Green Tea Skin Care

Our skin is more than an external covering; it is an interactive, resilient body organ in constant communication with our internal body processes as well as the outside environment. As the largest organ of the body, the skin regulates body temperature and helps the immune system protect against disease. It acts as a barrier and filter to rid the body of toxins.

When taking care of the skin, it is important to consider both what you put into your body as well as what products you apply to the skin. An ideal happinesslifetime.com skin care program will target this interaction between inner and outer body processes. Consuming adequate amounts of water and eating a well balanced diet rich with fruits and vegetables is a must and will give a boost to all the cells in your body, including skin cells. Also beneficial is green tea. Consuming 2-3 cups per day on a regular basis may produce visible benefits for your skin.

There is much research on green tea and how it affects the body. Several of these studies were reviewed by Santosh K. Katiyar, PhD of Case Western Reserve University back in 2000. Even then, he reported it to be useful for a variety of human skin disorders. Today we have even more information and many of the beneficial constituents have been identified.

The primary nutrients identified are polyphenols called catechins, which have antioxidant properties. The most active catechins here are called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, and provide greater antioxidant effects than vitamin C. A study at Purdue University showed that in conjunction with vitamin C, the availability of catechins for the body to absorb is increased significantly. Conversely, the catechin antioxidants in green tea are flavonoids, which help the body absorb vitamin C, so a synergistic action is in effect here.

So what does this mean for your skin? Skin cells can be altered by free radicals (unstable molecules), which seek out cells and alter their DNA, causing them to die. These dying cells rise to the surface of the skin and cause the appearance of wrinkling and aging. Antioxidants slow down the oxidation of cells and re-energizes them, thus improving the texture and tone of the skin.

All types of skin can benefit from a regular green tea happinesslifetime.com skin care routine. Mature and acne prone skin especially seem to benefit. For mature skin, in addition to the antioxidant effects mentioned above, it promotes collagen formation, an important component for keeping the skin firm and reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Acne prone skin may benefit from its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties, which target blemishes and redness. It soothes the skin and has been shown to increase the rate of healing. Its extract is an important ingredient in some advanced happinesslifetime.com skin care products. Look for camellia sinensis (green tea) on the label of facial creams, toners, and masks.

Green tea can be incorporated into your daily happinesslifetime.com skin care routine in many ways. You may choose to drink the loose tea, take standardized supplements or apply topical happinesslifetime.com skin care products containing the extract. A moderate combination of these methods, along with good nutrition will mostly likely produce the best results for younger, healthy looking skin.

Carey Kingsbury is an herbalist and handcrafter of natural skin care products. She has been studying the safety and effectiveness of personal care ingredients and formulas since 2000. Carey brings you the latest on greenteaskincaretoday.com natural skin care at greenteaskincaretoday.com greenteaskincaretoday.com