Fall is the perfect time to sip your favourite hot beverage. But did you know that the right choice in fall beverage can help rejuvenate and protect your skin from the inside out? Check out our Kelowna skin care specialist's guide to tea and skin health.
Tea has been a beverage of choice for millennia. Not only is this beverage comforting and delicious, it's also been known to have numerous health properties. Most teas are from the same plant and are differentiated by how oxidized they are. This can give teas different flavour profiles and health benefits.
For example: Teas that are more oxidized tend to have more caffeine, which boosts energy, and less oxidized teas tend to have more catechins, which stimulate the metabolism.
Before we explore each type of tea and its health benefits, it's important to review frequently asked questions about tea and health benefits.
What You Should Know About Tea And Skincare
Should I Take Supplements Containing Tea Extract For My Skin?
Whether or not to take a supplement is always a question to ask your physician. This is because different supplements can contain different levels of active and secondary ingredients. Your physician will be able to tell you if it is the right product for you, as well as ensure that it will NOT interfere with any medications or health conditions that you may have.
Should I Use Makeup Or Cosmetic Products With Tea Extracts In It?
As with supplements, different cosmetic products have different levels of active ingredients. Because of this, it’s important to consult your health professional to help you choose a product with the right levels of active ingredients.
Is Tea A Miracle Cure?
While tea has many health benefits, it is important to remember that it CONTRIBUTES to good health but SHOULD NOT be used to replace medicines or treatments provided by your healthcare professional.
Types Of Tea And Their Skin Care Benefits:
Black Tea
Black tea is the most oxidized and has a stronger flavour than white or green teas.
How It Helps Your Skin:
- Black tea has the highest amount of caffeine out of all of the different types of tea.
- Black tea contains vitamins B2, C, and E (which is great tea for the skin).
- Additionally, the caffeine and other compounds in this beverage help prevent oral viruses.
- Black tea can also prove great for your hair because caffeine decreases a hormone that causes hair loss (however, too much caffeine can stunt hair growth, so remember: everything in moderation!)
How To Drink It:
Black tea is the most popular tea sold in western countries and is blended with many herbs and flavourings to create options such as Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey, and more. Most prefer to drink it plain or with milk or sugar, but can also be used in tea lattes.
How To Apply It:
Applying black tea to the skin can reduce puffiness and inflammation. The tannins in black tea can also help reduce excess sweating (although we recommend you visit us for hyperhidrosis treatment first.) Finally, back tea can be used in a hair rinse to add lustre and to subtly darken hair (if you dye your hair, however, check with your stylist before doing this).
Green Tea
Green tea does not undergo any oxidation procedure. Because of this, the leaves retain their natural colour, tannins, vitamin C, and mineral. It also has a very subtle taste.
- It has a powerful antioxidant called ECGC that helps fight DNA damage. Additionally, green tea is a powerful antibacterial agent for treating acne and fighting damage to pores.
- The catechins found in green tea have powerful anti-inflammatory agents.
- Additionally, the caffeine and tannins in green tea help shrink blood vessels around the eyes, which are a miracle for dark circles.
- Scientific studies have shown that it may even help prevent cancerous changes in the skin.
- It also may also boost your smile's health: green tea retains the highest level of fluoride out of all of the teas.
How To Drink It:
Green tea is delicious with honey. Green tea can also be delicious in the powdered form, matcha. This can be delicious as-is or in a latte (if you’re buying your own, ensure that the matcha powder does not come with added sugar).
How To Apply It:
Studies have shown that green tea can reduce inflammation when applied topically. However, when buying products that include green tea, always check with your doctor or skin care professional to ensure it has the right amount of active ingredients.
White Tea
White tea has a more minimal level of oxidation.
- Studies show that it has the potential to aid in the prevention of skin cancer.
- It has a higher level of catechins than black tea, but still contains caffeine.
- It has also been proven to help in the treatment of dandruff.
How To Drink It:
White tea has a light flavour that means it is often paired with fruits or herbs, such as ginger, peach, or melon, in tea blends. Additionally, silver needle and white peony are two highly popular and delicious varieties such as Silver Needle and White Peony.
How To Apply It:
Ask your doctor, hairstylist, or skin care professional if products containing white tea extracts are right for you.
How Do I Know What Is The Right Tea For My Skin?
Since most teas contain many of the same benefits, but in different proportions, it is very likely that the best tea for your health is the one that you enjoy enough to drink on a regular basis.
Contact Our Clinic Today
To find out the right skincare treatment for your needs, contact our Kelowna health clinic at (250) 868-9290, or book a consultation online. Alternatively, you can visit our Kelowna clinic at 304 - 3320 Richter St, Kelowna, BC V1W 4V5.
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