It is recommended that you start your mornings with a warm cup of green tea for a quick wake up, but if you’re not already applying the natural ingredient topically, you’re missing out. Yes, green tea is a godsend for weight loss, but this super-ingredient also comes with other fine properties that are beneficial for healthy, supple skin. When it comes to green tea in skincare and grooming, we are referring to the extract derived from the leaves and buds of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, which is a highly concentrated extract that is said to contain polyphenols or catechins that are beneficial due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Antara Kundu, deputy general manager, marketing brand relations and customer acquisition at The Body Shop India, explains, “Green tea has been used for thousands of years in many cultures not just for mind and body, but for skincare too.

It provides complete hydration and moisturisation to the skin. Its antioxidant properties rejuvenate the drying skin cells. Additionally, it has effective anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that make it an effective treatment for acne and oily skin. It is highly beneficial to reduce blemishes, and fight premature ageing due to stress. It also helps in calming irritated skin, reducing redness caused by chemicals in various products. It is also a powerful antibacterial that helps in unclogging the pores and controls bacterial infections and inflammation. All these are essential to keep the skin healthy and glowing naturally.” If you have already introduced two cups to your daily routine, adding them to your serums, moisturisers, masks, and face cleansers should be the next step. No doubt that oral consumption is great for the body, but it does not offer the same effect on human skin as topical products. Take a look at the ingredients section of any K-beauty products, and you will find green tea in all of it.

“Green tea is unquestionably a jack-of- all-trades, serving as more than simply a morning pick-me-up. It is renowned for its skincare properties, particularly in Asia, because it includes polyphenols, which are antioxidants, as well as flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea has strong levels of theanine and vitamins C, E, B-2, beta carotene, and folic acid, which hydrate and moisturise your skin whether you apply it to your face or drink it. It is a common ingredient in natural moisturisers due to its moisturising properties. Green tea is effective for both oily and dry skin, assisting in the management of oil while preventing dryness. It also helps with rosacea, dermatitis, and psoriasis by reducing redness, swelling, and irritation, opines Dr Noopur Jain, dermatologist & co-founder of Skinzest Clinic. 

The Indian market is a huge fan of green tea-infused skincare products. Brands such as Innisfreee, Plum Goodness, mCaffeine, Dot & Key, and The Man Company, among many others, have introduced a specialised range of products that focus on this special ingredient.

Decoding the brand’s work on the deciding the product line, Manish Chowdhary, co-founder of WOW Skin Science, says, “Our product research and innovation team do extensive study on customer needs of the moment, global skin and hair care trends, and new actives in the market. Since as a brand we are science-backed and nature-powered, our team looks for sustainable and clean, green ingredients to add to our formulations. We always choose a hero active, and create a range of skin and hair care solutions that meet our consumers’ specific beauty and wellness needs. It is a potent antioxidant that helps to protect skin and hair from oxidative damage. Green tea is rich in vitamin B12 and antioxidants. It neutralises free radicals, moisturises, and restores the skin’s natural pH balance. The active has an anti-ageing effect on the skin.” There’s a green tea use for every kind of grooming need, you just need to find yours.