Best Teas For Healthy, Glowing Skin
A cup of tea can do wonders for your mind and body. Whether it’s helping you relax, potentially warding off an illness, soothing a sore throat, or giving you energy in the morning, sometimes it feels like you just can’t go wrong with tea. But did you know that drinking tea throughout the day may also help you get the glowing skin that you’ve always dreamt of? Keep reading to learn how and why adding tea to your diet might be what your skincare routine has been missing all along.
Tea Helps Keep You Hydrated
Whether it’s green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea, or tisanes, all tea has been known to help keep you hydrated. At its core, a cup of tea is 98% water and 2% tea, making it a great way to hit your daily water intake goals, and research has linked dehydration to dull skin. Additionally, drinking more water has been shown to improve overall wellness which is important in keeping your skin looking its best. Finally, tea is packed with antioxidants, with no sodium, fat, sugar, or calories, making it a healthy (and delicious) alternative to soda, juice, or sports drinks that often have sugar or other additives.
Tea Contains Antioxidants
Tea has been known to have high antioxidant concentration, and research shows that antioxidants may be key to skin health by helping fight off free radicals (introduced to your skin from the environment in the form of pollution, UV rays, and more). Without the presence of antioxidants, these stressors can affect your body in the form of wrinkles, skin discoloration and dullness, and premature aging.
Polyphenols, a type of antioxidant found in several teas, have been known to be anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. Additionally, research has shown that polyphenols may help combat excess oil production which has been linked to clogged pores and acne. Polyphenols have also been shown to improve gut health, and a healthy gut is thought to be crucial in preventing inflammation that can cause acne, redness, and the breakdown of collagen.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a type of polyphenol, has been known to fight off free radical damage while potentially adding moisture to your skin and slowing down wrinkle formation. EGCG has benefits when ingested or used topically.
Tannins, another type of polyphenol found in most teas, fight free radical damage as well.
Tea Can Be Applied Topically
Because green tea contains caffeine, it may potentially shrink blood vessels and decrease puffiness when applied topically. We recommend refrigerating used green tea bags and using them as eye masks for this very purpose if you’ve had a long night or are simply looking for a quick and refreshing boost. Try Sencha Green Tea or Matcha+ Tea eco teabag sachets from our Green Tea Collection for your DIY eye mask to reap the benefits!
Additionally, it is believed that green tea may be able to reduce inflammation in skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. To make a soothing tea toner, steep a cup of green tea or black tea, let it cool, and then pour it into a spray bottle or glass bottle with a lid. You can add other ingredients known to promote healthy skin like aloe vera or rose water, or just use it as is. Apply it to your skin after cleansing and see the difference for yourself.
Chamomile tea, like our Egyptian Chamomile Tea, Chamomile Clementine Tea, and Soothe Tea, has been known to possess anti-inflammatory properties when applied topically as well. This makes it a good choice for someone looking to soothe irritated skin, sunburn, puffy eyes, and acne outbreaks. You can make chamomile tea into ice cubes for an all-natural cold compress that may help calm your skin. Just be sure to wrap them in a cloth before applying them to the face to protect your skin from ice burns.
Add Tea to Your Skincare Routine Today
Drinking a cup of tea is an easy, delicious, and cost-effective way to up your hydration, boost your antioxidant intake, and potentially do your skin a huge favor. With all of the different ways that tea may be beneficial for your skin today when ingested or applied topically, we encourage you to browse Art of Tea’s website for the perfect blend to complement your skincare routine. You might be surprised to find out just how much your skin loves it!
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