Green Tea for Skin: The Benefits of Drinking It

Drinking green tea supports smoother, more elastic, better-hydrated skin, better blood flow to the skin, and stronger natural protection from UV damage. Its key compound is EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), the most studied antioxidant in tea. [1] [2]

The proof: in a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of Nutrition, women who drank a green tea polyphenol beverage daily had improved skin elasticity, roughness, density, and hydration, increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the skin, and 16 to 25% less redness after UV exposure. [1]

The Benefits of Drinking Green Tea for Skin

1. Smoother, Better-Hydrated Skin

In the 12-week trial, skin roughness, elasticity, density, and hydration all improved in the green tea group compared with placebo. [1]

2. Better Blood Flow and Oxygen to the Skin

Green tea polyphenols increased microcirculation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to skin tissue. [1] That is part of the healthy "glow."

3. Natural Protection From UV Damage

Women drinking green tea polyphenols had 16 to 25% less UV-induced redness. [1] Green tea is not a sunscreen, but it strengthens your skin's own defenses from within. [3]

4. Clearer Skin

EGCG has reduced sebum production and acne in clinical research [4], and green tea's anti-inflammatory catechins help calm red, angry breakouts. [2]

5. Antioxidant Defense Against Aging

Sun, pollution, and stress create free radicals that break down collagen. Green tea's catechins are powerful antioxidants that help defend skin cells. [2] [3]

How to Drink Green Tea for Skin

1. 2 to 3 cups a day. Consistency matters more than strength.
2. Brew it right: 75 to 85°C water for 1 to 3 minutes keeps catechins high and bitterness low. See How Long to Steep Tea.
3. Try matcha: you drink the whole leaf, so you get all its catechins.
4. Add lemon: vitamin C helps your body hold on to more catechins.
5. Give it 12 weeks, the length of the skin trial. [1]

Which Green Tea Is Best for Skin?

• Green Zen: ceremonial grade matcha, the most concentrated way to drink green tea.
• Lean Bloom: Ti Kuan Yin oolong with green tea and calendula, part of the Glow Reset.

Caffeine note: green tea contains caffeine, so enjoy it before mid-afternoon to protect your beauty sleep.

Green Tea vs Green Tea Skincare

Drinking it and applying it work in different ways. Topical green tea products act on the skin's surface; drinking green tea delivers its polyphenols through your bloodstream to every layer of skin. [1] Many people use both.

The Avodah Moment: A Morning Ritual for Your Skin

Avodah means devotion and service. Your morning skincare routine is often the only few minutes you spend on yourself before the day takes over.

Add a cup of green tea to it. Whisk your matcha or steep your Lean Bloom while your serum sinks in. Sip it slowly before you head out. Care for your skin from the inside and the outside, in the same quiet five minutes.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. This is where you fill yours.

Shop Green Zen | Shop Lean Bloom | Shop the Glow Reset

More: Best Tea for Skin

Frequently Asked Questions

Is drinking green tea good for your skin?

Yes. In a 12-week trial, drinking green tea polyphenols improved skin elasticity, hydration, and blood flow, and reduced UV redness by 16 to 25%.

Does green tea help clear skin?

EGCG reduced sebum and acne in clinical research, and green tea's catechins are anti-inflammatory.

How much green tea should I drink for clear skin?

2 to 3 cups a day for at least 12 weeks.

Does green tea make your skin glow?

It increased blood flow and oxygen delivery to the skin and improved hydration in a clinical trial, both part of a healthy glow.

Is matcha better than green tea for skin?

Matcha delivers the whole leaf, so it contains more catechins per cup.

Your day. Your tea. Your Avodah Moment.

References

1.          Heinrich U, Moore CE, De Spirt S, Tronnier H, Stahl W. Green tea polyphenols provide photoprotection, increase microcirculation, and modulate skin properties of women. J Nutr. 2011;141(6):1202-1208.

2.          Khan N, Mukhtar H. Tea polyphenols in promotion of human health. Nutrients. 2018;11(1):39.

3.          Katiyar SK. Green tea prevents non-melanoma skin cancer by enhancing DNA repair. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2011;508(2):152-158.

4.          Yoon JY, Kwon HH, Min SU, Thiboutot DM, Suh DH. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate improves acne in humans by modulating intracellular molecular targets and inhibiting P. acnes. J Invest Dermatol. 2013;133(2):429-440.