Using Green Tea to Treat, Prevent, or Cure Acne and Breakouts

Drinking Green Tea for Acne

Green tea is known for it's amazing health benefits.  There is a long list of reasons why you should be drinking green tea if you suffer from acne.  Green tea has natural antioxidants which helps promote healthy skin from the inside out.  It also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it excellent for soothing irritated and inflamed skin that can result from acne.  Additionally, it helps boost the immune system and balance hormones, which means that your body will be better prepared to fight off acne causing bacteria naturally.

In order to see benefits of drinking green tea, you should be drinking at least 3 cups a day (more if possible) before it will have any affect on your acne.  Some people suggest drinking up to 6 cups a day.  Keep in mind that green tea does contain caffeine, so you may want to opt for decaffeinated green tea if you are sensitive to caffeine.  Don't worry too much if you stick with regular green tea that does contain caffeine, it only contains a small amount (a cup of coffee contains much more caffeine than a cup of green tea.)  Also, if you need to sweeten your tea avoid sugar or artificial sweeteners.  Try using honey, it's amazing with green tea!  You can also mix it with other things like almond milk or coconut milk to make a nice creamy green tea drink that tastes delicious! 

Here's how I make my green tea:

Brew 1 cup of hot green tea (1-2 cups of water, depending on how strong you like it)

Take a clean jar (with a lid) and pour in about 1/2 cup of almond milk (I use an old spaghetti sauce jar)

Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until the almond milk becomes frothy

Mix the tea and almond milk together until well blended. Enjoy!

What I love about this recipe is that by shaking up the almond milk it seems more like a green tea latte instead of a boring cup of green tea.  I drink it this way every day.  Additionally, I brew big batches of green tea which I then store in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator.  During the summer months I simply mix the cold almond milk with the chilled green tea from the fridge for a nice cold beverage.  Keeping a pitcher of green tea in the fridge also makes it easier to drink green tea more often because I don't have to brew it each and every time.  I usually keep a pitcher for about a week, if it lasts that long.  Since I drink so much green tea I usually go through a pitcher every 3 days or so.  To brew a pitcher I simply take about 6 tea bags and place them into a pan of hot water that I've boiled.  Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes.  Fill the pitcher about 3/4 of the way full with cold water.  Once the green tea has cooled down, pour it into the pitcher mixing it with the water that is already in the pitcher.

Using Green Tea Topically for Acne

Green tea also has benefits when used topically.  As mentioned before, it has anti-inflammatory properties which will help calm the skin and reduce inflammation caused by acne.  Another great benefit is that green tea leaves (called Camellia sinensis) contain polyphenolic components with act against a wide spectrum of microbes, which means that green tea is antimicrobial making it effective in fighting acne causing bacteria and other microbes found on the skin that can lead to breakouts.  Green tea has also been said to help reduce acne scars, another excellent benefit for acne sufferers. 

Green Tea Toner Recipe

• 1/4 cup of fresh brewed organic green tea
• 1/4 cup of purified water
• Apply with a cotton ball morning and night
• Store toner in the refrigerator in a glass container for up to 2 weeks

Green Tea and Apple Cider Vinegar Toner (great for acne!)

• 1/4 cup of fresh brewed organic green tea
• 2 tablespoons organic ACV (with the mother)
• 1/4 cup of purified water
• Apply with a cotton ball morning and night (before moisturizing)
• Store in refrigerator in glass container for up to 2 weeks