What exactly makes the brew so special, and how can you incorporate it into your regimen? Here, your green tea guide for the skin. Drink up! Specifically, the tea is supercharged with polyphenols: “Green tea is approximately 30% polyphenol antioxidants by weight,” says board-certified dermatologist Cynthia Bailey, M.D., founder of Dr. Bailey Skin Care. The most notable of the bunch is the catechin epigallocatechin gallate1 (or EGCG), which research shows has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties2. Another review even found that drinking green tea (or applying it topically, which we’ll get into later) helped inhibit UV-damage and oxidative stress3—both of which can lead to early signs of skin aging, like hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and fragile, crepey skin. As for matcha, green tea’s jade-colored cousin, it’s just as top-notch for skin—if not more so. It’s grown in the shade, and the leaves are ground into a powder once harvested, which creates a more concentrated blend with a pea-green hue. In fact, one study found that matcha contained 137 times more EGCG than green tea4. Again, make sure to buy 100% pure and organic matcha if it’s available to you, but it’s a worthy sip for skin. Again, green tea’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are well documented, and it’s these benefits that make it so wonderful for skin brightening and repair. Skin reactions, more often than not, typically stem from other irritating ingredients in the formula. In market products, it could be things like fragrance or preservatives (especially if you use it around the delicate eye area); in DIY concoctions, the culprit could even be another botanical in the tea blend. “I recommend that you only use pure green tea and avoid tea blends that contain botanicals that might be allergens, such as citrus or jasmine,” Bailey notes. Of course, you should consult a derm if you’re experiencing any reactions or if you think you may be extra sensitive to the effects of caffeine (especially if you slather a green tea lotion on larger surface areas). And while green tea does have some UV-protective properties, it shouldn’t ever replace proper sunscreen.
