The benefits of Thyme go way beyond seasoning foods. It is actually good for your skin, in fact Thyme has anti-spectic and anti-viral properties, as well as astringent. It is reported to be more effective on acne prone skin than commercially sold (chemical laden) Benzoyl Peroxide. Imagine that… a plant works better than a chemical? If you are skeptical about this, please do a search because there are many reports out there. Andrea at Frugally Sustainable (my absolute favorite blogger) shared this link, but there are others out there if you need more convincing.
Toners, aka Astringents, are the best way to clean your pores. If I don’t have time to wash my face I make sure that I spritz my toner. Its refreshing cleansing abilities are only rivaled by the PH balancing, pore hydrating and pore tightening factors. Just as you should wash your face twice a day, it equally as important to tone your skin twice a day. Preparing your face to meet the rigoruos enviromental challenges of the day then clean off the daily grime at night.
Witch Hazel has been around for centuries and was introduced to us by the Native Americans. We commonly know of it as a liquid astringent but it is actually derived from a plant/shrub and made into a liquid decoction from boiling the plant. The tannins from the plant are astringent and remove excess oils and dirt, and tighten pores.
The best way to marry the two is to make a tincture. Making a tincture is so simple, and only requires two ingredients, and bit of ‘thyme’ (pun intended) and patience. So lets start the ceremony…. 🙂 Dum, dum da dum…(wedding song starts)
This recipe comes from Frugally Sustainable (link)
Ingredients:
2 C natural (no alcohol) Witch Hazel
1 oz dried Thyme (or enough fresh Thyme to fill a pint size mason jar)
Pint Mason Jar
Directions:
Fill mason jar with the appropriate amount of herb and then pour Witch Hazel to with the shoulders of the jar (leaving space to shake liquid). Shake well and place somewhere you will remember to shade daily for the first week or two, then let it sit for 4 to 6 wks. After all Thyme is patience.
After 4 to six weeks, you will notice that the tincture has either a brown or reddish brown coloring. This is the tannins in the Thyme. Strain the herb from the liquid with a strainer, cheesecloth or voile cloth. Pour back into mason jar (if there is still thyme pieces inside, rinse first) and label with name and date. Store in a cool dry location. This should last a couple of years, but you will most likely use up within a year, just be sure to start your next tincture BEFORE you run out.
Now that you have your base for the toner, its thyme to get creative. Essential Oils and/or Hydrosols for extra oomph. Here are some suggestions:
- 1/4 cup rosemary hydrosol
- 1/4 cup peppermint hydrosol
- 1 cup tea tree hydrosol
- 1 cup thyme hydrosol
- Essential Oils: teat tree, juniper berry, thyme, rosemary and/or peppermint (15 drops each)
* As this tincture makes 16oz, I prefer not to add these optional items to my full bottle of thyme tincture (the above amounts are for the pint), but rather add the re-proportioned amounts to the container you plan to use. I use a 2oz glass spray bottle, but there is nothing wrong with preparing the entire jar, its just easier to make adjustment if you want.
If you don’t have Thyme in your garden, you can buy it fresh in the grocery store, or go get a plant. There are also online bulk herb stores that sell dried herbs: Mountain Rose Herbs and Bulk Herb Store. So there is no excuse not to make this. And if you don’t have the hydrosol referenced above, click here to learn to make them or go to the Herbs stores online and buy them.
Up next, Finishing Facial Serum. Your gonna love this stuff!
Important Disclaimer: click here
Garden of Good vs. Evil 