What is green tea in skincare?
Green tea extract comes from the unfermented leaves of Camellia sinensis. Its activity is driven by polyphenols called catechins, the most abundant and most studied of which is epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG.
On an ingredients list it appears as Camellia sinensis leaf extract. Because the catechins are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, green tea has become one of the best-researched botanical actives in skincare.
What skin concerns does green tea treat?
It calms redness and irritation, making it useful for rosacea-prone, sensitive and post-procedure skin. Its antibacterial and sebum-regulating effects help mild acne and oily skin.
Topical application reduces UV-induced damage and inflammation, which positions green tea as a preventative anti-ageing ingredient alongside sunscreen rather than a replacement for it. It also supports skin under the eyes where puffiness is a concern.
What ingredients are best paired with green tea?
Layer it with other antioxidants – vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol, ferulic acid – for broader free-radical coverage in the morning.
For acne it works well with niacinamide and salicylic acid; for sensitivity, with centella asiatica, panthenol and ceramides. It is gentle enough to combine with almost anything, and is a good way to add antioxidant protection to a routine built around retinoids. Take our Skin Quiz.
What are sun spots?
Sun spots are flat patches of concentrated pigment that form where skin has taken the most ultraviolet exposure – cheeks, nose, forehead, hands, shoulders and chest. Dermatologists call them solar lentigines; they are the same thing as age spots.
They are harmless, but they are a visible marker of accumulated photodamage, and they usually arrive alongside other signs of it: fine lines, loss of firmness and an uneven overall tone.
What causes sun spots?
UV radiation prompts melanocytes to produce extra melanin as a defence. With repeated exposure that response becomes localised and fixed, leaving discrete patches instead of an even tan that fades.
Tanning beds, sunburns in childhood, fair skin and outdoor time without protection all increase the count. Incidental exposure – driving, walking, sitting near a window – adds up more than most people expect.
What ingredients are best for sun spots?
Retinoids to accelerate turnover, vitamin C to protect and brighten, and pigment inhibitors such as alpha arbutin, kojic acid, azelaic acid, tranexamic acid and liquorice root are the core toolkit.
Gentle AHAs help shift surface pigment, and niacinamide slows the transfer of melanin into skin cells. None of it holds without daily broad-spectrum SPF and reapplication. Take our Skin Quiz.
