If you’ve perused the skin care aisle at any drugstore, you’ve seen bottles of toner. Typically a lightly-tinted or clear liquid, toner is a curious skin care product for many people. There are quite a few misconceptions about its purpose as well. Your reason for using toner depends on the type of skin you have. We are big fans of toner and what it can do for your skin. In this article we will explain how a toner benefits the skin, in addition to providing simple recipes for every skin type. 

What Does A Face Toner Do?

Simply put, toner removes any traces of dirt, impurities, or grime that remain in your pores after cleansing. When you incorporate toner into your skin care routine and use it regularly, you can improve the tightness of pores and overall appearance of skin. Toner also works to restore the skin’s pH level and smooths it out by refining any rough patches. 

Ideally, you want the skin to be at its natural pH as much as possible. The skin has an acid mantle, which is a protective layer on the surface, and it should sit around 5.5 pH. That is slightly acidic, but that is where the skin can function its best and renew itself. That said, toner doesn’t just help to balance the skin’s pH; rather, it also aids with: 

• Hydrating the skin: Spritzing toner on the skin helps to replenish moisture, but make sure to use it before moisturizing the skin.
• Helping other skin care products sink in: Toners help prepare your skin to optimally absorb other products in your skin care routine.
• Removing leftover dirt: Toners act like second cleansers, removing the remains of makeup and general grime that don’t get picked up when you wash your face. 
• Making the skin appear smoother: Apply toner with a cotton round to remove the buildup of dead skin cells, which can make the skin appear smoother. 

How To Make Your Own Toner

It is very easy to make a simple DIY toner for every skin type. If you’ve been looking for a simple toner that doesn’t upset your skin type, consider the following two-ingredient recipes. Let us know if one works for you in the comments below. 

Toner For Sensitive Skin

One of the best ingredients for sensitive skin is rose water, which exhibits powerful antioxidant properties that balance the skin. Rose water also replenishes the skin with moisture and offers soothing properties, making it great for those with sensitive skin. Because of its gentle nature, rose water makes for a great DIY toner. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried rose buds
• Hot filtered water

Instructions:

• Pour the hot water over the rose buds (enough to submerge them) and allow them to sit for one to two hours. 
• Use a strainer to separate the rose buds from the rose water. Pour the strained rose watering a spray bottle and use when needed.
• Ideally, spritz your face with this rose water twice a day after cleansing. Just store it in the fridge and use it within seven to 10 days. 

Toner For Dry Skin

If you have dry or dull skin, toner can help provide hydration. In the case of this recipe, the rose water helps to soothe the skin and even out skin tone. 

Ingredients:

• Rose water (see above recipe)
• Geranium essential oil

Instructions:

• Use the above recipe to make the rose water. Add three to five drops of geranium essential oil to the rose water and shake to combine. 
• Make sure to shake the bottle before each use. Store in the refrigerator and use within seven to 10 days. 

Toner For Oily And Acne-Prone Skin

Green tea, just like rose water, is rich in powerful antioxidants. It also exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce redness and acne. The apple cider vinegar works to restore your skin’s pH level back to normal. 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup steeped green tea
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

• After you steep the green tea bag in hot water, allow the tea to come to room temperature before discarding the tea bag. Pro tip: place the tea bag on your eye if you need to reduce puffiness. 
• Pour the green tea and apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle, screw on the lid, and shake to combine. 
• To apply, you can either spritz the toner on your face or apply it to a cotton round and gently pat your face. Store it in the fridge and use it within 10 days.

SHARE:

The post 2-Ingredient DIY Toners For Every Skin Type appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

If your hair is as feisty as your attitude, it may require a detangler so that you can brush it with ease. The last thing you want to do is aggressively rake a brush through your hair, pulling out hairs and hurting your scalp in the process. Brush or comb through your hair with ease when you use an all-natural detangler, like the recipe detailed in this article. 

Why Make Your Own Detangler?

Not only is making your own detangler cost effective over time, but it also allows you to control the ingredients. Controlling the ingredients benefits you in two ways because you get to cater to your hair’s needs and avoid harmful chemicals. The average detangler that you find in the store contains some seriously problematic ingredients. Some of those ingredients are detailed below: 

• Dmdm Hydantoin: As an antibacterial formaldehyde releaser preservative, dmdm hydantoin is a known immune toxicant and allergen. 
• Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate: Strong evidence suggests that this human toxicant or allergen is also an environmental toxin. 
• Fragrance: When you see “fragrance” on a label, it means that the company doesn’t have to divulge what is in that signature blend. Typically, fragrances contain known immune system allergens or toxins. 
• Cetrimonium Chloride: This human skin toxicant or allergen, much like iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, is also a suspected environmental toxin.

