We all know that green tea is good for us, but did you know that it can also be great for your skin? Green tea is packed with antioxidants and other nutrients that can help to improve the health and appearance of your skin. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the benefits of green tea for breakouts and blemishes. We’ll also discuss how to incorporate green tea into your skincare routine. Keep reading to learn more!
According to Medscape, 80% of Americans have suffered from skin issues involving breakouts. While acne itself comes in different forms and can have multiple root causes, the good news is that there are many natural ingredients that can significantly improve it. Green tea is just one of many!
The benefits of green tea for breakouts
Green tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant–the same plant that also gives us black tea, oolong tea, and white tea. It’s known to help improve one’s mental health, support weight loss, and relieve headaches and digestive problems.
As for skin blemishes and such, the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that green tea, whether ingested or used as a topical application, can improve the appearance of blemish-caused redness, irritation, and lesions. That’s because green tea is packed with antioxidants and compounds like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), catechins, and polyphenols that address skin damage caused by free radicals brought on by pollution and sun exposure.
Using green tea for skincare
Green tea can be used both inside and out when it comes to tackling blemishes and breakouts. Here are some of the most common ways that you can reap the benefits of green tea for breakouts:
- First, drinking green tea is a great way for you to take advantage of the antioxidants, which are needed to promote better skin health from the inside out.
- Second, choose lotions and creams that contain green tea extract. You can either buy them, or you can make them yourself at home.
- Look for green tea extract in your color cosmetics and sunscreen too–but please don’t try to make your own sunscreen at home.
- Similarly, you’ll find topical face masks that contain green tea extract. Again, you can either buy some at the store, or make it yourself. To make a homemade face mask, you’ll need:
- Japanese matcha green tea powder
- Aloe vera gel, AND
- Witch hazel or your favorite hydrosol
Mix them together in a small bowl until you achieve your desired consistency, and then apply to cleansed, toned skin for 15 minutes. Remove with a soft cloth and warm water. Tone and moisturize.
You can also moisten green tea bags with aloe vera gel or your favorite hydrosol and apply those as a facial compress for 15 minutes.
- Facial scrubs with green tea extract and matcha powder are another great option for treating blemishes and breakouts. These scrubs help remove dead skill cells, while allowing the green tea to exfoliate the skin.
- Toners with green tea extract can also do your skin good. Green-tea-based toners help balance excess sebum, soothe inflammation, and support a healthy skin pH. Green tea can help stop free radical damage in its tracks with its powerful antioxidant properties.
- Finally, you can consider taking green tea supplements for your skincare treatment. These supplements allow people who might not tolerate multiple cups of tea per day, or who might not take the time for tea several times a day to benefit from green tea.
What type of green tea is the best for skin issues like breakouts?
So, now that we know all about the benefits of green tea for breakouts and blemishes, and how to use it in your skincare regimen, what type of green tea is the best for skin?
There are many varieties of green tea–matcha, sencha, tencha, genmaicha, gyokuro–and they are all beneficial. The type you use depends on what kind of delivery you want. It makes more sense to use a powder like matcha in a mask or scrub, whereas for infusions and extracts, it makes more sense to use the whole leaf tea.
Quality and proper preparation are more important than the type of green tea you use. The color should be vibrant, and the aroma should be grassy and earthy with a hint of sweetness. Look for organic when possible, and whole leaf green tea instead of pulverized tea in bags (these are often oxidized and less nutritious). Matcha comes powdered and should come from Japan, have a bright lime green color, and fresh aroma.
Preparing green tea properly is key to getting the maximum nutrition. The antioxidants, amino acids, and other phytonutrients in green tea are heat sensitive, so be sure you follow the instructions on the package for the correct temperature and steeping time. If the tea smells or tastes bitter, then it’s likely been overheated or over-steeped.
Conclusion
Green tea is known as one of nature’s most powerful herbal remedies for blemishes and breakouts. In this post, we discussed how green tea can help with acne, what to consider when shopping and preparing green tea for best results, and shared a simple DIY recipe that can really help improve the appearance of blemished skin. We hope that these tips inspire you to incorporate more herbs into your daily routine so that you too can experience the many benefits they offer.
To learn more about using herbs for skincare, check out The Herbal Skincare Summit!
Just keep in mind: Please consult with your licensed healthcare or skin professional before starting any type of herbal regimen.
Contributor bio:
George J. Newton is a writer and editor at Write my research paper and Dissertation writing service. He is also a contributing writer for Next Coursework who contributed to this article. As a business development manager, he oversees various projects in different companies in New Jersey. As a content writer, he writes articles about herb recipes, gardening tips, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical trends.
