If you’re looking for an ingredient that packs a powerful punch in skincare, look no further…
Green Tea is the skin active we’d like you to know more about! Along with its seemingly endless list of benefits, green tea can be used for all skin types. It works in beautiful harmony with other ingredients, which is why you’ll find it in so many Kate Ryan products, from our Vitamin C Serums to our Nutritive Oil Cleanser, Total Nutrition Night Repair Complex, Toner, DMAE and Hyaluronic Acid Serums, Advanced Eye Therapy and Facial Mist. You’ll find more on the specifics of green tea and KRS products later in this article. But first, let’s dig deeper into “the why” of this ingredient.
The Science Behind Green Tea
The actives in green tea are called polyphenols or catechins. Green tea is often referred to as EGCG because the best known and studied catechin is Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG.)
Similar to other antioxidants, it is highly unstable and oxidizes easily when exposed to light. Therefore, to maintain the effectiveness of green tea in skincare, it needs to be stored in a cool, dry place. (We recommend these storage conditions for all our formulas.)
As discussed at healthline.com, studies have shown that when green tea extract is used topically, skin elasticity is improved, damage caused by sun exposure is reduced, and there are moisturizing effects on the skin. It’s another reason your skin loves a spritz of KR’s facial mist after sun exposure or exercise, or in winter dry indoor air.
How Green Tea Benefits the Skin
Since green tea is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, and is able to both protect and correct, it has loads of benefits for the skin. Plus, due to its low molecular weight, it’s able to penetrate the skin more readily.
Minimizes signs of aging
- Lessens signs of sun damage like hyperpigmentation and fine lines
- Targets acne by reducing oiliness and keeping the pores open and clean
- Decreases puffiness, especially in the eye area, by shrinking blood vessels
- Soothes the skin
- Improves skin elasticity
- Helps ease inflammatory skin conditions including eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis
- Protects the skin from free radicals and reduces oxidative stress caused by UV rays and pollution
- Promotes DNA repair to fight damage in skin cells
**Please note that although green tea does offer some protection from UV rays, it should never be used as a replacement for sunscreen.**
Green Tea and Matcha
Green tea and matcha come from the same plant. Green tea is usually consumed via tea bags. Matcha, on the other hand, is grown in the shade and the leaves are blended into a powder, which makes it more concentrated.
Matcha is similar to green tea in that it is very beneficial for the skin. In fact, it may have even more benefits because it contains 137 more times EGCG than green tea!
If you’d like to learn more about matcha, we recommend starting with this article from Everyday Health.
Drinking Green Tea
While consuming green tea can promote other health benefits, it is still unclear if drinking green tea will elicit the same benefits for the skin as using green tea topically.
Ideally, when purchasing green tea, you’ll want to look for a high-quality brand with a label that reads “100% Pure,” “Organic,” and “non-GMO.” Also, stick to the basics and make sure that there aren’t any added flavors or ingredients like soy lecithin, cornstarch, or corn syrup.
Most research shows that it is most advantageous to drink 2-5 cups of green tea per day. It is best to drink it with water only -- adding milk can decrease the benefits received from the antioxidants.
We enjoy tea and are happy to pass along a suggestion! We LOVE Flying Bird Botanicals and include other varieties of their delicious, nourishing teas in our gift boxes!
Our recommendation: drink green tea AND use it topically! (And keep in mind that green tea is high in caffeine!)
Green Tea in Skincare Products
Our philosophy is using tried and proven, highly nutritive ingredients, which makes green tea a perfect fit in many of our formulas. We discuss a few of them below, but you can also click here to see a complete list of KRS products that contain green tea.
Vitamin C Collection
Kate’s Vitamin C Collection, which includes both Vitamin C Daytime Repair Serum and Vitamin C Night Repair Serum, is a fantastic duo because green tea and Vitamin C work together to increase the effectiveness of both actives. Vitamin C reduces the degradation of green tea and green tea enhances the effects of Vitamin C. The Vitamin C Serums offer antioxidant protection as well as the prevention and correction of skin aging.
Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Serum
Similar to Vitamin C, green tea compliments Hyaluronic Acid (HA) because the hydrating properties of HA enhance the skin penetration of green tea. Since Kate’s Hyaluronic Acid Hydration Serum contains green tea, it is well-equipped to retain moisture, improve hydration, and provide protection.
Advanced Eye Therapy Complex
Green tea, along with the other powerful actives in Kate’s Advanced Eye Therapy Complex, target the dark circles and puffiness in the eye area. The ingredients have anti-aging effects with the moisture they provide as well as the ability to correct the loss of elasticity. Green Tea with caffeine helps with inflammation reduction.
Occasionally, the eyes get really tired and need an extra boost, so facialists and makeup artists recommend briefly steeping two green tea bags. After allowing them to cool in the refrigerator, you can place them on your eyes for 5-10 minutes. This will feel soothing and calming, and will quickly decrease puffiness, swelling, and redness. Just remember to rinse your skin after!
We’d Love to Hear from You!
Whether you send us an email, comment below, or interact with us on social media, it is always great to hear from our customers! Let us know if you have any questions or if there’s a topic you’d like us to feature on our blog!
Claims on this page have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent any disease.
