However! These procedures can be time consuming, especially
if they’re being made with all-natural ingredients. So today I’m going to
present you with three very easy, very quick face mask recipes, all of them
using green tea as the main ingredient.
Green tea is amazing for your skin. The caffeine in green
tea can help reduce dark circles around your eyes, by shrinking blood vessels,
while topical application will provide your skin with a good dose of
antioxidants and works to reduce any skin inflammations, as well as keeping
cells rejuvenated. Even drinking it regularly will aid both beauty and health!
On to the masks!
#1 Easy: Softening and brightening matcha yogurt mask
Ingredients:
Greek Yogurt- Brightening
Matcha (powdered Japanese green tea)
Tea tree oil (Use Argan oil instead, if you have
sensitive skin)
Matcha may be a little hard to find, but not only will it be
easier to blend into the yogurt, it’s extra concentrated, so the benefits will
be even richer. If you can’t find it at the grocery store, most specialty Asian
markets will carry it. Greek yogurt contains lactic acid and protein, which
will help by evening out your skin tone and leaving your face radiant. The tea
tree oil helps remove any bacteria and excess oil from skin, without drying it
out, while argan oil will keep skin soft and elastic, but is less harsh than
tea tree.
Instructions:
1.
Begin by placing a healthy dollop of Greek
yogurt in a bowl. You’re gonna want the mixture to be spread out pretty thin,
so there’s no need to use a lot.
2.
Toss in a teaspoon or so of matcha.
3.
Shake in 2-4 drops of the oil you chose,
depending on your skin’s needs.
4.
Mix with the ingredients with a fork. Stop when
they’ve formed an even, light green paste.
5.
Pull your hair back and begin applying the mask.
Remember to keep the application thin.
6.
Cover your whole face, but don’t forget to avoid
your eye and lip areas.
7.
Let the mask set for about 20 minutes or
whenever it’s completely dry. Remove and enjoy!
NOTE: Please do not scrub the
mask off harshly, or redness/burning can occur. Splash water on your face,
softening the dried mask, then using a face sponge or washcloth, use gentle,
circular dabbing motions, until all of it is cleared off.
#2 Easier: Refreshing Toning Cucumber Green Tea Mask
Ingredients:
Two green tea bags
Medium to large cucumber
Boiling water
So you don’t exactly have the time to find some high quality
matcha or order it online and mixing up ingredients doesn’t appeal to you?
Never fear! Here is a simpler way to provide your skin with the benefits of
green tea. Additionally, the cucumbers will tone your skin and leaving it
feeling soft and fresh.
Instructions:
1. Steep two tea bags in boiling water.
2. While the tea is brewing, slice up a cucumber as thinly as possible. I made the mistake of using a knife, but you’d get better results with a vegetable peeler. You want them to be paper thin, as that’ll make applying them much easier.
3.
When the tea is ready, set the two bags aside.
Do not throw them away!
4.
Put the cucumber slices in a bowl and pour the
hot tea over them. Let them rest until the tea is room temperature. Put the
slices and the two tea bags you’ve saved in the fridge.
5.
Wait ten minutes and remove them from the
fridge. Begin applying the cucumber slices to your face. The thinner they are,
the better they’ll stick. If you’ve made them too thick, lay down to apply them
or have a friend help you.
6.
Place the cooled tea bags over your eyes. This
is a good procedure to do right before a quick nap or while listening to music.
Or better yet, have a friend do it with you, brew an extra two cups of tea, and
have fun chatting with your masks on, then remove them after fifteen minutes!
#3 Easiest!: Cooling Green Tea Patches
Seriously no time to do the above? Try the easiest green tea
mask possible!
Ingredients:
Boiling water
Two Starbucks Tazo Iced Green Tea bags
Our
final mask is so simple and easy, that anyone, with any schedule can manage it!
Just pick up a box of Starbucks Tazo Iced Green Tea bags. I chose these above
other teabags, as they’re much bigger and will cover large portions of your
face at a time.
Prepare
two batches of the tea. Either have two jugs ready, or if you don’t mind super
concentrated tea, steep them in the same jug.
While
the tea cools, set aside your teabags. Let them reach room temperature or place
them in the fridge for an extra cooling effect. Once
they’re ready, place them on your face and… done! No fuss, no mess, and leaving
them on for 5 to 10 minutes at a time will give your skin a quick pop of green
tea goodness.
You can have fun changing the positioning around...
Like this…
… or like this…
Enjoy with a glass of iced tea and don’t forget to give
yourself a quick break from work. ;) You can keep them in the fridge for about
a week and use them to give your skin a boost. Discard after that. Have fun!
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