Green Tea: A Great Drink And Great For Your Skin
Matcha latte is all the rave now, if you haven’t tried it, what are you waiting for? The same goes for topical applications of green tea, if you aren’t already using green tea infused products, it’s time you did. We all know the health benefits of green tea; it helps to boost immunity, treat blood pressure, diabetes and a whole lot more. Now, these benefits don’t apply to just our health, but skin as well. For topical applications, green tea is both protective and corrective. It is an antioxidant known for its anti-ageing, soothing and antioxidant properties. Records of using green tea for medicinal purposes dates back centuries ago, from treating belly bloats and headaches, due to its healing properties.
Green tea is derived from the leaves and buds of, well green tea, but its scientific name is Camellia sinensis. The benefits of green tea are thanks to the polyphenols, aka catechins, that contain potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. The most notable polyphenol is Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a type of catechin that can be found in green tea and poses multiple skin and health benefits, particularly antibacterial qualities.
Benefits
Protects skin
- Possessing rich antioxidants, green tea protects the skin by preventing damage caused by free radicals and environmental aggressors like UV rays, pollution and toxins that are usually the causes behind premature ageing, damaged skin barrier and more.
- EGCG has the ability to ward off DNA damage in skin cells by stimulating DNA repair.
Anti-ageing
- We all know antioxidants help with ageing skin concerns and with green tea containing rich antioxidants it can help with ageing skin concerns that tend to be caused by oxidative stress and environmental threats, like sun damage. Such damage will result in hyperpigmentation, rough skin, fine lines and wrinkles and more. Green tea can reduce the severity of this damage, slowing down the speed of ageing skin.
Balances excess sebum
- Ideal for those with oily skin, green tea has the ability to reduce sebum production due to the tannins found in green tea that possesses astringent properties.
Anti-acne
- Coupled with its ability to reduce excess sebum, green tea also possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that make green tea suitable to treat acne-prone and oily skin.
- Green tea can also help with unclogging pores or impurities, dirt and oil to prevent future acne breakouts from happening.
Skin soother
- The anti-inflammatory properties in green tea can relieve inflammation and irritation brought on by chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
Reduces swelling
- Green tea also contains caffeine and tannins that works by shrinking the blood vessels, thus, reducing puffiness and swelling.
- Suffer from tired and puffy eyes, try this quick home remedy; freeze some damp green tea bags overnight and place them over your eyes in the morning for a rejuvenated and refreshed look.
Moisturises the skin
- Not only does it detoxify and rejuvenate your skin, but green tea is also highly moisturising as it improves the skin’s natural ability to retain moisture.
- Green tea is also filled with amino acids and vitamins B2 and E that are essential for maintaining skin health. B2 helps to maintain skin elasticity and firmness by maintaining collagen levels. Whereas vitamin E supports cell growth and is an amazing hydrator for soft, nourished skin.
What to note?
- There aren’t any known big side effects of green tea and is actually considered to be a “one-size-fits-all” skincare ingredient unless you are specifically allergic to green tea. However, we still advise conducting a patch test prior.
- When searching for green tea in the ingredients list, you will realise that not all of them specifically mentions “green tea” but instead some will list camellia sinensis, camellia oleifera or epigallocatechin gallate.
- Green tea works well in any ingredient, but it’s best used with other antioxidants as they work to complement each other. Vitamin C reduces the degradation of EGCG and EGCG enhances the efficacy of vitamin C and E.
Products we recommend
Innisfree Green Tea Line
Centre to Innisfree’s brand; freshly-squeezed, hydrating Green Tea loaded with amino acids and antioxidants help replenish and neutralize your skin for that natural glow.
Green Tea Seed Essence in Lotion
This is a light moisturiser that is enriched with green tea that works to replenish, moisture, soothe and fresher, while leaving the skin looking healthy and clear.
COSRX Green Tea Aqua Soothing Gel Cream
A gel-like, cooling, non-oily gel cream moisturizer that immerses skin in hydration. It contains B5 (panthenol) that moisturises, regenerates and soothes the skin. Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract and Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract provide cooling relief to soothe redness, blemishes, and sun burns while the formula refreshes oily, heated skin.
COSRX One Step Green Hero Calming Pad
COSRX's One Step Green Hero Calming Pad is a set of facial toner pads that offers soothing relief to sensitive skin. Formulated with green tea and witch hazel, this gentle toner targets and corrects the appearance of visible pores, dehydrated skin, excess oiliness and redness.
COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Mild
A toner containing green tea leaf water, BHA, PHA, tea tree leaf oil and centella asiatica extracts. Helps to exfoliate dead skin cells, clear acne-causing bacteria and remove excess sebum.
Dear, Klairs Fundamental Line
Think of this as being able to satisfy your most fundamental skincare needs. Since of the most fundamental needs of the skin is hydration, this line of products does exactly that. This line has a high concentration of effective ingredients that adds long-lasting healthiness to the skin. It contains 82% of effective ingredients; enriched with green tea and other active ingredients that delivers intense hydration and antioxidant benefits.
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