Table of Contents
Updated November 2026
This DIY lavender face toner is a light, refreshing spray made with alcohol-free witch hazel and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Witch hazel leaves your skin feeling cool and fresh after you wash your face, and lavender adds a soft floral scent that's nice before bed.
Below you'll find the recipe, what polysorbate 20 is and why it's in there, other oils to try, and tips for keeping your toner fresh. For everything lavender, see my full lavender essential oil guide. Jump to the recipe.
What a Face Toner Does
A toner is a light, watery layer you mist or swipe on after washing your face. It feels refreshing, rinses away any cleanser left behind, and gives you a fresh start before moisturizer.
I enjoy making my own homemade facial toner with witch hazel and essential oils. Some people use apple cider vinegar, but I personally find it too strong for my face, and the smell is overpowering too.
Witch Hazel and Essential Oil Toner
Witch hazel is made from the bark and leaves of the witch hazel shrub, and it has that cool, tightening feel on skin. Be sure to get an alcohol-free version, since alcohol is very drying to skin. I prefer unscented witch hazel so the essential oils do the scenting.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is mostly linalool and linalyl acetate, which give it a soft, floral, calming scent. It's gentle enough that it's the oil I start with for a lavender face toner, and you can swap in other oils from the table below. Learn more about the types of lavender essential oil.
What Is Polysorbate 20?
Polysorbate 20 is a mild, water-soluble ingredient made from sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) and lauric acid, a fatty acid from coconut. It's called a solubilizer, which means it helps oils mix evenly into water-based recipes like toners, room sprays, and body mists. You'll find it on the ingredient lists of many store-bought toners, cleansers, and lotions.
Why use it? Essential oils don't mix with witch hazel or water. Without a solubilizer, the lavender floats on top as tiny droplets, and shaking only spreads them around for a few seconds. That means a spritz can land a drop of undiluted oil on your face. Polysorbate 20 holds the oil evenly through the whole bottle, so every spray has the same gentle amount.
Is it safe for skin and face? The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, which reviews cosmetic ingredients in the U.S., has found polysorbate 20 safe as used in cosmetics when products are made to be non-irritating (see Paula's Choice ingredient summary). In this toner it's less than 1% of the bottle. As with any new product, patch test it first, and skip it if it stings.
A Few Safety Basics
• Keep essential oils away from babies under 2.
• Always dilute oils before they touch skin, and patch test a new blend on your inner forearm for 24 to 48 hours.
• This toner is for ages 12 and up. Close your eyes when you spray, and keep it out of your eyes.
• If you're pregnant, check with your doctor or midwife first. I skip oils on skin for the first 16 weeks, and after that, skin blends stay at 0.5 to 1%.
• Store bottles where pets and little hands can't reach, and never put oils on pets.
• Never swallow essential oils. If someone does, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
DIY Lavender Face Toner Recipe
DIY Lavender Face Toner
Spray · Ages 12+ · 5 drops in 2 oz (about 0.4%)
A light, refreshing spritz after you wash your face.
- 5 drops lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 5 to 10 drops polysorbate 20 (a solubilizer)
- Alcohol-free witch hazel to fill a 2 oz glass spray bottle (about ¼ cup)
Directions: Swirl the lavender and polysorbate 20 together in the bottle first, then add the witch hazel. If it looks cloudy, use the full 10 drops next time. Mist lightly over your face with your eyes closed, after cleansing or anytime as a refresher.
Note: There's no preservative, so make a fresh bottle every week or two and date the label. Shake before each use.
Other Oils to Try
Swap the 5 drops of lavender for one of these, or mix two (for example, 3 drops lavender and 2 drops geranium). Keep the total at 5 drops. All are for ages 12 and up in this toner.
| Oil | Botanical name | Scent |
|---|---|---|
| Geranium | Pelargonium graveolens | Rosy, green |
| Frankincense | Boswellia carterii | Warm, resinous |
| Patchouli | Pogostemon cablin | Earthy, rich (1 to 2 drops is plenty) |
| Tea tree | Melaleuca alternifolia | Fresh, herbal (use a fresh bottle) |
| Cypress | Cupressus sempervirens | Fresh, woody |
| Rose | Rosa damascena | Rich, floral |
Skip cold-pressed lemon, lime, and bergamot in a face toner, since they can make skin sun-sensitive.
Lavender Face Toner Tips
- If you have sensitive skin, patch test the toner on a small area first.
- Buy alcohol-free witch hazel. Alcohol is very drying, and you don't want to spray it on your face.
- Label the bottle with what it is and the date you made it.
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More Lavender Skin Care Ideas
- Lavender Diffuser Blends and Essential Oil Guide
- Homemade Lavender Hand Cream
- Can You Mix Lavender Oil with Aloe Vera Gel?
- Lavender Pillow Spray
Ready to make your own blends? My Aromatherapy Supply Kits have the bottles you need, and my free essential oil guides are full of recipe ideas.
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