Beauty DIY

How to make an elderberry skin toner

Elderberries are bursting with skin-friendly nutrients and are the perfect candidate for a smoothing skin toner. Toners help to remove excess oil and dirt from the skin, prepping your face ahead of using a moisturiser or serum.

These small but mighty berries are a powerhouse of nutrients. They contain vitamin A, a vital vitamin that may help to prevent ageing and fade pigmentation.

The berries and flowers are also packed with antioxidant activity, which wards off environmental damage and brings a glow to the skin.

All of this makes them an ideal ingredient for a beauty DIY. The great news is that this complexion-enhancing toner couldn’t be simpler to make. Follow our instructions below and tone your way to brighter, smoother skin.

Make your skin-smoothing toner

Method

Simmer 100g of dried elderberries (left over from the spring/summer harvest or bought from your local health food store) in 500ml of water for an hour.
Leave to cool.
Strain through a muslin cloth and decant into a spritz bottle. Any excess can be frozen for later use.

Wellbeing Wisdom

Elderberries are reputed to help stave off flu, coughs and colds, and reduce their duration. Whether this is due to their high vitamin C content or other plant chemicals, such as anthocyanins, is unclear. One study found that concentrated elderberry extract reduced the length and severity of cold-like symptoms following a long-haul flight.