3 Best Green Tea Cleansing Mask Products that Lead to Smooth, Radiant Skin

I remember seeing my mother and her friends do silly things like put wet tea bags over their eyes and on their faces when they were resting. It looked ridiculous to me when I was a child, but as I got older, their funny habits and the reasons for them became clearer. I later learned that those tea bags were green tea. It seems like they were ahead of the curve back then. And many of these ladies had stunning skin!

Takeaway: Green tea is really good for your skin.

Let’s take a closer look at green tea and why it is so good for us inside and out.

A little bit of history

Japanese monks in the 7^th century were visiting China to study Buddhism. They learned enough about Buddhism and more about green tea and its health benefits. They found that when they drank it, they became full of mental focus and energy that ultimately enhanced their meditations.

What is green tea?

The leaves from the Camellia sinensis bush make up all tea types, except herbal. The type of tea is determined by the level of oxidation. For example, black and oolong teas have higher oxidation levels, enough to change the flavor of the tea.

Green tea comes from Camellia sinensis buds and leaves that have not yet gone through an oxidation process. The nutritional potency of the leaves and buds is raised as a result of not being oxidized.

The unoxidized status of green tea allows it to be the least processed. For this reason, green tea contains the most beneficial polyphenols and antioxidants.

Green tea health benefits

Green tea’s reputation as a health powerhouse has continued to thrive since the days of the monk’s discovery. Studies have uncovered many more health benefits since like:

high concentration of antioxidants.
great for detoxing.
Calms inflammation
ability to reduce blood pressure.
ability to reduce cholesterol
aids in weight loss.
It helps prevent diabetes.

Skin Health Benefits of Green Tea

Skin conditions like acne are inflammatory. Green tea is very anti-inflammatory, so it works to reduce the inflammation that can be seen in an acne breakout. A major component in green tea is EGCG, or epigallocatechin-3-gallate. Studies have shown definite anti-inflammatory effects with this compound found in abundance in green tea.

Green tea compounds are also anti-microbial. This is why green tea products are so successful at healing acne. Green tea packs a two-for-one punch!

Second, it reduces the red, inflamed acne areas, and third, green tea kills the bacteria feeding the infection. With green tea, the acne spots are healed quickly and completely with the help of green tea.

Oily Skin Conditions

Acne breakouts are attracted to oily skin. Sebum is the oily substance that is secreted by the sebaceous glands to moisturize hair and skin. Excess sebum in the skin can clog pores, which encourages the growth of bacteria.

EGCG, the compound found in green tea, is anti-androgenic. This means it has the ability to lower lipid levels, the same lipids that are produced in excess by the sebaceous glands and end up clogging pores, which leads to acne. By reducing sebum production, acne development can be reduced or eliminated.

A 2016 study involving 1,500 participants gave each person 1,500 mg of green tea extract to apply to their faces for 4 weeks. The study concluded that all participants showed a significant reduction in acne and red bumps.

An article found in the Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science reported that the caffeine found in green tea can effectively constrict swelling and inflammation by constricting blood vessels. This can help reduce the puffy nature of acne as well as the perk up a tired looking face.

Green tea as a part of a daily skin and face regime

Consider green tea extract as part of your regime for the prevention of unwanted skin issues. According to a 2003 study, the following facial skin conditions can be treated with the application of green tea extract:

Acne treatment
Warts (genital)
Rosacea
Atopic dermatitis
keloids