IN these current times, self-care and self-beautification are heavily emphasised through the media and by the celebrities and influencers that we look to as beauty role models. Many of the skincare products that are marketed to us to keep our skin flawless and blemish-free can be replaced by natural skin-clearing products, many of which can be found in our own pantries. While drinking tea has some health benefits, applying it to your skin has equally beneficial results.

The antioxidant, anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties present in tea keep your skin healthy and glowing. Green tea and black tea are rich in catechins and polyphenols, two antioxidants that fight acne and aging. If you are a frequent tea drinker and always have a box in your pantry, consider adding it to your beauty routine.

Here is a list of tea benefits for beauty that will make your skin glow!

Reduces under-eye puffiness and dark circles

The caffeine present in tea shrinks blood vessels underneath the skin and eliminates dark circles around the eye. The tannins in the tea help to reduce puffiness. You may use the teabag as a cold compress, which will dilate the blood vessels below the eyes to reduce dark circles, or as a warm compress, which will reduce excess oil, bacteria, or dandruff from the eye area.

To make a cold or warm tea compress:

-steep two teabags in hot water

-For a warm compress, let the teabags cool slightly

-For a cold compress, place the teabags in the refrigerator until they are cool

-Close your eyes and place the teabags onto your eyelids for 15-30 minutes

The tannic acid in tea helps your skin get rid of sunburn and blemishes. Prepare some tea in a kitchen pan and let it cool. Then take a towel or washcloth and gently apply the cool tea to the inflamed area for 20-30 minutes.

Can be used as a toner

The astringent properties of tea make it an effective toner for the skin. It soaks up excess grease and bacteria present on the skin’s surface. To use tea as a toner, you can steep a teabag in hot water and either rub the teabag directly on the skin, or give the tea time to sit in the water and apply the tea water to your face with a cotton pad.

Can be used as a face scrub

Tea leaves can be used to make an excellent face scrub. Take a used teabag and let it dry, then cut it open and remove the contents of the bag. You can mix the tea leaves with honey or coconut oil and apply the mixture to your face as a scrub.

Moisturise after you have washed your face. Your skin will feel smooth and soft due to the presence of antioxidants in the tea leaves, leaving your skin with a perfect glow.

Jasmine tea is a great option for people with oily skin. It has anti-microbial properties and soaks up excess oil. Prepare a cup of Jasmine tea, allow it to cool, and apply it either with a cotton pad or with the teabag directly to your skin. It combats pimple-causing bacteria and helps to maintain the skin’s pH level.

Green tea can help with dry and chapped lips. Soak a green teabag in hot water and let it cool slightly, then rub the warm teabag over your lips. This will relieve the stinging sensation and hydrate the skin on your lips.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green ([email protected] ) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff ([email protected] ). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.        Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Berea community news via Telegram? Send us a Telegram message (not an SMS) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409. You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.   PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts. Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.

We use cookies to help improve your experience and to show you relevant advertising. To learn more about cookies, please read our Privacy Policy. OK