Is green tea good for skin care? Should you switch to a green tea face wash or start using green tea toner?
Before you dive in and change up your entire routine, let’s talk about green tea skin care benefits. We’d like to help you choose the best green tea skin care products for your needs.
The benefits of green tea for the skin
You may already know that drinking green tea is good for your health. Putting it on your skin is also beneficial. But how is green tea different from other options?
Both black and green tea come from the Camellia sinensis, and both are rich in antioxidants. However, green tea isn’t fermented like black tea. The leaves are only steamed and dried for maximum freshness and so they contain lots of polyphenols.
Polyphenols are a natural nutrient with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. They’re also found in red grapes and coffee. But the polyphenols in green tea are catechins that are especially effective against inflammation, acne, and even cancer. Plus, polyphenols from green tea improve the skin’s hydration – they are scientifically proven to work (1).
These impressive benefits are why celebrities like Skai Jackson do green tea facials while Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez enjoy green tea for glowing skin.
Who can use green tea skin care products?
As long as you don’t have an allergy to green tea or any of the other ingredients in a specific product, you’re all set. There are green tea cleansers, masks, moisturizers, toners, and serums. Some are designed for dry skin and others for combination and oily complexions. Basically, any skin type can enjoy green tea.
Moreover, persons with rosacea, acne, atopic dermatitis, and keloids may find relief from using green tea to treat their condition (2).
What’s interesting is that a component of green tea called EGCG slows down sebum production and therefore can prevent acne breakouts. This is true even if you only drink green tea instead of putting it on your face.
Lastly, green tea is a safe and natural ingredient that has no known conflict with other common skin care ingredients like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, etc.
Check out the best green tea products below:
| The best green tea skin care products | Why we love them |
|---|---|
| Bliss Green Tea Wonder Clarifying Overnight Gel Mask with Azelaic Acid |
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| Majestic Pure Green Tea Mint Mud Mask |
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| Innisfree Hydrating Cleansing Foam with Green Tea |
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| ISNTREE Green Tea Fresh Hydrating Face Toner |
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| innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum |
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| innisfree Balancing Green Tea Facial Toner |
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| boscia Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer |
|
Best Green Tea Skin Care Products in 2024
Bliss Green Tea Wonder Clarifying Overnight Gel Mask with Azelaic Acid
Pros:
- Transparent gel mask that doesn’t require rinsing
- Suitable for normal, oily, and combination skin
- Can be used up to three times per week
- Tightens pores, reduces redness and excess oil, exfoliates
- No parabens, cruelty-free
Cons:
- Not suitable for dry skin
Majestic Pure Green Tea Mint Mud Mask
acne-prone, oily, and combination skin. It makes pores look smaller by absorbing impurities and oil. At the same time, the antioxidant-rich green tea fights premature aging and pimples.
It only has to be left on the skin for five minutes before rinsing. Get the most from it by removing it with lukewarm water and circular motions to exfoliate dead skin.
The spearmint oil in it gives it a strong cooling sensation that might make your eyes burn if you get the mud too close to them. On the downside, those with sensitive skin might not be able to tolerate the stinging.
Reviewers say that immediately after using the mask, their skin seems to absorb other products more easily. If used at bedtime, they wake up with softer skin.
The natural formula contains no parabens and it’s packaged in a reusable glass jar. One thing to note – if you have an allergy to aspirin, be aware that the mask contains willow bark extract.
Pros:
- Best for acne-prone, oily, and combination complexions
- Purifying mud mask with green tea and spearmint
- Feels cooling, leaves skin smooth and refreshed
- Exfoliates and draws out impurities
Cons:
- May sting sensitive skin
Innisfree Hydrating Cleansing Foam with Green Tea
Sometimes it seems like green tea skincare products are only for oily skin. Not so here. This creamy face wash is made for dry or oily skin (and combination, too). It’s made by one of the top Korean green tea skincare brands. The company grows its own green tea specifically for the things they make.
The plant they use is called Jeju green tea after the name of the island where it’s raised. What’s nice is that the plants are USDA-certified organic.
