Why greenTea is great for your health and skin!

Use these tips to start your morning off right and keep your skin firm with green tea.

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By: Summer Saldana

You may already know that green tea is a great alternative to all the other ways we as a society consume caffeine. But did you know how life altering some of its benefits really are? You may be surprised to learn how effective green tea can be for your skin!

Green tea contains natural compounds that are powerful antioxidants, which help combat and neutralize free radicals that can damage your skin. (In science speak, free radicals are molecules that are missing an electron and inherently unstable, which causes a chain reaction that can lead to cell damage or cell death. In normal speak, free radicals are usually the result of excess sunlight and pollution and are bad for your skin.)

Antioxidants in green tea fight cell damage and protect your skin with noticeable differences. Additionally, green tea also has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties that can help reduce redness, swelling and flare-ups, and help skin heal faster.

Green tea also provides vitamins, including Vitamin C, which is good for your immune system. However, did you know that Vitamin C also plays an important role in collagen production, which keeps your skin firm? In fact, green tea contains vitamins C, B, E and K — all of which are said to improve skin elasticity and regeneration.

Researchers have also found that green tea contains compounds that block the sun’s rays. While it’s no substitute for sunscreen, it can help your skin resist damaging UVB rays.

We consulted Asia DeMarcos from the celebrity skin care clinic Hollywood Beautiful to get a few tips on how to incorporate green tea into our daily routine.

First, she recommend starting your day with the drink itself, iced or warm, depending on your preference. Then you can always use the leftover tea to wash your face. Save your tea bags and throw them in the freezer to later reduce puffy eyes. The anti-inflammatory properties will help reduce dark circles, plus it feels amazing! Another idea she offered was to put green tea in a mister bottle to refresh your face throughout the day.

After using these tips, you may wonder how you got along without green tea for so long. While it can soothe a sore throat or give you the morning’s pick-me-up instead of coffee, it’s helping you retain your skin’s firmness. If that’s not a mom-friendly product, we’re not sure what is.