What do you need to add to your daily skincare routine for clearer skin? Green Tea.
This soothing drink and incredible natural ingredient will be your skin’s new best friend.
Surprise, surprise – green tea is good for you. Specifically, amazing for the skin.
Green tea is beneficial for weight loss, to protecting skin cells and, as well as molecules in the body.
It’s one of the few caffeine drinks which are healthy and good for you as its packed with antioxidants which provide health benefits including improving oral health, prevention of heart and brain diseases, as well as types of cancers – colorectal, prostate and breast cancer.
The skin also thrives on green tea with various products and brands turning to green tea as a main ingredient.
And these are the reasons why:
1) Protects the skin from UV damage and skin cancer
A powerful antioxidant found in green tea is a catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This antioxidant reduces free radicals – compounds that can harm the body and skin and a person’s overall health – in the body which protects cells and molecules from any damage.
In fact, according to a study conducted in 2010 on green tea, ECG as well as polyphenols which can repair the skin and protect the it from ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. This then will help decrease the chance of nonmelanoma skin cancer.
2) Reduces irritation
Green tea has a high content of polyphenols, which are naturally occurring organic compounds. This in turn, provides green tea with anti-inflammatory properties which helps the skin from irritation, redness and swelling.
Additionally, the caffeine contained in green tea can help reduce puffiness as caffeine constricts blood vessels when put onto the skin topically.
3) Helps heal acne and scarring
The polyphenols in green tea not only reduce irritation and redness, but it also has the power to reduce sebum productions which is what gets rid of oiliness and acne-causing bacteria.
Also, according to dermatologist Suneel Chilukuri, M.D., “the caffeine in the tea will increase blood flow to allow more rapid healing of the blemish,” she said.
4) Decreases premature ageing
Vitamin B-2 in green tea can maintain collagen levels, ultimately enhancing firmness of the skin. This is very effective in keeping the skin youthful.
In fact, a 2003 study found that the antioxidant ECG seems to reactivate dying skin cells when exposed to the compound. This means the antioxidant has the power to protect and repair cells to improve dull and aging skin and instead give the skin a healthier look.
Not to mention, ECG also protects the skin from skin damage which we all know, is a way to avoid wrinkles.