After reading about all of those harmful ingredients, it makes sense to use natural ingredients that benefit the hair and skin. We’ll detail why the ingredients in this DIY detangler benefit your hair and skin below. 

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is a common ingredient on the lists of many eco-friendly hair care products. It works to give your strands a restorative boost, repairing breakage, soothing the scalp, and controlling dandruff. Jojoba oil actually moisturizes your hair from the inside out, sitting on the surface of the hair shaft. This seals in moisture, even when your hair and scalp are damp after washing. Jojoba oil also promotes thickness, due to its impressive vitamin and mineral content. Vitamins C & E, B-vitamins, and the copper and zinc in jojoba oil not only strengthen your locks, but they also promote thickness and regrowth. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Why should you use apple cider vinegar in hair care products? Besides the researched health benefits, apple cider vinegar is an acidic substance, containing a good amount of acetic acid. Dull, brittle, or frizzy hair tends to be more alkaline or higher on the pH scale, so bringing an acidic substance into the equation can establish a healthier pH balance on the hair. Apple cider vinegar is also rich in alpha-hydroxy acid, which works to exfoliate the scalp and keep dandruff at bay because of its anti-inflammatory nature. 

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil works to fight against hair loss by increasing circulation to hair follicles. In doing so, lavender essential oil helps contribute to stronger, healthy-looking strands. A lot of people commonly mix lavender essential oil with a carrier oil and massage their hair and scalp to encourage hair growth. Lavender essential oil also works to deep condition your hair, hydrating your strands to help you avoid brittle or frizzy hair. 

Cedarwood Essential Oil

Cedarwood essential oil is a common ingredient in both skin and hair care products. In cosmetics, cedarwood essential oil can help soothe inflammation and irritation on the skin. In hair care, cedarwood essential oil helps to cleanse the scalp, removing excess dirt, oily, and dry skin. It also promotes circulation to the scalp and tightens hair follicles, two actions that help stimulate hair growth. Preliminary studies show that cedarwood essential oil may also reduce thinning hair because it slows hair loss. 

DIY Hair Detangler

Ingredients:

• 1/2 ounce apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon jojoba oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 10 drops cedarwood essential oil
• 2-ounce glass spray bottle

Instructions:

• Pour all of the ingredients into the glass spray bottle, screw on the top, and give it a good shake to combine. 
• Make sure that the bottle is glass and not plastic because essential oils can erode plastic. Additionally, an amber glass is truly the way to go when dealing with essential oils. 
• Shake before each use. Enjoy!

SHARE:

The post DIY Hair Detangler With Essential Oils appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

You spent a glorious day in the park, hiking with friends, or walking your dog and now you feel itchy and notice splotchy red bumps. Poison ivy, or poison oak or poison sumac, has claimed yet another victim. All three of those plants contain urushiol, an oily, allergy-inducing sap that exists in every part of the plant, including the leaves, stem, fruit, and root. 

How Does Poison Ivy Rash Develop?

Bumps, blotches, and a linear streak of swelling or blisters typically indicates a poison ivy rash. It’s also possible for the rash to be weepy, crusty, and painfully itchy. The rash may not appear right away, as it can take four to 96 hours to show up. That said, a rash can take up to two weeks to appear if it’s your first time being exposed to poison ivy. The reason for this is because the immune system has to develop an allergic reaction first. If the body has never encountered it, the rash will take some time to appear. 

Although the best way to deal with poison ivy is to completely avoid it, that isn’t always possible. Even if you wear clothing that protects every inch of your skin, you can still rub your clothes that have brushed up against it and develop a rash that way. It spreads easily, even from pets to humans, and you can see a rash from the original point of contact to the places that you touch. If you do end up with that characteristic poison ivy rash, experiment with the following home remedies to soothe your skin and accelerate the healing process. Before you experiment with them, though, make sure to clean the affected areas and wash clothing and pets with detergent or soap. 

Aloe Vera

This succulent plan houses a sticky gel when you break it open. This gel is a common treatment for minor burns, sunburn, and other skin rashes, including poison ivy. Aloe exhibits cooling and anti-inflammatory properties that may relieve the itchiness that accompanies the rash. Unfortunately, several studies found that aloe vera does not accelerate the healing process, but it does provide temporary relief from burning and itching. 

