This $5 Product Is The Best Facial Toner And It's Already In Your Kitchen

I ditched my expensive face toner for an apple cider vinegar beauty routine, and I absolutely swear by it.

I'm always down to experiment with my skincare regimen, so I was totally on board when my twin sister told me this stuff had changed her skin for the better. I had to give it a try, especially since I’ve been devoted to pricey toner for quite some time, and my wallet could use a break.

Immediately after switching to apple cider vinegar (ACV) to tone my skin, I was hooked.

It’s natural and so much gentler than the stuff I was using before. While it does have a pretty distinct smell (it is vinegar, after all), I don’t hate it. Or, you know, I got used to it. I highly recommend using raw, unfiltered, organic ACV (Bragg is my fave brand). You can find it at most grocery stores.

Beyond saving me serious money (a big bottle costs about $5!), using ACV as a toner made a lot of sense for my combination skin. The acidity of the vinegar works wonderfully to balance out oily areas without further drying places that need moisture. It also tightens pores, something we’re all after.

Obviously, using ACV as face toner won’t work well for everyone; we all have different skin. If you have any combination of oily, dull and  scarred skin (from sun spots or acne), you should give ACV a try. It sloughs away dead skin, leaving your face smoother and brighter. It can also help to even out scarred skin, lightening sun spots and acne scars.

You can use ACV straight from the bottle, like I do, or cut it with a bit of water to make it less intense for sensitive skin. Experiment with the proportions until you find one that doesn’t irritate your skin, but still gets the job done!

Simply apply the liquid to a cotton ball and swipe it over your whole face or just areas that need clarifying. If the smell gets to you, use a second cotton ball dipped in water over your face after applying the vinegar.

ACV is an affordable, all-natural product that noticeably improved my skin. It works better than store-bought toners, and it makes me feel better that I know exactly what's going onto my skin, instead of blindly relying on a concoction of chemicals.

This vinegar bottle has definitely earned a permanent spot in both my bathroom cabinet and my kitchen pantry.