DIY Beauty: green tea facial wash & toner
Thursday, 12 March 2009
I received an email from a reader Junita Ali this week who kindly shared a few DIY recipes that are being used by the Korean celebrities. Junita, who is a huge K-entertainment fan told me she obtained the recipes which were translated and posted at the beauty and fashion section of the Soompi Forum. I was particularly interested in the recipe of using green tea used by Kim Nam Joo because green tea is something I’ve wanted to try for awhile but I wanted something really easy. And this recipe cannot get any easier!
Green tea by the way, has rich sources of antioxidant benefits and is great for anti-aging. In fact, it is widely known that green tea provides some form of sun damage protection by blocking UV rays and this is why it is used in some sunscreen formulations.
Using green tea to clean out pores
The Korean actress uses the beverage to wash her face, keeping her pores clean and her skin looking clear and blemish free. Nothing messy or complicated and it’s just a three-step process:
1) Make green tea and chill it by keeping it in the fridge.
2) Before using the green tea, wash your face clean and steam or drape a hot face towel over your face to open up the pores.
3) Finally use the cold green tea to rinse your face again.
You can make the green tea with the green tea bags but if you’re using powdered green tea, then the directions is to put 2 cups of water for every 1 teaspoon of green tea powder.
Use as a facial toner and spritz
I drink a very normal brand of green tea obtained from the supermarket and what I did was to put two bags into a bowl so that I can make sufficient tea to wash my face. I haven’t tried it yet but as I’m typing this, the green tea is being cooled and I’ll wash my face with it later. I will also decant some of the cold green tea water in a little bottle to use as a facial toner. I am thinking it will make a nice facial spritz too!
Anyone game for this?
Update
The facial wash is very refreshing! I’ve prepared another portion for this evening too. And one tea bag is sufficient!
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Posted in Homemade/DIY | 46 Comments »
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March 12th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
Thanks for the info Sesame! =)
Gonna try this soon…
Dee: Hope you’ll like it!
March 12th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Can try! Interesting.I am going to use green tea powder to make.
Florence: I think powder would be great. I’m going to grab myself some. Or maybe I try the cosmetic grade.
March 12th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
I’ve tried it as a toner & spritz before! I didn’t really notice much but its quite refreshing.
I also used my old body shop perfume spray bottle so there was quite a yummy scent as well (:
Sharon: I’m thinking the steaming and using it afterwards might contribute a bit more to clearing out the impurities…
March 12th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Hey Sesame, I use Green tea in my facial mask recipes and I used to use it as toner sometime back but I have stopped uisng toner these days, I feel fine without toner:) And it helps lighten those dark circles too.
Leon: I love toning…something I can’t really do without. Btw, do you mean the grean tea helps with dark circles?
March 12th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
hi!i have that same brand of green tea too…so how many cups of water should i put?
Angeline: Ah…I just poured into into a bowl. Probably about a half and a half. The bowl was enough to wash my face.
March 12th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Great! I love drinking green tea. Will try it out! Yay!
Natalie: It’s nice but I realized that because it involves steaming, this is probably good to use once or at most twice a week.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
what a simple and easy way!!
Akiki: Yeah, quite easy. Very refreshing too!
March 13th, 2009 at 8:35 am
heh i usually use green tea bags for my eyes too! helps a little!
i’d feel so guilty about “wasting” precious green tea bags though!
Elleve: I tried tea bags but usually what I do is recycle them after making tea.
March 13th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Great one! Going to try it out soon!
Cyndi: Have fun!
March 13th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
lol. i will definitely try this out since it really can’t get any easier. btw, as for the use as facial mist, we have to replace new one everyday? or how many days can the mist last? as it it wont turn bad?
prettybeautiful: No, it won’t. Keep it in the fridge. Somebody says can keep for 3 weeks. I think 2 weeks might be about okay. The fresher the better. Anyway, it’s so easy to make!
* Hey, another reader Sherry mentioned that it will get moldy fast. So something to note.
March 13th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Yes Sesame, Green Tea helps lighten dark circles and reduce puffy eyes. If you are using it to reduce puffiness keep the brewed green tea in the fridge for sometime because cold tea tends to work better.
Leon: Ah I see. I’ve got the green tea chilled and using it for toning too.
March 14th, 2009 at 2:00 am
OH what a great idea. I use the Evian face mister now to refresh while I sit behind my desk all day for work. I think the green tea in a small spray bottle sounds like even a better idea, since you’re getting antioxidants from it.
