Green tea/match has become a popular ingredient in many commercial and homemade beauty products, thanks to its many health and beauty benefits. Here are just a few:
- Studies have shown that drinking and applying green tea to your skin helps fight cancer
- Due to its high content of a class of polyphenols called catechins, it works as an anti-inflammatory ingredient to reduce skin irritation, redness and swelling. Try a soothing mask of green tea and cucumber juice to calm a bad sunburn or insect bite.
- An antibacterial, green tea kills systemic bacterial inflammation. In the evening use a strong infusion of green tea as a toner after cleansing (do not rinse off).
- Vitamins B2 and Vitamin E in green tea help your body maintain collagen, making skin appear younger and firmer.
- It has caffeine and tannins that reduce puffiness under the eye area to relieve tired skin. To refresh and renew, lie down for 10-15 minutes with two cool tea bags or cotton pads soaked in tea.
- Use green tea to cleanse your scalp as an after-shampoo rinse - it may help promote new hair growth as well.
Matcha Bath Tablets
Because they contain a concentrated amount of skin and body care ingredients in a convenient form, bath tablets or "bath bombs" have become very popular. You simply pop the tablet in your tub (or footbath) and it dissolves into a soothing soak. Adding green tea powder to your mixture provides a calming and cleansing effect on your skin, and its powerful antioxidants will help soothe and heal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup citric acid powder
- 1/4 rice flour
- 1 tablespoon matcha
- 1/4 cup sea salt
- 1/4 coconut oil, melted
- Essential oils (optional)
Note: All the ingredients are available in most health food stores or online.
In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Melt the coconut oil on the stovetop. (You can add a few drops of essential oil to the melted oil for scent.) Slowly add to the dry ingredients and mix well; you will have a mixture that looks like wet sand. Next, pack the mixture into a small mold (measuring cups, ice cube trays or muffin tins all work well). Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then unmold and set on a cotton dishcloth or ceramic tray. Let dry overnight.
To use: Drop in a full tub of warm water and let dissolve. For a footbath or smaller soak, make smaller tablets or break larger ones in half. Yield; 16 ounces.
For more recipes, watch how to make this vibrant Lime Green Tea Body Scrub
