DIY Beauty: 5 ways to use green tea on your face

Going by the comments and the activity on Viva Woman Facebook page on my post about 5 ways to drink your green tea last week, I’m probably not too far off saying that green tea is a favorite with many of you. That’s no surprise considering that green tea is such a wonderful and versatile ingredient. I’ve shared various DIY beauty recipes using green tea in the past and today, I’ll share them all once again, along with one new one.

Benefits of using green tea topically
Green tea by the way, has rich sources of antioxidant benefits and when applied topically, provides notable benefits for the skin such as anti-aging as well as skin cell rejuvenation. A study performed in 2003 by Dr. Stephen Hsu of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Oral Biology showed that green tea was able to rejuvenate old skin cells that were at the end of their life cycle. Green tea is also widely known to provide some form of sun damage protection by blocking UV rays and this is why it is used in some sunscreen formulations. So liking the benefits you’ve read about green tea? Then give these 5 DIY recipes a try!

1. Green tea sheet mask
If you like using sheet masks, this one is right up your alley! Here, I’ve got some compressed sheet masks from Muji and all I need is to soak one in a green tea mix. The green tea mix is really just green tea powder dissolved in distilled/mineral water. And all I did was to lay the soaked green tea sheet mask on my cleansed face for around 10 minutes. After that, pat in all the green tea left on my skin and then moisturize as per normal. Be prepared to smell like green tea for awhile!

2. Green tea facial toner & spritz
You can make a green tea facial toner and spritz by again, mixing some green tea powder with distilled water. It’s best to make this fresh on a daily basis but if you add one or two drops of essential oil with antimicrobial properties, you can keep it for a few days by storing it in the fridge. Because green tea provides some amount of sun protection, this is great to be used in the day under your sunscreen.

3. Green tea hydrating mask
Here’s one I mentioned last week that you can actually eat. So you can make a bit more and use it for your face! Yogurt is great for soothing, softening and hydrating the skin. You can add manuka honey to this mask too or add some oat flour to the mixture to clean out your pores.

4. Green tea wash off mask
If you don’t want to add anything or use a sheet mask, this one is the easiest! Just one teaspoon of the green tea powder and half a teaspoon of water is all you need for this facial mask. Make a smooth watery paste and you can use this as a mask over your cleansed face for about 10 mins. After that, rinse your face with warm water and moisturize as per normal.

5. Green tea rinse
Finally, I blogged about this recipe being used by Korean actress Kim Nam Joo to keep her pores clean and her skin looking clear and blemish free. What you need is to make green tea and chill it by keeping it in the fridge. 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. 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.

Amount of green tea to use
In terms of the quantity of green tea powder to use, you really have to figure it along the way. For most of these recipes, I used about one teaspoon but some, I use more. And if there is water in the recipe, you should be adding the water slowly to get the desired consistency. Obviously, a mask should be of a thicker consistency than a toner. The bottom line is to experiment and have fun doing so! (#k8SjZc9Dxko#k8SjZc9Dxk)

Comments

  1. xin says:

    i love love green tea! i used to make green tea toner then i got lazy in the end. i should probably try out the green tea sheet mask ?
    xin last post is: June Comes Early – Hello June (#539) from Chanel

  2. Angel says:

    I always love way to use green tea~!

  3. sesame says:

    Yeah, I remember you were using the green tea toner for awhile. Give the green tea sheet mask a try…at least you don’t have to make it so often. ?

  4. sesame says:

    That’s great…and using green tea powder is also very convenient for many of the recipes.

  5. EcoBeauty says:

    I like doing the green tea sheet mask and the one with yogurt. Sometimes, I use green tea to steam my face, too.

    (BTW, are you using a new compression setting for your photos?)

  6. Alice says:

    If you gals find it a hassle to prepare the mask on our own, the easiest and laziest way is just to apply manuka honey (straight from the bottle) on the face. Honey has antioxidant & antibacterial properties, and it helps make our face more supple too. ?

  7. sesame says:

    Wow, to steam? That’s a luxury! ?

    Oh what about the compression setting? Do you have issues viewing the images? I’ve been using the same program but I changed a new camera though.

  8. sesame says:

    Yeah, honey is nice but I was a bit shocked to learn that some doctors are suggesting that honey can clog pores. I find that a bit hard to believe.

  9. Alice says:

    No one ever told me that and I pick up this habit from an article which I cant remember where I read it from. I apply manuka honey on my face once every 2 days or at least 3 times a day. Maybe, the docs are referring to normal honey.

  10. Bee says:

    Wow, I like the idea with the green tea sheet mask!
    But I have never seen any green tea powder around my place… can you just make “normal” green tea and let the sheets soak in? And where can I buy the compressed sheets for the mask?

  11. sesame says:

    If you use normal green tea with the sheet mask, you’ll need to use very little hot water to steep so that the mix is concentrated. The compressed sheet masks are from Muji. Might have seen them at Sasa…

  12. sesame says:

    I’ve used both types of honey without problems. Of course manuka is better. ?

  13. Swati says:

    I do make the green tea spritz!!! and, sometimes, pour it in my bath.
    Swati last post is: 10% Discount for Perfect Skin Care for you’s fans @ NaturalMantra.com

  14. sesame says:

    Into your bath? Wow wow…that’s quite a luxe cos you’ll need quite a lot of green tea.

