Beauty tips: Here’s how green tea makes skin glow, hair shine and helps in diabetes, anti-ageing, skin cancer

The second most consumed beverage after water, Green Tea is one of the most popular and undoubtedly the best beverages out there as its extracts are a popular way of getting healthy skin “inside and out”. It is no secret that green tea has some great perks since high quantities of antioxidants that are beneficial to human health can be found in this popular beverage, which potentially improves heart and brain health and has tremendous benefits when applied directly but it also has powerful effects when consumed as a part of diet.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Guneet, Dermatologist at Clinikally, confirmed that green tea extracts are effective for treating acne by reducing sebum excretion in the skin. In fact, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-anthurosclerosis properties of have multiple benefits for the skin.

According to Dr Guneet, green tea extract helps improve skin elasticity when used topically and it also contains Vitamin B2, which helps in maintaining collagen and thus improving firmness of the skin. In fact, green tea is proven to reduce skin irritation, redness, itching and swelling caused by various dermatological conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis and rosacea and the dermatologist further highlighted that polyphenols in green tea also protect the skin from UVB radiations, thus preventing photoageing and different types of skin cancers like melanoma.

Dr Archana Batra, Dietitian, Nutritionist, Physiotherapist and a Certified Diabetes Educator, shared, “Combining green tea extract direct application with tea consumption can help you improve skin elasticity and hence slow down skin ageing. Green tea is also well known for its ability to moisturise skin, and it may even be able to repair sun damage. Green tea has a very low caffeine content when compared to coffee. And both caffeine and tea tannins found moderately in the tea causes blood vessels around eyes to shrink. This lessens the appearance of dark circles and swollen eyes. So those looking to cut back on their intake of the stimulant may choose to make the smarter move with green tea providing you best of both skin and health.”

Echoing the same, Dietician Vidhi Chawla, Founder of Fisico Diet Clinic, gushed, “Green tea is considered to be one of the healthiest beverages. It is one of the least processed types of tea and is made from unoxidized leaves and hence contains polyphenols and antioxidants. It has numerous health benefits, it lowers the risk of heart disease, helps in weight loss and improves brain function too. Apart from health benefits, Green tea provides numerous skin benefits too.”

She added, “The antioxidants help provide glowy healthy skin, and prevent ageing and it contains flavonoids which help in reducing fine lines. It also contains compounds like lutein and zeaxanthin which help in promoting eye health. One of the skin benefits of Green Tea is that it promotes DNA repairing and helps fight skin cancer. It contains an antioxidant called EGCG that protects from UV rays which cause DNA damage thus reducing the risk of skin cancer. Drinking two cups of green tea daily can be beneficial.”

Rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, both drinking and applying green tea topically can add a glow to your face, says Ruchita Acharya, Founder of Glow and Green. She pointed out, “It not only helps in preventing wrinkles, fine lines, and acne reduction but also helps prevent skin cancer and melanoma. If you are looking for ways to overcome that dullness on your skin, green tea may be the perfect solution for you.”

She revealed a DIY recipe of Green Tea Shots that will not only add shine to your skin but to your hair as well. Green Tea Shots are basically water shots, a mix of water, equal parts of vinegar, green tea, and vitamin E.

Ingredients:

1) 1/3 cup White Vinegar

2) 3 Green Tea Bags

3) 1/3 cup of water

4) Vitamin E

Method:

Prepare tea by adding the green tea bags to hot water. Squeeze out the leftover juice from the bags and add vinegar, and Vitamin E to make the shot more moisturizing.

One can use this green tea shot as a face toner or hair mist.

Note – Do not use it in food.