DIY Matcha Green Tea Face Mask for Healthy Skin (Plus Benefits)

Did you know one cup of matcha green tea has 137x the antioxidants as 10 cups of loose-leaf tea?

Or that matcha green tea contains over 6x the amount of antioxidants compared to goji berries, and almost 17x the amount of antioxidants of blueberries?!

So what’s all this buzz about “antioxidants” and what does it have to do with skin care?

 

 Antioxidants for Skin Health - Why Do They Matter?

Chances are, you’ve heard how important antioxidants are for our health. They protect our cells from free radicals, which are known for having a role in diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s... just to name a few. And, they seem to be the culprit behind the most common skin concerns like premature aging, dryness, age spots, reduced collagen and elastin. Free radicals are unstable molecules that scavenge around looking for electrons to link up with. “This process of scavenging is what causes all sorts of DNA, cell, and protein damage,” says Mark Gray, MD, a New Zealand-based dermatologist. “The skin’s particularly susceptible to it.”

 

  “Basically, I think of free radicals as waste products from various chemical reactions in the cell that when built up, harm the cells of the body.”
~ Dr. Lauri Wright

 

The great news is, damage from free radicals is something we can protect ourselves from (and possibly even reverse damage that has already happened!). There’s tons of info out there showing how antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and protect us (and our skin) from the damage they cause. The basic way we understand how this works: Antioxidants are molecules that give free radicals the electrons they are scavenging for, which stops the free radical from taking an electron from another healthy cell. And the antioxidant doesn’t lose its charge by sharing.

 So where do we find these super generous, extra-stable little miracle-worker

 

 The best place to look: Nature (of course!)

 

Some of the most commonly known antioxidants we hear about are vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lutein, selenium. If you’ve heard of flavonoids, catechins, polyphenols… these are all antioxidants that can be found in the foods we eat.

In fact, foods with an over-abundance of antioxidants are called Superfoods.

And, this is why we feel so strongly about buying Organic whenever possible. Many insecticides and fertilizers used in regular farming are producing some of the free radicals in our bodies that we’re trying to avoid.

 

So what are the best Superfoods for our skin health?

 

Well… there are tons of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, plants, and herbs to choose from, but our FAVORITE superfood is Organic MATCHA.

 

The Many Benefits of Matcha for Skin Health

Matcha is a type of tea made by grinding up tea leaves into a bright green powder. It’s different from brewed green tea, where the leaves are steeped in hot water then removed. Matcha powder is mixed with water and ingested with the drink rather than removed. The finest matcha comes from Japan and has been part of traditional Japanese tea ceremonies for centuries.

 

Ok, so it’s a green tea… but what’s all the rave about?

 

Well, back to the antioxidants… tea is a great source of antioxidants, but matcha is far beyond a Superfood when compared to other teas on the market (and when compared to most other Superfoods… it’s THE superfood of Superfoods!).

 

Matcha contains an abundance of potent antioxidants. The ones we LOVE when it comes to our skin: Polyphenols, especially the catechin called EGCG.

 

Polyphenols are some of the strongest antioxidants out there. Research shows they help reduce inflammation, protect the skin from sun damage, strengthen the immune system, and help prevent cancer. EGCG isa powerful polyphenol found in matcha, that, when applied topically, improves skin hydration, retains moisture, reduces fine lines and wrinkles, and reduces pigmentation.

 

It’s no wonder we’re seeing matcha show up in some of our favorite skin care products. If you don’t have antioxidant-rich products as an essential part of your skin care routine (and your diet), hopefully we’ve convinced you to make it a priority!

 

Oh… and don’t forget the Organic part ;)

 

Who Can Benefit from a Matcha Face Mask?

 Here’s the best part: you don’t have to scrounge around searching for the perfect matcha-infused skin care products in order to add this superpowder to your skin care regimen. By adding matcha as a staple to your pantry, you can have it readily available to blend in with some of your favorite at-home skin treatments.

