Apple cider vinegar is meant to restore your skin's natural pH (measurement of acidity). pH levels are determined by the concentration of salt and oil on your skin, which are there to protect it. Too little oil on your skin leads to dryness and too much leads to acne. So in short apple cider vinegar is meant to get rid of acne and dry skin, creating a balance between the two.
It is also meant to get rid of age spots, and clear up your complexion.
It softens and exfoliates your skin. Due to the strong exfoliation it is advised to apply this toner before going to bed, or if applying in the morning to not forget your sunscreen.
It will burn like hell if you put it over open wounds. Avoid that and while you're at it you also really want to avoid your eyes.
People with sensitive skin beware. This stuff is acidic, you might have to add a lot more green tea or rose water to the apple cider vinegar than I will suggest below. Or not use it at all.
What you do:
1. Brew green tea. (Chuck a tea bag into a cup, fill it with ¾ of boiling water. Put a small plate on top of the cup, and leave it for 10 minutes. That's if you don't have a proper tea pot.)
2. For the remaining ¼ add apple cider vinegar.
3. Use rose water instead of green tea if you wish.
4. Store the rest for future use.
Know your skin:
1. Take a cotton ball and apply the toner onto your skin. Take it slow. If it burns you need to add more water to your mixture. It's supposed to gently tingle, not burn.
2. You need to play around with the mixture. The directions above are general. Add more vinegar or more water, until you've come up with the best balance for your skin.
3. So with this you're supposed to take it slow. Start by applying a weak concentration of the toner onto your skin once a day, in the evening. If you feel like you need a stronger concentration, gradually add more vinegar to your tea or rose water. Then when your skin is used to your routine, you can start applying some in the morning.
4. If you can't handle the smell or it stings to your utter discomfort, don't be afraid to splash some water on your face. But unless it's an actual burn and not a gentle tingle don't wash it, just splash.
5. The reason I warn against adding too much vinegar too quickly is that it can have a less than desired effect. Basically it can pull out all the nasty stuff to the surface of your skin all at once, and you'll have to deal with that before your skin becomes all soft and pretty, and it can actually irritate/burn your skin.
6. Moral of the story, test the toner strength. Find out what your skin is happy with, and stick with that.
Update: Out of all my tips, this is my favourite one. I use it every evening, and my skin looks so much better.
