5 Green Tea Benefits For Skin & Best Ways To Use It

Do you love having green tea to kick start your day? Apart from being the favourite beverage all over the world, green tea has lots to offer to your skin as well. It is considered to be a superstar ingredient by skincare experts.

Green tea benefits the skin in many ways if it’s incorporated into your daily skincare routine. Read on to know what green tea has in store for you and ways to use it to obtain the maximum benefit.

Highlights:

• What Does Green Tea Do For Your Skin?
• What Are The Benefits Of Green Tea For Skin?
• How To Use Green Tea For Best Results?
• Recommended Dosage & Side Effects

What Does Green Tea Do For Your Skin?

Green tea is considered to be a magical ingredient for the skin. It is derived from the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis. It has active components called polyphenols or catechins that work in your skin’s favour to treat an umpteen number of skin woes. Mainly because of its antioxidant properties and anti-inflammatory nature, green tea is a favourite among skincare enthusiasts.

Its most beneficial effects are associated with catechins, particularly epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Oral and topical usage of epigallocatechin-3-gallate catechins is significantly beneficial for your skin as well as all over health.[1]

In addition, green tea contains caffeine and tannins that shrink your blood vessels and reduce puffiness. However, the goodness of green tea depends a lot on how it is derived and stored. It matters because the powerhouse of the green tea plant lies in the phytochemicals. If not sourced and stored properly, it may reduce the efficacy of the ingredient.

What Are The Benefits Of Green Tea For Skin?

1. Fights Skin Irritation & Redness

High in polyphenols, green tea is blessed with anti-inflammatory properties.[2] It can soothe your irritated skin, reduce the redness caused by irritation and also decrease the swelling of your skin. Applying green tea toner or gel for small cuts or sunburns is always helpful.

In fact, researches show that topical use of green tea can solve many dermatological problems. Skin conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, dermatitis can be itchy and irritating. Green tea reduces the itchiness and provides relief from irritation.

2. Reduces Acne

Green tea is a powerhouse ingredient that has antioxidant properties, is antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. This makes it a great combination for treating acne. The polyphenols in green tea can reduce sebum oil production, which is the prime reason for acne breakout.[3] Once your skin has a normal oil balance, it reduces the risk of acne breakout.

The study on the antimicrobial properties of green tea suggests that it is capable of damaging the bacterial membranes that cause acne or other infections.

3. Protects From Skin Cancer

Free radicals are dangerous components that can damage your skin and health. This happens due to environmental stressors like extreme pollution and UV radiation. Free radicals damage your DNA, which can even lead to fatal diseases like skin cancer. But antioxidants can scavenge the free radicals from your body.

Green tea is a super source of antioxidants, and has multiple compounds that work against free radicals. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG) are the two strong and high-potential catechins that protect against free radicals. [4]

4. Prevent Early Ageing

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in green tea is capable of rejuvenating dying skin cells. It repairs the damaged skin cells and helps in the formation of new ones that keep your skin youthful and free from ageing signs like fine lines and wrinkles.

One study found that green tea and red light combination is highly effective for skin rejuvenation. A double-blinded placebo-controlled trial of green tree extracts showed promising results in improving the elasticity of the skin. [5]

5. Moisturizes Skin

Green tea is also known as a source of multiple vitamins and essential minerals. It has vitamin A and vitamin E, which keep your skin moisturized and healthy. Applying green tea extracts reduces skin roughness and dryness. This will help you achieve supple and soft skin. [6]

How To Use Green Tea For Best Results?

1. Green Tea Face Mask

Being a popular skincare ingredient, green tea is available in the market in many forms. Toner, gel, masks, packs almost everything is easily available in local stores. But in case you want a homemade face mask, here is what you need to do.

Ingredients

• 1 green tea bag or 2 tablespoons green tea powder
• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Mixing bowl
• Water
• Spoon

Steps To Follow

1. Step 1: If you are using a teabag, then brew the green tea and soak the bag for at least an hour. Discard the decoction, take out the tea leaves from the bag and put them into a bowl. If using green tea powder, just take 2 tablespoons of it into the mixing bowl.

2. Step 2: Add the yogurt, honey and required water to make a paste.

3. Step 3: Mix it well. The paste has to be thick and not watery.

4. Step 4: Apply the paste to your face and neck. Avoid any contact with your eyes.

5. Step 5: Let it dry for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water.

2. Green Tea Bag For Puffy Eyes

Do you often wake up with puffy and dull eyes? This can make you look sick and tired. However, green tea bags can help soothe them in an extremely easy yet effective manner. You just need to follow the below-mentioned steps.

Ingredients

• 2 green tea bags

Steps To Follow

1. Step 1: Steep the tea bags into warm water for a few minutes.

2. Step 2: Squeeze the bags to remove the water.

3. Step 3: Refrigerate the tea bags for 10 to 20 minutes.

4. Step 4: Close your eyes and place the tea bags on each of them.

5. Step 5: Stay like that for 30 minutes and then remove the tea bags.

3. Green Tea Toner

This is an easy and hassle-free recipe. It helps to reduce scars, prevents ageing signs and provides instant relief from skin irritation.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon green tea or 1 green tea bag
• A bottle

Steps To Follow

1. Step 1: Brew 1 tablespoon of green tea or put the tea bag into hot water for a while.

2. Step 2: Cool the tea down and separate the tea leaves/bag from the tea.

3. Step 3: Pour the liquid into a bottle and keep it in your fridge.

4. Step 4: Apply it twice a day.

4. Drinking Green Tea

Drinking green tea will not only improve your skin condition but also have a vast impact on your health. Experts advise that three to five cups of tea every day can help you gain the maximum benefits. However, drinking too much tea may cause some mild problems. It is always healthy to maintain a certain limit.

Recommended Dosage & Side Effects

Topical usage of green tea is considered to be safe. There have been no cases of severe side effects as such. But when it comes to the consumption of green tea, the recommended dosage is between 250–500 mg per day. As mentioned earlier, three to five cups of green tea consumption is healthy for you, because it comes under the recommended dosage.

However, be careful while buying green tea supplements, as they are not regulated by the FDA (Food And Drugs Administration). Most health and skin benefits of green tea are linked to EGCG, so make sure that your supplement contains it.

Word of Caution: Even though green tea does not have many side effects, performing a small patch test before trying out the product on the skin is always advised.

Wrapping Up

Green tea has the full potential of treating almost every skin issue, starting from acne to premature ageing. Being a herbal and safe ingredient, it suits most skin types. It is the most popular beverage and well-appreciated skincare ingredient across the globe for all the right reasons.

It is a powerhouse of antioxidants that helps treat acne, moisturizes your skin and prevents skin cancer. Using green tea topically can solve many dermatological problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis etc. While green tea products are easily available in every drug store, homemade masks and toners can also be beneficial. If you are using green tea supplements, then please consult your doctor for a detailed overview.

Begin By Knowing Your Skin