to natural astringent.

Steps to be followed…

• Pour a spoon each of dried chamomile and dried mint in a pan filled with 2 cups of water.
• Boil it for few minutes and turn off the heat.
• Allow it to cool for few minutes and pour it into an empty bottle.
• Use it as your homemade astringent regularly to get healthy skin.

Note: Or warm 1/4 cup of water for few minutes and add 1 ½ tablespoon of dried chamomile directly into the water. Let it steep for 5 – 10 minutes and strain it. Then add 1 tablespoon of ACV and 5 drops each of carrot seed oil and frankincense oil to it. Stir well and use it as your astringent.

Tips and Precautions:

1. Other natural remedies like green tea, citrus fruit juices, cucumber slices, tomato juice, aloe vera gel, dried orange peel powder with lemon juice, etc. can also be used as the natural astringents.
2. Other than applying astringents, you can drink plenty of water and other healthy fluids that help to flush out the toxins from the body and also to keep the skin hydrated and nourished.
3. Exercise regularly, rinse your face twice daily, reduce your stress levels and sleep for at least 6 hours to get a healthy and glowing skin.

Did you ever prepare any homemade natural astringent for the skin? Do you think any variation I missed in this article? Then share it with us in the below comments box.