Baking Soda

Baking soda is another common home remedy for relieving itchiness, especially if it accompanies a poison ivy rash. Research notes that you can also use baking soda to soothe irritated skin from dermatitis, bee stings, and other rashes. There are two ways to use baking soda to help relieve poison ivy rash. The first way is to add about one cup of baking soda to a lukewarm or cool bath and soak in it for about 20 minutes. The second way is to mix baking soda with water to form a paste that resembles toothpaste. Apply that paste directly to the rash. 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a common pantry staple that has uses in many culinary applications. Research also shows that it may have a place in home remedies because of the health properties it exhibits. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties that may help reduce the risk of skin infections that result from scratching. Because apple cider vinegar is acidic, be careful when experimenting with it, especially if the poison ivy rash contains blisters. Dilute the vinegar with a small amount of water and dab a cotton ball into the solution. Dab it onto a small patch of the rash and if it doesn’t irritate the skin and stops the itch, it may be a viable remedy. 

Colloidal Oatmeal

For anyone with itchy skin or rash, a great option to soothe the skin is to soak in a bath with colloidal oatmeal for 10 minutes. Colloidal oatmeal is made from finely ground oats and, unlike traditional oats, it doesn’t sink to the bottom of the bath. Instead, colloidal oatmeal easily disperses throughout the water to coat the skin and relieve the itch. You can typically find colloidal oatmeal at drugstores. 

Witch Hazel

Made from the leaves and bark of the Hamamelis virginiana plant, witch hazel contains tannins that work to fight infection and reduce swelling. You can pour witch hazel in a small bowl, dip a cotton ball in the liquid, and then dab the cotton ball on the affected areas. It can be beneficial to place the witch hazel in the refrigerator beforehand for an added cooling effect.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol can effectively remove urushiol from the skin. Although this may not relieve itchy skin or other symptoms, it can help reduce the spread if you use it soon after exposure to poison ivy. Apply the rubbing alcohol to the affected area and then rinse thoroughly with water. You can also do the same thing to remove urushiol from your shoes.

SHARE:

The post The Best Home Remedies For Poison Ivy appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

There is no doubt that mayonnaise is brimming with fat. For many Americans, mayonnaise is a classic condiment and refrigerator staple. It is potentially the best-selling condiment in North America and is popular in everything from dips and tuna salad to dressings and deviled eggs. Some people steer clear of mayonnaise because, when improperly stored, it can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Others avoid it because they don’t want to eat a fat bomb.

This avocado mayonnaise doesn’t taste like the real deal; rather, it exhibits a tangy, creamy, and delicious flavor. Is it more tasty than the original condiment? That is only a question that you can answer after you try it. You can spread it on a sandwich if you are a vegan or you can use it as a dip as a raw vegan. The combination of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar may cause your lips to pucker, but in a great way. That’s why it pairs beautifully with sweeter produce items like tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.

When it comes to making this avocado mayo, you can either use a food processor or immersion blender. If you use a food processor, you may need to stop blending, scrape down the sides, and continue blending to fully incorporate all of the ingredients. An immersion blender is also an excellent tool for the job. With that tool, add all of the ingredients to a large jar and blend with the immersion blender until smooth and creamy. No matter which preparation method you choose, make sure to taste the final product and season accordingly.

SHARE:

The post Tangy And Creamy Avocado Mayo appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

One of the most common questions we receive is, “What dressings can I put on my salad?” While a select few bottled raw vegan dressings exist, they are very hard to come by. The good news is that you can easily make a ton of raw vegan salad dressings. A simple apple cider vinaigrette is always doable, but sometimes you need to add a little more pizzazz and flavor. That’s where this dressing enters the equation!

This dressing delivers a little kick and it works great for salads that contain, avocado, cabbage, red onion, and mango. You can take this dressing with you into life after cleansing and use it on salads that contain black beans and corn as well. Don’t be afraid of the spice because it is quite mild. That said, if you are sensitive to spice, start with a dash or two of cayenne before you add the entire quarter teaspoon. Should you add all of the cayenne and need a little sweetness, add a little grade A maple syrup to the dressing.

Even though the dressing contains a little spice, the lime juice offers a pleasant citrusy balance. The aromatic flavor from the thyme also helps to distract your taste buds from the cayenne. Dressings are really about balance and layering flavors. We wouldn’t steer you wrong because a great dressing will take your salad to the next level! Let us know how you like it in the comments below.

