The world's most powerful, all natural skin superstar
So here’s the tea: humans have been steeping, brewing, and extracting green tea for thousands of years - since 2700 B.C., to be exact! According to legend, it all started when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was drinking boiled water and a leaf blew into his cup. He enjoyed the refreshing result so much that the happy accident launched a 5,000-year strong tea industry (talk about a glow-up).
Today, we know there’s a lot more to drinking green tea than just refreshing flavor: it’s the most powerful antioxidant known to man, and its benefits include reduced inflammation, improved brain function, and expedited fat loss - yay! Which is partly why there’s a green tea version of practically every grocery item out there - shout out to matcha lattes!
Even better news? The benefits don’t stop in the cup. What’s healthy within is good for the skin, and green tea is no exception. Used topically, it has been shown to decrease inflammation, reduce the number of sunburn cells, and protect cells from UV damage. If that’s not enough, the catechins in green tea fight free radical damage, thereby toning the skin and reducing signs of aging - win!
We know that the topical use of antioxidants on our skin counteracts free radical damage. Free radicals are created by external pollutants such as smog, cigarette smoke, and sunlight. They cause damage to skin by grabbing electrons from atoms in our skin. When these atoms are taken away our skin begins to sag and age.
If antioxidants are introduced, they will donate an electron to a free radical instead of the free radical taking an electron from the skin’s atoms. This results in tightened and toned skin.
This is exactly why we currently use green tea catechins in many of our products! Read on for our tips on maximizing the power of green tea.
Puffy Eyes
Have a late night, a salty meal, or even a good cry? This quick trick can help wake up tired, puffy eyes in a flash.
- Start by steeping two green tea bags for a few seconds to activate the tea.
- Then, throw them in the freezer for 5 minutes to cool.
- Place the bags under your eyes, sit back, and relax. The caffeine in the tea will get your circulation flowing while the cool temperature will provide an extra anti-inflammatory kick.
- Want to take it one step further? Lock in the caffeine and anti-inflammatory compounds with an eye cream such as ALL IN (it’s loaded with green tea antioxidants too).
So how does it work? Compounds in green tea reduce irritation and redness while speeding along the decongestion and de-stressing of your system. It’s like a jade roller that actually works!
Blemish Control
The catechins in green tea also have antimicrobial properties that destroy stubborn acne-causing bacteria on the skin. To use them to your advantage, simply sprinkle some crushed loose green tea leaves into your face mask of choice!
Don’t have any loose leaves lying around? Use a tea bag! Simply get it wet (so it doesn’t explode), cut it open and add the ground tea directly to the mask.
Some masks, like our NO PLANS rose mask, already have green tea in them. But the added boost will provide extra acne-fighting power and some gentle exfoliation when you wash it off.
Sunburn Repair
Don't underestimate the power of the sun. Even if we’ve loaded on SPF for our beach day or our afternoon at the park, sunburns happen - and they can ruin even the best of outdoor fun.
Luckily, we have the fix! Before you head to bed, use a green tea serum to sooth your skin and de-lobster that face.
Why a serum? They sink in quickly - and the green tea will activate EGCG, a super compound believed to reduce the metabolic changes in the skin that lead to skin cancer and wrinkles - yay!
Looking for a great serum? Check out our Pep Rally Serum! It’s is loaded with organic green tea extract, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C - which means you can kiss those burns and fine lines goodbye.
Want to round out your leafy green fix? Try our Bright Side face wash & Daydreamer moisturizer, both loaded with organic Camellia Sinensis.
Here’s to having tea-riffic skin!