 

Whether you’re wanting to calm irritated skin, revitalize dull-looking texture, add an extra boost of moisture, detoxify your pores, or treat an unexpected breakout, adding one of these pure and nourishing face masks to your weekly routine will give you radiant, glowing skin in no-time (and at a fraction of the cost of a pricey spa treatment).

 

1) To reduce acne & cleanse pores: Matcha + Bentonite Clay Mask

Bentonite clay is known for its powerful absorbing properties. It helps remove impurities and has a calming effect on inflamed breakouts. A bentonite clay mask mixed with apple cider vinegar has become a well-known at-home treatment for those with acne-prone skin. And if you look at the ingredients of your favorite store-bought at-home clay masks, you will most likely see bentonite clay listed as a top ingredient.

Create this recipe with our high quality matcha for the everyday price:

• Matcha Bloom Purity Powder
• Matcha Go-To Sticks

For the Bentonite clay powder, we recommend these brands:

• Essential Living
• Aztec Secret Healing Indian Clay

 

2) For an anti-aging boost: Matcha + Pumpkin Enzyme Mask

Pumpkin is another antioxidant-rich skin care go-to. Pumpkin is full of nutrients that add to the benefits of matcha when blended and applied to the skin. Pumpkin contains a healthy dose of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), which give this mask extra anti-aging benefits by exfoliating, removing dead skin cells, promoting collagen production, evening out skin tone, and reducing fine lines & wrinkles.

Create this recipe with our high quality matcha for the everyday price:

• Matcha Bloom Purity Powder
• Matcha Go-To Sticks

 

3) For a calming & anti-inflammatory treatment: Matcha + Oats + Milk Mask

Colloidal oatmeal contains unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory plant chemicals called avenanthramides. It’s commonly used to treat skin conditions like eczema, sun burns, rashes, and it’s even used to sooth chickenpox (have you ever heard of an oatmeal bath?).

Create this recipe with our high quality matcha for the everyday price:

• Matcha Bloom Purity Powder
• Matcha Go-To Sticks

Bloom Inside and Out.

Our slogan says it all. As much as organic matcha has the nature-given power to provide us the nourishment for the inside of our bodies, the power also resides in our outer beauty as well. The versatility of matcha is endless, and we hope you fall in love with these at-home mask recipes, to help simplify your skin-care ritual. 

 

• Szalay, Jessie. “What Are Free Radicals?” LiveScience, Purch, 27 May 2016, www.livescience.com/54901-free-radicals.html.
• Lapidos, Rachel Lapidos. “Protect Skin from Pollution Free-Radical Damage.” Well+Good, 20 Feb. 2018, www.wellandgood.com/free-radical-damage-pollution-skincare/.
• PURE, 100%. “5 Common Skin Concerns.” 100% PURE, 100% PURE, 26 Nov. 2018, www.100percentpure.com/blogs/feed/5-common-skin-concerns.
• Ware, Megan. “Antioxidants: Health Benefits and Nutritional Information.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 28 May 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/301506.
• Jakubczyk, Karolina, et al. “Antioxidant Properties and Nutritional Composition of Matcha Green Tea.” Foods (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 9 Apr. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231151/.
• OyetakinWhite, Patricia, et al. “Protective Mechanisms of Green Tea Polyphenols in Skin.” Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 26 June 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3390139/.
• Kim, Eunji, et al. “Skin Protective Effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI, 6 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796122/.
• Bauso, Anne. “Should You Be Using This Weird Ingredient for Better Skin?” Allure, Allure, 21 Dec. 2015, www.allure.com/story/matcha-green-tea-skin-care.
• Wilson, Rose. “11 Benefits of Bentonite Clay: How to Use It and Side Effects.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 22 May 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325241.
• Cherney, Kristeen. “Everything You Need to Know About Using Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs).” Healthline, 7 Mar. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/alpha-hydroxy-acid.
• Wartenberg MFA, RD, LD, Lisa. “What Is Colloidal Oatmeal? Benefits, Uses, and Safety.” Healthline, 16 Mar. 2020, www.healthline.com/nutrition/colloidal-oatmeal.