SHARE:

The post Spicy Raw Vegan Salad Dressing appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Shopska salad is a cold appetizer popular throughout Southeastern Europe, but it is Bulgaria’s most famous salad and national dish. The colors of the salad are the same as the Bulgarian flag. Although the recipe can vary from region to region, the general ingredients are tomatoes, cucumbers, onion/scallions, raw or roasted peppers, parsley, and sirene (white brine cheese). Because this is a raw vegan rendition of this classic salad, all of the ingredients are cleanse-approved. Sorry, but no cheese in this recipe!

If you enjoy salads with a more acidic flavor profile, this is the salad for you. The vinegar accentuates the tart, slightly sour flavor of the tomatoes, but it tames the allium flavor of the onion. If red onion is too strong for your palate, feel free to use scallion instead. With the addition of a red onion, it’s more akin to a Greek salad or shirazi salad. Ingredients are relatively the same and the dressing is simple, but Greek salads use feta cheese and shirazi salads exclude cheese. Additionally, shirazi salads tend to include more herbs.

The main takeaway is that this salad is very easy to make, especially if you are pressed for time. Chop up a few ingredients and drizzle some olive oil and raw apple cider vinegar over the ingredients. Season with some sea salt and pepper and you have yourself a tasty, refreshing salad perfect for warmer weather. It makes for a great side dish or entree salad for people who are cleansing. Need it to be more filling? Throw some diced avocado into the mix and see where life takes you!

SHARE:

The post Last-Minute Shopska Salad appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Sometimes you just need a clean meal that helps to reset your body, especially after a few days of overeating. When you eat excess sugar or alcohol, you are tempted to overindulge in unhealthier foods. While we don’t believe in “making up” for past food mistakes, this slaw helps get you back on track. In addition to eating this salad, drinking more water, eating more cruciferous vegetables, and adding lemon or apple cider vinegar to your water can help clean out the body. All of these actions can help establish a more alkaline environment in the body!

This slaw utilizes broccoli stems, which most people tend to chuck in the garbage or compost bin. The great thing about broccoli stems is that you can grate it using a cheese grater, or grater attachment on a mandolin. You often see broccoli stems in bagged salads that contain a mix of carrots, kale, and cabbage. Now, we’re going to let you in on a big secret. If you are really in a pinch and don’t have time to prep ingredients, you can use those bagged salads while cleansing. However, you cannot use the nuts or dressing from those bags. The reason for that is the nuts are either roasted, salted, or sugary, and the dressings are highly processed.

Now that we gave all of you cleansers that little pearl of wisdom, it comes time to make this slaw. It comes together very quickly and the ingredients pair beautifully together. The slightly bitter broccoli stems and purple cabbage are balanced by the sweet carrots. With the bitter and sweet flavor profiles in place, you need a tangy element, which is where the dressing comes in. Much like the rug in The Big Lebowski, the dressing ties the room together. Enjoy the slaw!

SHARE:

The post Super Clean Raw Broccoli Slaw appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Perhaps the crunchiest duo in the salad game, cabbage and cucumber are hydrating, refreshing, and low in calories. Although this recipe is very basic, it is quite popular in various cuisines, especially as a side dish. Not only is this salad easy to make, but it also preps well, meaning that you can make it ahead of time to bring to a picnic. We aren’t saying that picnicking is the most popular winter activity, but we’re just saying it’s a possibility when the weather permits.

Although this salad has a short ingredients list, it manages to feed a small family as a side dish. If you are cleansing, then you can enjoy the entire salad, or half of it, as your full entree. Just make sure that the cabbage you choose is bright green with tight, crisp leaves. You don’t want a head of cabbage that looks damaged and withered. As for the cucumbers, Persian cucumbers work best because they are perfectly crunchy and offer a bright flavor. English cucumbers work well, but they aren’t as crispy as hot house or Persian cucumbers. Finally, the addition of freshly chopped green onions and dill gives this salad an added depth of flavor and powerful aroma that entices your taste buds.

What would a salad be without a dressing? Just a bowl of ingredients, is the correct answer. Whisk together a few simple ingredients to make a flavorful vinaigrette. Olive oil plumes as you whisk it with raw apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Should you feel so inclined, add some paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder to your vinaigrette to spice it up. That’s your decision, though. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

SHARE:

The post Green Cabbage Cucumber Salad appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

If you have not already adopted the principle of eating raw vegetables and fruits every day, then you should. Nobody is perfect at this, but it is a great goal to try to accomplish. Eating fruits and vegetables all day, every day, is par for the course if you are cleansing, though. That’s what makes this salad so great! It incorporates vegetables, a fruit, and a nut, so you get a balance of macro and micronutrients. We are talking about everything from healthy fats, carbs, and protein to magnesium, vitamin K, and antioxidants.

