FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF A NOVEL HERBAL FACE TONER INTEGRATING ARECANUT EXTRACT AND ALUM STONE FOR ENHANCED ASTRINGENT AND ANTI-ACNE PROPERTIES

The increasing demand for natural and herbal cosmetic formulations has encouraged the development of plant-based skincare products with minimal side effects. The present study focuses on the formulation and evaluation of a novel herbal face toner incorporating Areca catechu extract and alum stone to enhance astringent and anti-acne properties. Arecanut extract was obtained using Soxhlet extraction with ethanol, followed by phytochemical screening and physicochemical evaluation. The toner formulation consisted of arecanut extract, alum solution, witch hazel extract, glycerin, phenoxyethanol, and distilled water. Preliminary phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, and tannins responsible for antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The formulated toner was evaluated for physical appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadability, homogeneity, antimicrobial activity, and antioxidant potential. The pH of formulations ranged from 4.24 to 4.39, which is suitable for skin application. Viscosity ranged between 2.1–2.7 cP, ensuring easy spreadability. Antimicrobial studies demonstrated inhibitory effects against Bacillus subtilis. The DPPH antioxidant assay showed significant radical scavenging activity with a maximum value of 77%. Stability studies revealed no significant changes in color, consistency, or homogeneity over one month of storage. The results suggest that the developed herbal toner is stable, safe, and effective for topical use and may serve as a natural alternative to synthetic skincare formulations for acne management and skin tightening.