While the benefits of drinking green tea have long been known, many people are now just discovering green tea benefits for skin. Full of vitamins, antioxidants, and calming properties, it’s one of nature’s best skin care ingredients.
In this article, we’ll look at what green tea is, where it’s from, 10 reasons to look for green tea in your skincare products, how to use green tea for skin, what skin types it’s good for, and answer some frequently asked questions about green tea skin care.
IN A NUTSHELL
Ingredient Category: Antioxidant
Main Benefit: As an antioxidant, green tea helps protect your skin from damaging environmental stressors. It has soothing properties that are great for irritated skin.
Find It In: Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream, ‘A’ Game Retinol Serum, Crème de la Cream Brightening Moisturizer, H2 Oh Yeah Hydrating Moisturizer, Youth Fairy Retinol Moisturizer, and Prince Charcoal Detox Mask.
What Is Green Tea? Where Is It From?
Made from the camellia sinensis plant, green tea has been consumed as a drink for centuries in Eastern cultures and has been used even longer for medicinal purposes. This continues today; in fact, China is still the world’s largest producer of green tea, producing 480,000 tons per year. It’s also produced throughout the world in Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Turkey, and Russia, amongst other places.
A sibling of black tea, which also comes from the camellia sinensis plant, green tea is said to be filled with more antioxidants than black tea, as it doesn’t go through the same fermentation process that destroys them.
10 Reasons to Look for Green Tea in Your Skincare Products
Green tea benefits for skin are seemingly endless—it would almost be easier to say what it can’t do, than what it can.
Although there are many more, here are 10 Reasons to Look for Green Tea in Your Skincare Products.
1. Green tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the skin from environmental stressors, which can damage the skin and lead to common signs of aging.
Green tea contains EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which is a powerful antioxidant that has a soothing effect on the skin. It’s considered one of green tea’s most effective elements.
2. Green tea brightens the skin. Unlike black tea, green tea contains vitamin C, which is known to help brighten the skin.
3. Green tea evens skin tone. Again, vitamin c, which is also an antioxidant, is known for its ability to help even skin tone and renew the look of beautiful skin.
4. Green tea is anti-aging. Green tea contains vitamin B2. Also known as riboflavin, it helps temporarily firm and tighten the skin.
5. Green tea smooths the skin. Green tea contains vitamin A, which is known for its power to improve the texture of your skin.
6. Green tea lessens the appearance of occasional redness. Full of vitamin B3, or niacin as it’s called, green tea is said to lessen the appearance of redness in faces that easily flush.
7. Green tea helps balance oil. EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), a compound found in green tea, is thought to help control excessive oil in the skin.
8. Green tea reduces puffiness. Green tea contains caffeine; when applied topically, it can help reduce puffiness in skin and minimize the look of dark circles.
9. Green tea hydrates the skin. Rich in vitamin E, green tea is great for adding moisture to the skin.
10. Green tea reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Plant compounds called polyphenols have strong antioxidant properties. Found in green tea, they help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How to Use Green Tea for Skin
There are dozens of ways green tea can benefit your skin, both DIY options or in ready-made skincare products. Here are a few ideas:
- One of the best home treatments for tired eyes is some good, old-fashioned tea bags. The great part about it is that you get to drink the tea and then reuse the spent tea bags on your skin.
- Fix yourself a cup of green tea just as you normally would with hot water. We also love cold brewing iced green tea overnight in the fridge. Once the tea bag is cooled off, strain any excess water and carefully place a tea bag under each eye. This is great for soothing puffiness under the eyes.
- Once you’re finished, be sure to dab on a little of our Eyes Eyes Baby eye cream. Made with green tea, it will reduce the appearance of wrinkles, under eye bags, and dark circles.
- Serums are highly concentrated skincare products that are formulated to target specific concerns. Our ‘A’ Game retinol serum includes green tea to support other antioxidants in smoothing the texture of your skin and reducing lines and wrinkles.
- Use it in your moisturizer! There’s a good reason we put green tea in all of our moisturizers. It works to protect your skin from environmental stressors as you take on your day.
What Skin Type is Green Tea Good For?
Oily Skin - If you have oily skin but are wary of using an exfoliating scrub, green tea is a great option. EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), a compound found in green tea, is thought to help control oil. Though sebum can help keep the skin lubricated, it can also clog pores, especially in oily skin. Green tea can help balance skin’s natural oils.
Dry Skin – As we mentioned above, green tea is packed with vitamin E, which is known for its ability to hydrate the skin. It also contains L-Theanine, an amino acid that also helps hydrate the skin.
Combination Skin – Since green tea works well on both oily and dry skin, it’s perfect for those with combination skin, as it will balance any excess oils and restore hydration to any dry areas.
Aging Skin – Not only does green tea revitalize the appearance of mature skin, it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in aging skin.
Sensitive Skin – Known for its incredible ability to soothe the skin and help even out redness, green tea should be a must-have ingredient for anyone with sensitive skin!
Frequently Asked Questions About Green Tea
Is green tea good for your skin?
Yes! The green tea benefits for skin are countless. From green tea’s rich antioxidants, which help protect the skin from outside stressors, to its ability to soothe the skin, to its hydration capabilities, green tea does just about everything you can think of to keep your skin looking its absolute best.
What does green tea do for skin complexion?
Here are just a few of the green tea skin care benefits you can expect when you make it an essential part of your skin care routine:
- Green tea brightens the skin
- Green tea evens skin tone
- Green tea smooths the skin
- Green tea lessens the appearance of occasional redness
- Green tea helps balance oil
- Green tea improves skin texture
- Green tea hydrates the skin
- Green tea reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
Drinking Green Tea vs. Using Products Containing Green Tea
While we spoke on using green tea topically for your skin, there are also plenty of benefits for your general health when you drink green tea. Research has shown that drinking green tea can possibly help you feel better overall, give you energy, help you lose weight, and lower your risk of chronic diseases.
However, when it comes to skincare, the best way to reap the benefits of this amazing ingredient is to use it in your skincare products. That is why we have included it in so many of the products in our collection. Are you ready to get you green tea on?
