Walk down any beauty product aisle and you’ll see the growing popularity of tea, not to drink, but in the form of lotions, shampoos and soaps. Wonder what tea could do in a lotion? Could there be a benefit of applying tea to our skin?
Start at the beginning and look at the purpose of beauty products. Lotion for example. Its purpose is to soothe, soften and moisturize. It does this by containing emollients, which add a layer of oil to the skin to prevent water loss. As the makers of beauty products experimented, they started looking at ways to not just keep skin hydrated, but also resist the onset of aging. Vitamins A and E, which contain anti-oxidants, started being used as preservatives. Tea, also rich in anti-oxidants, began showing up in shower gels.
Anti-oxidants
What are anti-oxidants? Why are they good for us? Anti-oxidants are produced by plants as a way of protecting themselves from the damaging effects of the sun. We absorb these anti-oxidants in our own bodies when we eat an apple or drink a cup of tea. These anti-oxidants help our own cells to stay healthy from the damaging effects from our environment. It is thought that adding anti-oxidants directly to lotions, straight to our skin, might help keep our skin cells from becoming damaged.
All plants contain different levels of anti-oxidants. The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is famous for containing an unusually high amount of anti-oxidants.
Research that’s been done
While it is believed that using tea topically is a health benefit, there has been little research done to prove it. There’s work currently being done at the University of Minnesota Hormel Institute in Austin, MN. They are testing a solution containing chemicals called polyphenols, extracted from green tea. So far, they have found tea may be able to prevent skin cancer when applied to skin. At what levels or amounts is still not known.
Not a new idea
Applying tea to the skin is not a new idea. It has been used in Asia for centuries in aiding skin burns and washing, as it is a natural antiseptic.
In the Beauty Aisle
When shopping for products with tea, pay attention to the ingredient listing. Look for a high percentage of tea. It should not be listed last. You’ll be surprised how many products claim to have tea, yet it is nowhere to be found on the ingredient listing. Remember, the higher the quantity of tea, the more benefit you’ll receive.
The most common tea used are white and green, as they are known for the highest amounts of anti-oxidants. You will also see rooibos used, sometimes called “red tea.” While rooibos is not a true tea (from the Camellia sinensis plant), it is an herbal from South Africa known for a high level of anti-oxidants.
At Home
Why not try making your own tea beauty products? All that is required is tea and good quality water. You’ll be able to control the amount of tea for a real health benefit.
A simple way to start is making a concentrate. Add tea (try white or green tea) to unheated, filtered or spring water. Let it steep, at room temperature, for an hour of more. You can use this concentrate to rinse your skin or place in a bottle and use as a spritzer. Store in the refrigerator. Experiment with making soaps and lotions.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
This ran in the final issue of “Asian Food & Lifestyle,” a NY based guide to all things Asian. I will miss writing for and reading it, along with other New Yorkers. Tea beauty update: I’ve been using White Peony tea to wash my face with once a week. I use about 1 tablespoon tea to 4 ounces of fresh, room temp water, steep an hour or longer. I find it makes my skin really soft and smell like sweet, wet wood.
