How to Use Green Tea for Healthier Skin

For centuries, people have held green tea in high regard for its health boosting properties. The Chinese have been using it since ancient times to treat anything and everything, for over 4,000 years! Rich in anti-oxidants, the Western health market has caught onto green tea – and it’s a fad that is here to stay. From hot teas, to iced teas, face masks, topical treatments, ointments, wraps and more, in food or on its own, if you’re looking to get healthier you can be sure the majority of advice will be this; “drink green tea”.

Can green tea really give you healthier skin? We’ve been told how good it is for our insides, but what about the out? How can we use green tea for healthier skin?

When you feel good on the inside, it shows on the outside. If you’re suffering with acne, chances are there is a specific cause internally that is displaying itself externally to get your attention. Each area of your face corresponds to a specific ailment or internal organ – check out my guide to acne face mapping for more information.

Green tea is brilliant at detoxifying our system, cleaning out all of those toxins and impurities that have built up through poor diet, pollution or illness. So start swapping your fizzy drinks for a cup of green tea, you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes to your skin.

Did you know green tea has the highest level of antioxidants of all teas? The leaves do not go through a fermentation process; they are steamed instead so they keep the majority of their free radical fighting benefits. This helps to promote clean, healthy organs (as part of a balanced diet). Remember, the better you take care of your inside, the better it looks on your outside!

• Aim to drink 2 – 4 cups of green tea a day.
• Don’t counteract the benefits of green tea by continuing to eat a poor diet – ditch the takeaway and up your intake of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables.

Many have caught onto the huge benefits of green tea, but not only in its drinkable form! It’s common now to find green tea extracts in beauty products, creams and lotions. Not only do we apply it internally – we can get extra skin boosting benefits by using green tea externally too! You don’t have to hand out a fortune to buy these products, most of green teas external benefits can be gained by using the loose leafs/tea bag itself!

Green tea contains catechins, which are naturally antibacterial, perfect for removing impurities, dirt and dead skin cells from the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which will help calm and reduce redness.

Green tea also has a natural SPF, so it helps to boost your protection from the suns aging UV rays! Use in conjunction with a higher factor SPF for maximum protection!

Did you know green tea is also has anti-aging properties? The anti-oxidants and free radicals help to keep our cells supple and slow the aging process. Green tea contains something called epigallocatechin galate (say that three times fast!) which is over 200 times more powerful than vitamin E! Vitamin E is amazing for our skin, it helps to repair damaged collagen and improve dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles – so imagine what a 200% boost could do?

There are a number of homemade recipes out there that combine green tea and various other kitchen cupboard products to create fantastic facemasks and lotions, but personally? I like to use the tea on its own and go for an internal/external boost in one!

Whether your green tea is made with loose tealeaves or a tea bag, brew up a nice cup of green tea – removing a few tablespoons and leaving to stand in a container. Once you’ve drunk your cup of tea, the tea you set to one side should be nice and cool. Take a clean cotton pad or muslin cloth and soak it in the tea. Wring it out so it’s not dripping all over the place and in light, sweeping motions, apply it to your face and neck, concentrating on the affected areas. Once you’ve gone all over your face you can leave it to sit on the skin for a few minutes, then rinse off with fresh water.

Your skin will instantly feel fresher, lighter and have a healthier glow, with noticeable reduced redness and inflammation. Do this 2 – 3 times a week in the evening.

Though not scientifically proven (yet!) there has been much discussion on green tea’s affect on acne scarring. Speaking from experience, I have – over a very long period, started to notice a reduction in the acne scarring on my chin. What once looked like permanent red blemishes has become extremely faded. I have not used any scar reduction products, so who knows, maybe I have green tea to thank!

All of the above information, when followed will vastly improve your skins condition, but how specifically does green tea treat acne?

Acne is caused by a number of things, stress being high on the list. Like most teas, green tea has calming properties – so when you’re feeling stressed out, go and brew yourself a fresh cup of green tea and try to relax.

By using green tea both internally and externally, you will not only feel amazing, but you will look amazing too! Green tea will give your skin a healthier glow, clearer complexion and help treat your acne all in one!

Go on then, go put the kettle on!

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