Black Tea Beauty Tips
By Cait Johnson
Most of us know all about the health benefits and pleasures of drinking black tea. What you may not know is that tea is also a fabulous beauty aid.
When applied to skin, black tea’s strong antioxidants, along with vitamins E and C, fight the free radicals that can cause premature aging. And tea is also an astringent that will help with puffy eyes and blemishes as well as toning lips, perking up the complexion, highlighting hair and making your feet smell sweet. Its tannins are great at soothing sunburns.
Find out all the fascinating ways that black tea can help you to look and feel more beautiful, right here:
Quick fix for puffy eyes and dark circles
Make two cups of tea as usual, using two teabags. Place the used bags in the fridge. When needed, simply lie down and place one teabag over each eye. Allow to remain for 10 to 20 minutes.
Blemish control
Next time a blemish makes an unwelcome appearance, simply place a warm teabag on it for several minutes. Remove the bag, but don’t rinse off the tea.
Simplest astringent ever
Just splash your face with warm or cool black tea, and don’t rinse.
British witch astringent
Boil 1/4 cup water and add 2 teabags, steeping until cool. Remove the teabags, then add 1/4 cup witch hazel. Pour into a clean container and keep in refrigerator for up to 10 days. Soak a cotton pad with this astringent and apply to clean skin as often as needed.
Lip toner
Tea will help your lips retain moisture and appear smooth: just apply a warm teabag to clean lips for 5 minutes. Don’t rinse.
Sunburn relief compress or bath
Boil 2 cups of water, add 4 teabags and steep for one hour. Refrigerate until cool. Soak a clean cloth or cotton ball with the cool tea and apply to affected area, holding it in place for 15 minutes. Do not rinse. Repeat up to four times a day. Or, allow 5 or 6 teabags to steep in a tub of warm water. Soak in the tub for 10 to 15 minutes.
Bug bite zapper
To reduce the swelling and itching of many insect bites, just apply a cool used teabag to the affected area for several minutes.
Highlighting hair rinse
This rinse darkens hair while it adds shine and pretty highlights. Simply brew two cups of strong tea and use to rinse damp, shampooed hair.
Sweet feet
The tannins in tea help to fight odor-causing bacteria. Simply soak feet in strong tea for several minutes, then pat dry.
With all of these ideas, do be aware that very strong black tea can cause tan-like staining of skin. (In fact, if you want a tan without sun exposure, strong tea can give it to you!)
© Cait Johnson