Salads are some of the easiest meals, second only to smoothies, to throw together on a raw vegan diet. You add an assortment of ingredients to a bowl, toss them in a dressing, and enjoy. The key to unlocking an excellent salad is often the dressing. All we can say is that the dressing in this recipe just works. The apple cider vinegar is one of those finicky ingredients that can be too intense if you add too much. Fortunately, the sweetness of the apples and the carrots balances the acidity of the vinegar. But the walnuts also help absorb the intensity of the dressing.

Preparing the salad may not seem like that big of a task, but there are certain things to keep in mind. Chop the kale as finely as you possibly can and make sure to discard the thick, fibrous stems because they have a bitter taste. Before you start chopping, though, rinse and massage the kale to help soften it. Julienne the apples so that they resemble matchsticks and do the same with the carrots. If you don’t want to spend time cutting the carrots, you can grate them or purchase shredded carrots. Now, just make the dressing, dress the salad, and enjoy!

SHARE:

The post Kale Apple Carrot Salad appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Face masks, not to be confused with COVID facial coverings, should belong to anyone’s skin care regimen. Applying a face mask is an amazing self-care ritual that helps you recharge the batteries. Aim to do a face mask two times per week to make your skin look and feel great. The only problem with face masks is that they can make a dent in your bank account if you enjoy them regularly. 

That’s all going to change when you start making your own face masks, like the one in this article. Not to mention, a lot of people already have the necessary ingredients for face masks at home. Most of them contain ingredients you keep in the pantry, minus some essential oils and clays or powders. This recipe contains bentonite clay, raw honey, apple cider vinegar, avocado oil, and cedarwood, sweet orange, and frankincense essential oils. 

Powdered vs. Liquid Face Masks

Ultimately, it comes down to a matter of preference. In order to apply a powdered face mask, you need to mix it with water or another liquid. Liquid face masks don’t require any additional liquids and you can easily apply them out of the bottle. Depending on the liquid face mask, though, it may or may not contain preservatives in the formulations to combat the increased risk of bacterial growth. Some synthetic preservatives can irritate the skin, but not all liquid face masks are created equal. Continue reading to learn why we love the face masks in this article. 

Honey

Incorporating honey into your skin care regimen can help calm inflammation on the skin. Many people say that they experience notably calmer and smoother skin after using honey. Additionally, honey exhibits antibacterial and antioxidant properties that may help clean out the pores. Some studies found that honey can kill several types of bacteria, but it has not been effective at killing the type of bacteria that causes acne. It may help soothe or reduce the intensity of a breakout, as opposed to getting rid of it entirely. One study found that combining honey with cinnamon bark may offer enough antibacterial properties to fight the primary bacteria that causes acne. 

Bentonite Clay

According to researchers, bentonite clay works by adsorbing oils and bacteria from the skin. It does this by sticking to the molecules or ions in the bacteria, and as you wash clay away from the body, it removes those impurities. Bentonite clay also contains iron, magnesium, and calcium, which may provide additional benefits. The clay works to remove sebum from the skin’s surface, which may help reduce the severity of breakouts. There are many anecdotal reports that say bentonite clay helps to clear up the skin and make it appear younger, but research is needed on this matter. The important thing to remember about bentonite clay is that you should never use metal bowls or utensils to mix bentonite clay with other ingredients. Use glass bowls and wooden utensils because the clay can adsorb some of the metal’s properties over time. 

DIY Honey Clay Face Mask

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons each: raw honey, avocado oil, and apple cider vinegar
• 5 drops each: sweet orange, cedarwood, and frankincense essential oil
• 1/4 cup bentonite clay

Instructions:

• In a glass bowl, combine the honey, avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, and the different essential oils with a wooden utensil. 
• While you’re stirring, pour in the bentonite clay and continue stirring until you get a smooth, thick consistency. 
• Transfer the mixture to a glass container and store in a cool, dry place. 
• Spread a thin layer of the mask on your face and leave on for 10 minutes. 
• Rinse with warm water and scrub away with a gentle exfoliant. Pat your face dry.

SHARE:

The post DIY Honey Clay Face Mask For Dry And Acne-Prone Skin appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.