Skin Care: How Green Tea Can Help

Our skin serves many important functions for us. It is the first line of defense in protecting us against germs, infections and other diseases. The skin also protects the vital organs of our body. Considering the importance of skin, it is therefore critical that we should care for this outer portion of our body. One way to care for our skin is through the use of green tea.

Green Tea has been touted as a wonder product. Lately, it seems there is nothing it can't improve or cure: anti-cancer, anti-ageing, good for heart health and for weight loss. Now it seems this miracle drink can help with skin care, too.

Green tea is an ancient drink that has long been held to have healing properties. Many supposed it was folk-legend associated with the stimulant qualities of the caffeine content. But recent scientific evidence suggests that there are many qualities in green tea that mean it will be of genuine benefit to our general health and to our skin.

The medicinal qualities of green tea have been found to be due to flavonoid phytochemicals called polyphenols, mainly in the sub type catechins. Green tea is much richer in catechins that black tea. Black tea has only about 4%, while green tea has up to 25%.

Green tea provides protection

The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green tea are well documented, so it is generally considered likely that using green tea polyphenols on your skin will help slow down the ageing process. Though more studies need to be done to determine how exactly green tea can be best used in skin care, there have been many promising results so far showing improvement in skin elasticity.

There have also been encouraging research demonstrating that drinking green tea can provide protection from skin cancer; in animal studies. Also encouraging, human studies have shown that using a green tea skin care product reduces sun damage. It appears that green tea reduces the number of free radicals, and calms any inflammation in the skin.

Using green tea in skin care

If you enjoy the sunshine, one way green tea will benefit you could be by using it under sun protection cream before heading out. It is best to choose a plain zinc-oxide cream to go over the top. After-sun skin care is also a good time to employ the soothing qualities of green tea. You can find many preparations of this herbal skin care at your local pharmacy in the form of cooling creams and lotions.

If you are interested in making your own products for an even more natural approach, here are some ideas:

- Use green tea bags as a revitalizing lift on your eyes. Just lying down for 10 minutes with a cool bag on each eye can help reduce the bags under them! - Make you own cream. Buy a cream base from an inexpensive but reliable skin care range, one with only the inactive ingredients mixed together, then add green tea powder or extract for a great topical skin care product.

You can also drink lots of green tea - it will make a difference to your health and, ultimately, to your skin.

Read more about Surfing Skincare and learn more about tea at Loose Tea