  15. Carrie says:

    This is absolutely fantastic!! I don’t have green tea powder anymore but certainly tons of green tea bags! ? I am just curious how often can we use this green tea rinse on our face??

  16. sesame says:

    You can rinse with it daily!

  17. Swati says:

    nah…I put only a mug full of green tea so you can say around 2-3 table spoons steeped in water.
    Swati last post is: Auravedic Pomegranate Grapeseed Face Polish {Product Review}

  18. sesame says:

    I see…but the idea of having green tea scented bath is very nice!

  19. Sharon C Bishop says:

    I am looking for powdered Green Tea. can’t find it in Oklahoma. Also it has to be absolutely natural. Need it for Tea Ceremony and ofcourse face mask and in the skin care line. I am also looking for MOA International Brand.
    I belong to the Organization. But living in Edmond Oklahoma. Can you do a research for me please? Thanks. I like the info on the recipes on the Green Tea.

  20. sesame says:

    I’m not sure I can find it but have you tried searching online? Or you might find it being sold in Japanese stores or Chinatown even.

  21. ryong says:

    Can i use Matcha powdered green tea instead of powdered green tea for toner and cold rinse? Thanks~

  22. Sesame says:

    Yes but make sure it does not include sugar.

  23. soiia says:

    It has always bothered me and made me curious; can I use white tea instead of green tea? I know that it comes from the same tea leaf, but it’s the processing that’s different. Do you think the end result on my skin would be alike?

  24. Sesame says:

    I haven’t tried using white tea but I think it is good because some of my fave skin care products using a combi of white and green tea.

  25. Bean says:

    Hi! ? a new reader here, I’ve raided several japanese shops and they don’t have the type of green tea powder you’ve there. Where and how much was your green tea?? I love the smell of green tea! But I’m not that willing to spend like $20 on a bottle of green tea…

  26. Sesame says:

    Are you based in Singapore? You can find it in Cold Storage as well as Finest. It was S$13+.

  27. Belle says:

    I absolutely LOVE this blog, I”ve been making a facial toner out of Gyokuro Imperial Green Tea leaves and filtered water. I don’t keep it in the fridge, just my bathroom in a plastic ( eco friendly!) bottle…..would this still work?

  28. Sesame says:

    It’s not advisable to keep in the bathroom cos the humidity can cause bacterial growth in the water. I’ll rather recommend you make it daily or you keep in the fridge for a few days.

  29. Sequilia Stevens says:

    WERE DO YOU GET THE POWDER GREEN TEA?

  30. Sesame says:

    I’m based in Singapore and I get it from our supermarket here.

  31. Thelma says:

    Hi..I make the organic Green tea for a toner but was wondering how long it would last in the refridgerator?

  32. Sesame says:

    Three days max.

  33. Cher cadelinea says:

    I only have green tea in bags could I still use it in all the above mentioned recipes ??

  34. Sesame says:

    You can for some of them. Best with matcha green tea though.

  35. Dagmar says:

    i make green tea toner with a drop of vinegar and i store it in the fridge.

  36. Ashleigh says:

    How do u find the quality of MUJI’s face mask?

  37. Sesame says:

    You mean the mask sheet? I find it quite good. It’s thick and doesn’t tear easily. It’s also very absorbent.

  38. ho zi long canberra says:

    read this, made a green tea mask from powder.

    the mask left green tea clogged in my big pores

    sian

  39. Sesame says:

    Can’t see why it’ll clog. Did you wash it off properly? You’re not supposed to just leave on or wipe off. Another tips is to use a cotton pad or soft face towel to wash off.

  40. Keurin Meow says:

    Hello:D I love green tea and thanks for sharing this:D I can’t believe green tea can do such wonders on your face too.Can I just put the green tea mask without the facial sheet mask?since there’s none in my place:))) Can this mask also give me a porcelain skin?:))))) And what can I substitute for the compressed facial mask sheet?thamkyouu

  41. Sesame says:

    You can dip cotton pads and squeeze them dry but still damp and leave it on. So you’ll need a few sheets (get those that allows you to tear into thinner sheets). Check out this tutorial here: https://www.vivawoman.net/2009/08/diy-lotion-mask-demo-by-chizu-saeki/. But don’t expect porcelain skin immediately…it’ll take time. Also consider your other skin care routine like cleansing and moisturizing.

  42. Eunice says:

    Hi there can you please let me know how long I have to leave the honey?

  43. Sesame says:

    If you’re using honey for the first time, try 10 mins first then leave on for longer up to 20 mins before washing off.

  44. Stargirl says:

    Hi. I really love your blog and how you reply to every comments. Thank you for the lovely post. I just wanna ask if I can use matcha DIY wash off face mask everyday or not. Thank you..

  45. Sesame says:

    You can but you may want to moderate to 3x a week after some time.

  46. Chia says:

    Hi Sesame! First of all, this was a great blog! Now, I just wanted to ask why can’t we use the green tea matcha powder with sugar? I only ask because I can’t find the unsweetened version. Thank you!

  47. Sesame says:

    Usually the sweetened version might include additives. But if you can fine one that is just matcha and sugar, I think it’s fine but you probably only want to use it as a mask cos you need to wash off. Leaving sugar on the face might attract unwanted insects…LOL.

  48. Jessica says:

    I love green tea. I recently started using green tea for skin care like facial mist.
    Jessica last post is: Cream Products for the Cheeks ~ Current Obsession ~

Leave a Reply