We’ve talked about the benefits of drinking green tea, but did you know that green tea can be used externally as well? One of the benefits is green tea’s effect on your skin. The antioxidant properties of green tea can be used to help deter some of the signs of aging and acne and give an overall youthful appearance.
External Uses of Green Tea
Skin care with green tea
After a cup of green tea, you can take the contents of your tea bag, or the lose tea and use it as a nourishing mask treatment. Add to the tea a bit of honey to make up a paste. Apply directly on the skin and leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes then rinse it off to reveal softer, glowing skin. You may also choose to add a bit of baking soda to act as an exfoliating agent. The baking soda will also tighten pores and help pull impurities out of your skin.
Another mask is to use a few tablespoons of plain yogurt with some loose green tea or contents of a green tea bag. Simply mix the two ingredients together and spread lightly on the face. Now just lay back and relax. After about ten or fifteen minutes, rinse off the green tea and yogurt mixture to reveal soft, dewy looking skin.
Do your eyes feel or look tired?
Take the tea bag you’ve just made your last cup of tea with and use it on your eyes rather than just throwing it away. The tannins contained in green tea act as an astringent which can shrink the pores of the skin. A cool teabag on the eyes can help reduce any swelling and tighten the skin around the eye area. After a few minutes you will definitely see and feel the difference.
Facial scrubs
Green tea can also be used in making facial scrubs as well as the nourishing mask mentioned above. Since green tea helps to tighten the pores, using it in a facial scrub can also be very beneficial for facial skin. Use the tea in your used tea bag along with some granulated sugar to make an exfoliating scrub. This particular scrub can be made easily and any extra can be stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
Hair care
Green tea can also add shine and luster to your hair. Put 3 or 4 green tea bags into boiling water then let it simmer on the stove 10-15 minutes. Allow this mixture to cool completely, or for optimum results, let it infuse overnight. When you go to shampoo the next day, use this mixture to wet your hair down. Leave it on for about ten minutes, then rinse. You can then shampoo with your favorite shampoo and conditioner.
These are just a few of the was that green tea offers health benefits outside the body as well as the ones that are experienced internally when you drink green tea every day. Don’t be afraid to try other mixtures and tips or come up with your own ways to enjoy the benefits of green tea.
