It’s no secret that green tea is loaded with antioxidants, but did you know that they help keep your skin healthy from the inside out and also from the outside in? 

Polyphenols, the antioxidants found in green tea, help reduce inflammation and protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, one of the main causes of premature aging of your skin and acne. This is one of the reasons green tea has reached the ranks of ‘super food’.

Antioxidants not only protect your skin against aging, but also block your skin’s androgen receptors, reducing and helping to control hormonal acne. 

Having green tea as part of your daily routine helps protect your skin from UV rays. According to one study, drinking two cups of green tea a day helps “protect against sunburn inflammation and potentially longer-term UV-mediated damage.” But green tea doesn’t just keep skin healthy from the inside out. (By the way, don’t forget sunscreen!)

Green tea is also a powerful topical skin care ingredient. Just as drinking it fights free radicals and external damage from the inside, applying it directly to your skin is very beneficial, as it is rich in vitamins B2 and E, which keep your skin healthy and improve collagen production.

Applying green tea directly to your skin also helps to fight blemishes and keep your skin clean. What it does is prevent skin sebum, or natural oils, from oxidizing - a process that clogs pores and is the main cause of acne. Green tea also has specific antibacterial properties that help to gently keep the bacteria that cause acne in check.

At Per Purr, we use this super ingredient in our Greeny Soap. It contains green tea powder, which acts as a gently exfoliant, and has antioxidant, astringent and toning properties. It cleans without making your skin feel tight, due to its unique combination of extra virgin olive oil and mango butter.

Apart from our Greeny Soap, here are some tips on how to use tea in your beauty care routine:

Face spray: an infusion of green tea in mineral water at room temperature for a few hours is an excellent choice when it comes to cooling down your skin. 

This infusion can replace thermal water. It is rich in antioxidants and illuminates your skin. You can even swap green tea for fresh rosemary - the sky’s the limit!

To reduce swelling around the eyes: there are days when tiredness and sleepless nights are stamped on our face. Soak two bags of green or chamomile tea in cold water for a few minutes. Then place one bag on each eye and rest for about 20 minutes. The cold infusion helps your eyes de-puff, while the green tea gives a “boost” of antioxidants in the eye area. If you have sensitive skin and eyes, use chamomile tea.

Face mask: Matcha tea (i.e., green tea) has been scientifically proven to help prevent loss of collagen and elastin production. Simply mix with a little water, make a paste and apply to clean skin. Leave on for 15 minutes and rinse using circular movements with your hands. This also ensures gentle exfoliation and improves the peripheral blood circulation of the face.

To increase hair shine: the pigments in black tea naturally emphasize the shine of dark hair just as a chamomile infusion slightly highlights light hair. After washing, conditioning and rinsing, finish off your hair routine with tea (black or chamomile) and wrap it in a warm towel for half an hour. Then, rinse again and let it dry as usual. If you have an oily scalp, green tea infusion helps to balance it.

Facial tonic: for a simple tonic, prepare an infusion (chamomile, calendula, green or white tea), let it cool in the refrigerator and apply it with a cotton pad on your face. You can even add a little honey (very little) to give the tonic a boost.

Body scrub: Make a cup of green tea and wait for it to cool. Add 1 part tea to 3 parts sugar (if it’s unrefined cane sugar, better!). You can add honey and lemon to the mixture, too. Use it after a bath on damp skin and rinse afterwards.

Facial Cleanser: Add some ground green tea (you can use a blender) to your daily cleanser. Leave it on your face for a couple of minutes to soften the dead cells, then slowly and gently rub into your skin and rinse off. Voilá! Your skin is clean, radiant and nourished with antioxidants!

Get ready for your personal summer spa!