I’ve put green tea bags in my bath before, but never used it as a face rinse. I will try this! Thank you for all your useful information.
JJ: You’re welcome!
March 14th, 2009 at 7:47 am
For the past couple of years, I have been brewing a cup of green tea every morning, keeping it in a small spray bottle in the fridge, and using it as a spritz-toner throughout the day. It’s a life-saver in the summertime as it’s very refreshing! It must be used up quickly, tho, as it will mold after a couple of days—best to make it fresh daily.
Sherry: It will get moldy even with boiling water used? Oh no…I’ve kept mine in the fridge for a couple of days now. It seems okay to use still but you’re right, best to make it fresh especially since it’s so easy to make!
March 27th, 2009 at 10:28 am
hi, so after using the green tea to rinse, do we need to rinse with water again?
Crystal: No need to rinse with water. The green tea is the last rinse and just towel dry your face.
March 28th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Wow, I love how the cold green tea feels on my skin. Its cooling (duh cos I took it out of fridge) and I enjoyed washing my face with it. Hehe.
I’m thinking of trying out Green Tea + honey+ Aspirin mask next!
But I wonder if I should include just the tea in the DIY mask or add in the leaves as well. Hmmm… What do you think?
slydreamerr: I haven’t tried with the leaves but I imagine if they don’t drop off, then it should be fine. I don’t know if the honey can hold up the leaves on the face. But the green tea rinse is definitely great!
March 29th, 2009 at 1:03 am
Hehe I just tried the green tea leaves + aspirin mask. It turned out a little watery and so I added a little honey into it. Turned out tht honey didn’t help to hold the leaves at all. I’ve the same brand of green tea as you at home and so I just cut up the teabag after making a bowl of green tea for washing & toning, and used it in my mask. I also added Vitamin E oil by cutting up the gel formed capsules. Turned out that, even though the Vit E oil was a bit sticky, after 15 minutes of masking, it kinda made my skin glow…. Luckily I didn’t break out from Vit E oil! (:
slydreamerr: Hey your concoction is interesting! You’re very adventurous! I’m also using vit E oil now, from gel capsules. But not as a mask but rather to help rid of scars. Slow though.
March 29th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Hehe yeah. I love to try out new methods for DIY Mask and luckily this time round I didn’t break out from it. I didn’t even moisturize my face after that because I felt Vit E oil was enough for the night already
Yeah, vitamin E oil is rather slow. Need preservance to remove scars, oh well.
slydreamerr: I know…it’s fun to go DIY. I like experimenting with new recipes too and coming up with slight variations to some of them.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Wow, i love green tea so much and would like to try this methods soon. Thank you for sharing
cheetz: Hope you’ll have fun using this!
April 9th, 2009 at 11:46 am
btw, i have another Q. if i make the facial mist already, of coz i have to carry around with me right? is it ok to keep in bottle for like 2 days without refrigerating it? coz i make new one evryday
prettybeautiful: The weather is hot so carrying around for two days without refrigeration may not be that adviceable. Since you’re using on your face, I’ll tell you not to risk it. One way is to add some natural preservative like a few drops of essential oils as they act as natural preservative. If not, make fresh one everyday.
April 15th, 2009 at 1:19 am
Hi,
I would like to know after the green tea rinse on our face do we apply moisturizer or we need water to rinse out the green tea?
cyu143: You don’t have to rinse with water anymore. The green tea is the final rinse and after that, you can moisturize as per normal.
May 6th, 2009 at 6:30 am
Here’s a slightly different recipe for green tea facial toner:
Simple green tea facial toner
Ingredients
* 2 teaspoons of powdered green tea
* 1/2 of boiling water
Preparation
* Steep green tea in boiling water for 10 minutes
* Let it cool and apply it on the face with cotton balls (gauze)
Daily use of this facial toner is recommended.
Enjoy
Oh thanks for sharing this recipe!
May 12th, 2009 at 1:35 am
So, have you seen any results since you’ve been using the green tea?
Sarah: I don’t use this often enough to see results…
June 16th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Hi. I have been using green tea as a toner of sort now for about two weeks where I brew jasmine green tea (Bigelow brand from the grocery store in fact) and then let it cool earlier in the week while I am in the shower. After washing my face I grab the g.tea out of the refrigerator (which I placed in a small mug) and dig a cotton ball in it and rub it all over my face.
