Black tea is also commonly referred to as red tea in various East Asian languages. This type of tea is generally stronger in taste than other teas. Black tea is more oxidized than oolong, yellow, white and green teas.
Besides being beneficial for health, black tea also has many uses for the skin. This tea can fight skin infections, delay skin aging, and reduce eye bags.
Here are the benefits of black tea for the skin:
1. Prevents Skin Infections
Skin is the largest organ in the body. Skin conditions that require proper care. Most skin infections occur due to microbial colonization.
Tea catechins and flavonoids can help prevent skin infections. If you have frequent skin infections, drinking black tea can speed up the healing process.
2. Reduces Swelling
Swelling under the eyes is a serious problem for both women and men. This condition can make your eyes look tired and increase the chances of premature wrinkles. The tannins and antioxidants available in black tea have anti-inflammatory properties.
Black tea can help tighten the skin and reduce puffiness under the eyes.
You can try using black tea bags or just dip a cotton ball in cold black tea and keep it under your eyes for 20 minutes every day. Results can be seen within a few weeks.
3. Slows down premature aging
The antioxidants and polyphenols present in black tea can protect the skin from premature aging and the formation of wrinkles.
In a study conducted on hairless lab rats, scientists found that black tea reduced the expression of a gene that creates a collagen-degrading enzyme.
In addition, black tea is a more effective anti-wrinkle agent compared to other teas.
4. Protects from Ultraviolet Radiation
UV radiation is one of the main causes of skin pigmentation, skin cancer, and other skin related problems.
Researchers have found that drinking black tea can help protect the skin and reduce the risk of skin problems caused by overexposure to UV rays.
Apart from drinking black tea to prevent skin damage, you can also apply it topically.
5. Accelerates Skin Regeneration
Researchers from Malaysia have found that applying black tea extract to the skin of injured rats can speed healing.
The extract also causes less inflammation and more collagen production.
However, do not apply black tea directly to the wound. There are no studies that state that it is safe. Instead, you can drink black tea.
6. Reduces Stains
Stains can have a huge impact on self-confidence. Using herbs is safer than most harsh chemicals and strong drugs.
Black tea can be one of these herbal drinks. In a study, scientists have found that black tea has a skin whitening effect on brown guinea pigs.
In addition, black tea has antioxidants that can remove toxins that cause stains. You can drink black tea or apply it cold on the stain using a clean cotton swab.