Glass jars of tea leaves and tincture prepared on white table.
Cover Glass jars of tea leaves and tincture prepared on white table.

Tea has countless health benefits, but did you know that it can also be an essential—even indispensable—beauty ally? In the form of powder, oil, or even simple teabags, it's now a key ingredient in many home cosmetics. Consume without moderation

'Do it yourself' (DIY) beauty has been on the rise month after month, driven by successive confinements that have pushed people around the world to refocus on the essentials and natural products they may already have in their cupboards. As a result, certain ingredients previously little known for their skin benefits are now being recognized as beauty allies. This is the case of tea, which has many virtues for all skin types, especially for combination to oily skin.

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To fight acne

Tatler Asia
Tea can be used to clear acne (Photo: JC Gellidon/Unsplash)
Above Tea can be used to clear acne (Photo: JC Gellidon/Unsplash)

Green and white tea are both allies for acne-prone skin due to their astringent properties. In other words, they not only tighten the skin's tissues, meaning more tone and radiance but also reduce sebum secretion for tighter pores and cleaner skin. All this can be achieved without drying the skin since in the form of oil they also prove to be moisturising. Tea is therefore an essential ingredient for combination to oily skin.

Read more: 5 Vegan Facial Cleansers For All Skin Types

A rejuvenating cure

Tatler Asia
Tea as a rejuvenating cure (Photo:  Content Pixie/Unsplash)
Above Tea as a rejuvenating cure (Photo: Content Pixie/Unsplash)

Tea leaves are rich in polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that help neutralize the free radicals responsible for premature ageing of skin cells. Composing cosmetics based on tea, green or white, allows fighting against the slackening of the skin and the signs of ageing while offering flexibility and elasticity. The skin is plumper. A true rejuvenation cure, in short—or almost.

Not content with being the ideal ally for combination, oily and mature skin, green tea also has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin and make it less reactive.

More from Tatler: How To Achieve Glass Skin: 9 Korean Products For A Luminous Glow

Even in bags...

Tatler Asia
Even in bags, teas are good skincare items(Photo: JC Gellidon/Unsplash)
Above Even in bags, teas are good skincare items(Photo: JC Gellidon/Unsplash)

While there are powdered teas and tea oils, it is also possible to use basic tea bags to meet your skin's needs. After their normal use, they can be put in the refrigerator and then applied to the eyes to fight dark circles and puffiness. They can also be used to treat a pimple (simply apply a wet tea bag to the pimple) or to moisturize and soothe the skin when dropped into the bath.