Teatime Wonders
Tea is not only a refreshing beverage that is a delight in the afternoon, but also a great cure for many ailments and a great facilitator to good skin. Tea, when consumed or used on the skin, can be used to great effect.
Green tea is extremely popular today and many studies have shown encouraging results on the benefit of green tea to the skin. Studies indicate that green tea protects the skin from cancer. Animal and human studies have shown that green tea reduces sun damage by inhibiting free radicals and reducing their inflammation, as opposed to blocking UV rays. Hence, dermatologists and skin care manufacturers have begun to advocate the addition of green tea to sunscreens.
Green tea also slows down ageing of the skin. However, with storage, properties in green tea tend to lose their anti-oxidants over time and with that, their effectiveness. Hence, buying all creams containing green tea may not be beneficial. The composition and formulation determines the efficiency of the cream, and the results may vary from one product to another.
Green tea can be consumed in tea form for best results. There are now capsules available that contain concentrated green tea that send the polyphenols straight into the bloodstream. Another interesting way to incorporate green tea is to freeze the tea into cubes and apply over the skin as a toner for the face and the neck. Avoid using the cube straight from the freezer, but give it a few minutes before application for the best results.
Tea is now not just a beverage but a complete skin care regimen in itself. Get the benefits of green tea into your home, and see the change you have gifted yourself!
