How to Execute Your Green Tea Routine

You can use green tea topically for acne, oily skin, normal skin, and even sensitive skin. Sure - our green tea moisturizer is great for even dry skin types, too. However it’s best to focus on the key ingredients of green tea and EGCG, and where they can have the most impact, and on which skin type.

Green tea has a different impact on each skin type. For acne-prone skin, green tea uses its catechins (a type of phenol and antioxidant) to kill bacteria which can cause acne. Green tea also offers both anti-inflammatory and skin-lightening effects for both active breakouts and traces of scarring from old breakouts. For both oily-prone and sensitive skin, the caffeine in green tea acts as a vasoconstrictor. This benefits oily skin by temporarily tightening pores and reducing oil output onto your skin, while helping to constrict blood vessels that cause excessive redness in sensitive skin types.

Start your routine by washing your face with a cleanser suited for your skin type. Since our green tea products are best suited for oily, acne prone, and sensitive skin (and of course normal skin, too), we’re highlighting matching cleansers that can fit into a green tea routine.

For acne-prone skin, start with the soothing and purifying Tea Tree & Willow Cleanser. This anti-inflammatory formula helps to soothe puffiness and redness located caused by breakouts. To reduce inflammation, we’ve included willow bark, witch hazel, and tea tree in this invigorating face wash.

For oily skin, kick off your green tea EGCG routine with another free radical fighting formula: the Charcoal Clay Cleanser. Much like the polyphenols and antioxidants in green tea, this cleanser is packed with free radical-neutralizing power. Sebum balancing charcoal and clay help to absorb excess oil, while astringent lemon water tightens pores to lessen the amount of sebum secreted onto skin’s surface.

Argan Oil Creamy Cleanser should kick off your routine if you’ve got sensitive skin. Argan oil is silky and nourishing, but won’t clog or irritated skin sensitivities. To use your cleanser of choice, pour a half dollar-sized amount of cleanser onto facial sponge or hands. Apply to wet face and neck, then gently and thoroughly massage in circular motions for at least 30 seconds. Finish by rinsing with warm water.

Before using products with green tea for acne, you should prime your skin with a hydrating toner, which will help your pores absorb and accept nutrients from the rest of your routine. Those with acne should opt for our purifying and anti-inflammatory Tea Tree & Willow Clarifying Astringent. OIly skin types should opt for a balancing toner with light oil regulators like lemon and kojic acid. Our Fermented Rice Toner does the trick here, while boasting anti-aging and spot lightening abilities, which benefits those with dark spots, large areas of hyperpigmentation, or dull skin.

Sensitive skin types should opt for a toner that gently nourishes their skin with trace minerals, and restores soothing hydration. Our Sea Culture Hydrating Toner does just that, while using hyaluronic acid and organic glycerin to deeply penetrate and soothe red, inflamed skin. After cleansing or exfoliating, pump your toner of choice onto a cotton pad. Gently sweep onto face and neck.

Next in our supporting green tea lineup is the masking step. Using a mask over your toner will not only double down on hydration, but will also deliver a longer application of nutrients into your skin. Those with cystic acne or more inflammation would benefit from a specific anti-acne mask formula, to reduce acne related redness and swelling; ours is made with seaweed, herbs, and plant ceramides to soothe and calm.

Acne-prone, normal, oily, and combo skin can all benefit from our Green Tea Water Bomb mask. This mask was recently praised on Greatist by contributor Jess Novak, who wore this mask right before going out one night. “I loved the effects so much I didn’t even wear foundation”, she said. This mask is made from 95% aloe water, and 5% plant cellulose - you’d be hard-pressed to find a more water-quenching mask for thirsty skin cells. It’s infused with anti-inflammatory green tea concentrate, hyaluronic acid, and chamomile, too! Depending on your skin sensitivity level, it’s best to patch test first if you have sensitive skin. You can always opt for a Bright Eyes Mask instead, to avoid similar hydrating, cooling benefits on your eye area - without an all-over application.

To use, gently remove mask from package, holding by the outer edges. Lying back slightly, drape mask over face while aligning with eye, nose, and mouth holes.

Leave on for 10-15 minutes, or longer if desired. Mask will start to shrivel as nutrients and water content leave the mask and are absorbed into skin. Discard mask after single use, and do not rinse skin. With clean fingertips, apply any excess solution from mask tray to face, neck, and decollete in a gentle massaging motion.