I will say that I noticed a difference immeddiately. My fast is SO soft and as of lately I am really noticing my blemishes clear up. I should add that I am AFAM and for this to be noticeable so soon is quite remarkable.
Hope it works for others
K
sesame Reply:
June 16th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Oh that’s wonderful! I’m glad it’s working so well for you!
June 18th, 2009 at 12:47 am
so happy I came to read this post, I drank Japanese Green Tea ( in tea bag ) type. And this DIY recipe is so interesting and even better is… it is so easy to prepare. I’ll try it this weekend. And will buy myself a spray bottle to get myself DIY toner. Thank you for sharing this great tips.
sesame Reply:
June 18th, 2009 at 10:52 am
You’re welcome! Hope it’ll work great for you.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
A bit of witch hazel in the green tea mist will also help to preserve it (adds a small amount of alcohol, but it is very diluted, it doesn’t take much). I also make sure I use purified or distilled water to make the tea. And I make sure to use a very good quality green tea–some of them are brownish. The better green teas are truly green. I’ve also switched to using the organic.
sesame Reply:
June 30th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Hey Janice: Thanks for the inputs! These are great tips. I recently learnt that a good quality green tea have have a rich green color. Some of the brownish tone could mean that the tea have oxidised. I’m starting to take matcha green tea and loves it!
July 21st, 2009 at 9:04 am
Hey girls
I have been making my own green tea face mist for a while now. I use OSK Japanese Green Tea (2 bags), let steep till it cools. Then I add 3 drops of Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel + 2 drops of Colonia Dames Vitamin E oil (as preservative), shake it up in a spray bottle. I apply it twice daily, after toning, before moisturizing. My skin has never looked and felt better! 
sesame Reply:
July 21st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
That’s wonderful. The vitamin E is a good idea to act as a preservative!
July 26th, 2009 at 10:24 am
I am wondering which essential oils can be used as preservative???
sesame Reply:
July 26th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Most of them can be used. They are not so strong so usually used in combination. Vitamin E is quite good too as a natural preservative.
August 23rd, 2009 at 12:25 am
This sounds like a great idea. I want to try this. Which green tea should I use?
October 9th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
I tried rubbing green tea bags on my face before and it felt really refreshing. Can the green tea toner keep for 2 weeks outside? or must it be in the fridge?
sesame Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
You should keep it in the fridge but if you don’t add any natural preservative like vit E or essential oils, it’s better to discard after 3 days.
October 17th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Hi, It also work well with oily skin. very refreshing. =)
However, better not use tea bags (for drinking or washing). they have found some content in tea bag to be carcinogenic.
sesame Reply:
October 17th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Oh…the tea bag? Oh dear…I use quite a bit of tea bags for drinking.
November 12th, 2009 at 2:38 am
Hi, i have also tried it and i have a question,
I bought tea but its not powdered and not bags, its leaves.
Is it better to make that toner with cool water? And how much teaspoon do i have to use and how much water ?
sesame Reply:
November 12th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Just make like you would with a normal cup of tea – two teaspoons of leaves and with hot water. Sift away the leaves and you can use the toner when it’s cool.
December 11th, 2009 at 8:16 am
uhm wer can i buy green tea ? can u help me plz…
December 11th, 2009 at 8:17 am
uhm wer can i buy green tea ? can u help me plzz…
December 19th, 2009 at 7:11 am
Rachelle; you can get green tea from most supermarkets.
Question: If I don’t put preservatives in my green tea will it last for 2 weeks in the fridge or does it only last 2 weeks if you add the preservatives? <- Sorry for how I worded that question.
I add fresh lemon juice (to help brighten complexion & to treat pimples) and olive oil (as it is high in vitamins E & A) and mix it up with the green tea cleanser.
sesame Reply:
December 19th, 2009 at 9:34 am
I haven’t tried but I think it’s not going to last. I got contradicting info initially cos some said yes, some said only 3 days. However, it’s really better to add preservative (like vita E) if you want to keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:09 am
Thank you ^^
December 25th, 2009 at 2:57 am
Is it okay to not put the green tea toner in the fridge? And how much water and green tea bags do you need?
sesame Reply:
December 27th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Yes, you can keep it in the fridge. I think a small bowl of water would be good with a bag. You don’t want the toner too greenish too.