Get green tea in your CTMP

Hello folks! Hope you liked our posts on eye pencils and antioxidants. As promised, here's our exclusive on green tea. No antioxidant comes close to green tea in terms of potency, safety, wide-ranging benefits and easy availability. With green tea, a somehow-anyhow approach won't do. Here's how to get the best out of green tea for yourself, as part of your CTMP regime. Legend goes, Chinese emperor Tang Xuan Zong asked a 130-year old monk, "How could you live so long? Did you take any medicines?" The monk answered, "Drank tea daily, nothing else." Most of us are aware of benefit of drinking green tea, and I guess, a lot of us are even drinking it regularly (or planning to) for detoxification, weight loss etc . Green tea has become the new after-dinner coffee.

Green Tea has antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti cavity properties. One cup of green tea provides 10-40 mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant effects greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots, or strawberries

Great, but what about topical application of green tea (direct application on skin)? Does it work? Let’s see how anti-oxidants, anti-aging and rejuvenation benefits of green tea can be part of each step of our CTMP routine to get supple, glowing, youthful skin and guard against sun damage, pollution, stress and the side-effects of our "modern" lifestyle.

 

CLEANSING

Clean skin is beautiful skin. A green tea cleanser is must after sun exposure, as its anti-oxidants fight with free radical formed during exposure to UV rays and pollution. Highly recommended for acne-prone skin.  It’s advisable to wash face with cold or lukewarm water, as cold water tightens the pore.
Plum Tip: While buying green tea cleanser, make sure it doesn’t contain SLS or other harsh chemicals. Go for gentle cleansers - SLES, CAPB, glucosides, taurates are all good.

 

TONING

Green tea eases infection and is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and is a natural astringent. It draws/removes impurities, extra sebum and shrinks skin pores to give it a neat healthy look - and importantly, keeps acne and blackheads at bay. Can also be used after hair removal procedure like shaving, threading etc., due to its anti-inflammatory qualities.
Plum Tip: Avoid toners containing alcohols. Look for alcohol-free toners

 

MOISTURISING

Green tea soothes and calm skin along with retaining moisture of skin. Antioxidant in of green tea moisturiser keep skin smooth and healthy by protecting it from environmental damages and also inhibiting oxidation of sebum, which is a key step in acne formation. Catechins in green tea fights the aging process in skin cells, and rejuvenate it.
Plum Tip:  Choose green tea based moisturisers that are light and non-greasy. If you have acne-prone skin, look for oil-free, non-comedogenic (meaning: doesn't clog pores) formulations.

 

PROTECTION

Green tea in itself is not capable of blocking UV rays, but when added to sun creams, it enhances sun protection. Thanks to its rich antioxidant presence, it rates very high in sun damage repair. The root cause of all sun damage is free radicals, which the polyphenols in green tea quench nicely. It also reduces inflammation and soothes skin. Say good bye to redness, dried, wrinkled look, by using a good sunscreen (up to SPF 30 is good enough) with green tea. Your skin will feel fresh, clearer and radiant. Excellent for post sun exposure application as well.
Plum Tip: It's advisable to go for zinc-based sunscreens because zinc oxide is chemically inert and will not react with Green Tea, which some other chemical sunscreens might.

 

NIGHT CREAMS & ACNE PROTECTION

Free radicals are the major cause of ageing or premature ageing. Controlling production of free radicals is not easy. Our body uses up oxygen and simultaneously produces free radicals. Also exposure to sun, pollution, stress, poor diet and lack of sleep aggravates the situation. Free radicals damage the skin cells, and skin loses its elasticity, looking dull and wrinkled. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the most powerful catechin in green tea takes on free radicals and restores our skin's natural health. Those with oily skin, know how difficult it is to find right product for oily skin. It's not simply oily skin that causes acne, but accumulation of dead skin clogs pores, leads to oxidation of sebum and hence acne. Green tea extracts in your cleanser and toner can control excess oil sebum production. Along with acne comes skin inflammation , which causes scars. EGCG in green tea is very effective at reducing skin inflammation. Green ea helps in reducing acne sores, helps eliminate scars, and helps skin repair.