How Can I Use Green Tea On My Face?

Produced from the leaves of Camellia Sinensis, tea was likely used by humans as a medicinal plant before it began to be consumed as a beverage.

In recent years, green tea-based cosmetic products that promise beneficial results for our skin are becoming popular. Let’s try to understand together what is true and how to prepare a green tea-based skin mask on your own.

The skin benefits of green tea

Let us preface that the following article is not to be considered a scientific text, but a summary article on the most common benefits attributed (rightly or wrongly) to green tea. The article has been compiled in an attempt to offer correct and plural information in each case.

First and foremost, green tea is rich in polyphenols and catechins, which have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants have the ability to fight free radicals and limit cellular damage and could therefore be useful in preventing premature skin aging as well as repairing UV damage. Precisely because of these properties, several studies point to polyphenols and catechins as substances that could have a protective function against the occurrence of skin cancers.

In addition to polyphenols, green tea is also rich in vitamins B-2 and E. These vitamins help one to maintain collagen levels, and the other has moisturizing properties. Together, therefore, they can have a beneficial effect on the health of our skin.

Last, tea has mild anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, many people report finding benefit from using green tea face masks in cases of acne or skin irritation.

Do-it-yourself green tea mask: is it possible?

Many green tea-based face masks are available on the market, but making one at home is actually quite simple. There are various recipes and variations on the theme; the one we offer here is a simple recipe with easy-to-find ingredients. If you have any tricks or suggestions for improving the recipe, please write them in the comments!

To prepare our mask we need:

• green tea (leaf or bagged)
• white yogurt
• lemon and honey

Allow the tea to steep in boiling water for 10 minutes, then remove the leaves (or bag) from the brew and wait for the water to cool (this will take about 30 minutes).

When the infusion has completely cooled, pour two tablespoons into a bowl, then add the juice of half a lemon, two tablespoons of white yogurt and a tablespoon of honey.

Mix everything together and you will get a smooth and creamy mixture that you can spread on the skin with the help of a small spatula.

What if I want to prepare a face mask with matcha?

As we said, there are many different recipes for being able to make a green tea mask at home. So let’s close this article with a bonus recipe that involves the use of matcha powder.

Pour a tablespoon of matcha into a bowl, add a little water (enough to give the mixture a creamy consistency), then top with a teaspoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of honey. Should the mixture be too thick, you can add a few more drops of water at the end of the process as well.

A possible variation of this last recipe is to use green leaf tea instead of matcha powder. In this case, steep the leaves in hot water for 10 minutes, then remove the leaves and wait for them to cool. At this point, crush them up with your fingers and add baking soda and honey as well as a few drops of the water in which the tea was steeped.