Everything You Need To Know About Using Green Tea For Acne (2024)

• Benefits Of Green Tea For Oily Skin
• How Green Tea Works For Acne
• How To Use Green Tea For Acne
• Precautions Before Using Green Tea For Acne

Benefits Of Green Tea For Oily Skin

More often than not, acne is accompanied by oily skin. Acne is caused when sebum clogs the skin’s follicles, and oily skin goes hand in hand with excessive sebum production. Green tea benefits oily skin simply by reducing the sebum production in the skin when used topically, thanks to the polyphenols present in it. Additionally, it has anti-inflammatory properties and antibacterial properties that make it extremely suitable for getting rid of oily skin. When there's a lack of sebum production, there's clear evidence that indicates that there will be less accompanying acne and pimples as well.

Needless to say, green tea sounds promising for both acne and oily skin. But if you're wondering how green tea for acne actually works, we're breaking it down for you.

How Green Tea Works For Acne

01. It Neutralises Free Radicals

Green tea contains catechins, which are plant-based compounds that have antioxidant properties. The catechins attack the free radicals that may be present on the face and neutralise them, which manages to prevent cell damage and reduce acne-formation on the face.

02. It Controls Oil Production

Green tea is extremely beneficial for oily skin since it controls the sebum production effectively, thanks to the polyphenols present in it. Additionally, it's also rich in epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, a type of polyphenol that breaks the cycle of pores getting clogged, which is often the main cause for hormonal acne.

03. It Reduces Inflammation

While having acne might induce skin inflammation and redness, we're happy to report that green tea is actually an anti-inflammatory ingredient, thanks to the catechin compounds present in it. Whether you consume it or apply it topically, you can inhibit all signs of skin inflammation, which in the future, can reduce the chances of developing acne scars too.

04. It Gives The Body A Detox

Your skin often reflects the inner-state of your body, so if your skin is constantly breaking out with all types of acne, your body may be in dire need of a detox. Luckily, green tea is all about giving your system the detox, since it gets rid of the toxins that may be causing trouble from within, giving your metabolism a boost, and cleansing your body on the inside.

05. It Reduces Acne-Causing Bacteria

A few studies have shown that EGCG (that very-complicated-sounding polyphenol we mentioned earlier) can inhibit the growth of the P.acnes bacteria, which is responsible for causing acne. This makes it an effective ingredient in reducing acne and all forms of potential damage in the future.

How To Use Green Tea For Acne

Now that we've covered how green tea works for acne, let's turn to how to actually use it. Using green tea for acne isn't just incredibly effective; it's incredibly versatile too, since there are multiple ways — both at-home and store-bought remedies —that you can turn to, to use green tea for acne. Here they are.

01. As A Mask

If you're okay with taking out around half an hour to treat your skin to some natural skincare, a green tea mask can be extremely effective. Here's how you can make a green tea mask for your acne:

Step 01: If your green tea comes in teabags, take a couple of teabags and remove the leaves from it. If you're a fan of loose-leaf tea, a few tablespoons of it should be enough.

Step 02: Fill up a bowl with a little bit of warm water — just enough for the leaves — and submerge your leaves into it to steep the green tea.
Step 03: Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and add it to the bowl. Let your leaves brew in this mixture for a while, and then apply it onto the acne-prone areas of your face.

Step 04: Leave the mask on for 15-20 minutes, and rinse once you're done. Use this mask a couple of times a week for best results.

Pro-tip: Never mix your green tea with harsh ingredients like baking soda or lemon! These ingredients are irritants that can not only aggravate your acne, but they also strip the skin of its natural oils and can actually make the oiliness and acne worse.

02. As A Face Mist

This one's super convenient! A green tea face mist can be extremely soothing and calming for acne-filled skin, and the best part? You can spritz it on your face all through the day, to ensure that no free radicals can disturb your skin's health. Here's what you need to do:

Step 01: Prepare green tea as you would for consumption, and then cool it in the refrigerator once done.

Step 02: Once the tea is cooled, transfer it into a spray bottle, and spritz it onto clean skin. You can let this sit on your face for 15-20 minutes, or leave it on since it will penetrate into your skin better that way.

Step 03: While you should preferably keep the solution chilled, you can also carry it with you all through the day for a midday pick-me-up to keep your skin fresh and the baddies away.

Pro-tip: You can also use this facial mist as a toner! Incorporate it into your CTM routine by using cotton pads to apply it onto your skin, and it'll work just as effectively, if not more.

03. Mixed With Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a natural astringent, making it a fantastic ingredient for oily and acne prone skin. Additionally, its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties make it a total win for getting rid of acne. Combined with green tea, these two make an unstoppable duo! Here's how you can make an aloe vera and green tea mask for acne:

Step 01: Take a cup full of green tea leaves (you can always store some for later), and pour it into a mixer. Blend until the leaves have been reduced to a powder-like consistency.

Step 02: Add a little bit of this powder to a bowl, and combine it with aloe vera gel. You can also add a little bit of cooling rose water, or pimple-reducing apple cider vinegar to this mixture, depending on what your skin needs.

Step 03: Apply the mixture onto your face as you would any face pack, and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. And that's all you need!

04. Store-Bought Products

A bunch of products exist that contain green tea as the hero ingredient, ranging from facial moisturisers to toners to face masks. If going the DIY route is a little too much for you, you can always buy acne products with green tea over the counter! Just make sure that the products have a large percentage of EGCG, since that will ensure you get the desired effect from them.

05. Consume It

As mentioned before, the skin is a reflection on the inner body, so if your acne is pervasive and seemingly unending, an internal detox with green tea may help. You can drink a couple of cups of green tea — caffeinated or decaf, hot or cold — to flush out the toxins from your body, and if all goes well, clear skin shall follow. Alternatively, green tea supplements also exist that may be able to help.

Precautions Before Using Green Tea For Acne

Unless you have severe allergies to green tea, green tea is generally safe to use for acne-prone skin. However, there are a few precautions you can take before using it. Here's what you need to keep in mind:

01. Always Use It On Clean Skin

If your face has a barrier of grease, grime, dirt, or even makeup products, it seems unlikely that topically-used green tea will have any effect on your acne. Always make sure that you use green tea for acne on completely cleansed skin, so all its good compounds can penetrate the skin properly.

02. Don't Over-Consume It

Overconsumption of green tea can occur purely in the form of supplements; so, if you're taking green tea supplements for your acne, always consult a medical professional to figure out the right dosage for you! Consuming more than 800mg of green tea catechins everyday could adversely affect the liver, and we don't want that!

03. Space Out Your Use-Time

Especially if you have acne on dry or sensitive skin! Overusing green tea topically can dry out your skin if you're not careful, so always proceed with a little bit of caution, especially when you're only using just-green-tea mixtures like a green tea mask.