The leaves are picked, then steamed soon afterward for maximum potency. Furthermore, nothing goes to waste. Even the root is used. In this formula, the root extract is a mild surfactant that makes the cleansing lather with micro bubbles. There’s no need for sulfates, parabens, formaldehyde releasers, or other nasty ingredients.
Reviewers say the cleanser smells really good and just a little bit can wash the whole face. If there is any con, it’s that the pleasant fragrance is a synthetic component.
Pros:
- Made from USDA-certified organic green tea leaves and roots
- Perfect for both oily and dry skin
- Creamy texture creates a pleasing lather with microbubbles
- No sulfates, parabens, or formaldehyde releasers
Cons:
- Has an artificial fragrance, although it smells nice
ISNTREE Green Tea Fresh Hydrating Face Toner
moisturizing, and use it as a facial mist throughout the day to refresh your face. Users say it helps ward off mask acne.
If you have irritated skin because of acne, rosacea, or other issues, the toner helps restore balance. The moisturizing effects last up to twenty-four hours and won’t clog pores.
The formula is 80% green tea extract supported by hyaluronic acid, Centella asiatica, allantoin, and other botanicals. The green tea itself is packed with polyphenols, amino acids, and minerals to keep the skin healthy. Plus, the unique blend of ingredients also controls sebum production while keeping the skin hydrated.
Lastly, the toner is made for all skin types and hypoallergenic. It’s EWG-verified for safe ingredients as it contains no artificial fragrance, parabens, phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde, and other nasties.
Pros:
- Moisturizing toner for all skin types
- Restores balance and controls sebum production
- Hydrating effects last up to twenty-four hours without clogging pores
- Blend of green tea, Centella, hyaluronic acid, and botanicals
- No parabens, phenoxyethanol, artificial fragrance, etc.
- EWG-verified
Cons:
- Although it’s hypoallergenic, it’s never a bad idea to check the label if you have sensitive skin. Happily, it’s easy to find ingredients listed for innisfree products
innisfree Green Tea Seed Intensive Hydrating Serum
hyaluronic acid to draw in moisture and boost hydration. Ninety-six percent of the participants in a clinical study said that their skin felt soothed and more comfortable after using it.
It doesn’t take much, and the lightweight texture absorbs quickly. The brand recently reformulated to lower the amount of fragrance, leaving a subtle clean scent.
Pros:
- Lightweight gel-like serum with hyaluronic acid and probiotics for healthy skin
- 96% of the participants in a clinical study said it was moisturizing and soothing
Cons:
- Has an artificial fragrance, but the new formula contains less perfume
innisfree Balancing Green Tea Facial Toner
oily skin as it calms sebum production and prevents dryness without heavy moisturizers.
Reviewers say it decreases redness and makes the skin feel comfortable and refreshed.
Pros:
- Complexion-balancing toner for combination and oily skin
- Calms sebum production and lightly hydrates, decreases redness
- Pleasant scent, no alcohol or parabens
Cons:
- Not fragrance-free
boscia Green Tea Oil-Free Moisturizer
sunscreen. Plus, it helps keep the skin matte all day.
The central ingredient is Japanese green tea which not only controls sebum production but also helps kill bacteria. There’s also a marine complex of algae extracts to help repair the skin and keep it toned.
The formula is vegan, cruelty-free, and fragrance-free.
Pros:
- Cruelty-free, vegan, and fragrance-free
- Perfect for oily, acne-prone complexions
- Controls sebum, diminishes redness, promotes healing, and tones the skin
Cons:
- A little pricey, but you don’t need to use much for the whole face
Conclusion
We hope you enjoy the reviews of our favorite green tea skincare products. If we helped you find your new favorite toner, serum, cleanser, moisturizer, we’d love to hear about your experience with it. Feel free to leave us a comment below.
Sources:
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23742288/ Gianeti MD, Mercurio DG, Campos PM. The use of green tea extract in cosmetic formulations: not only an antioxidant active ingredient. Dermatol Ther. 2013 May-Jun;26(3):267-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1529-8019.2013.01552.x. Epub 2013 Mar 13. PMID: 23742288.
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23346663/ Pazyar N, Feily A, Kazerouni A. Green tea in dermatology. Skinmed. 2012 Nov-Dec;10(6):352-5. PMID: 23346663.
