White tea is quickly becoming known as a miracle ingredient in the skincare world, due to its high catechin (antioxidant) content. Among other benefits, white tea is highly effective at minimising the visible signs of ageing – something that holds growing importance as we all strive to look 10 years younger!
As a drink, tea has long been known for its antioxidant qualities. Made from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, harvested tea leaves undergo various degrees of processing to result in the end product we drink (and now use in skincare!). Harvesting changes the leaves’ chemical composition and reduces the content of catechins. There are three major types of tea: black, green and white tea. They differ by the method of harvesting and processing, resulting in different levels of antioxidant content.
Black tea has a much lower catechin (antioxidant) content than green and white tea, due to the process of fermenting the leaves. Green tea is widely known for its antioxidant qualities, however the process of drying green tea leaves actually reduces the amount of catechins in the final product.
The least well known of the tea types, white tea is the unsung hero. White tea has the highest catechin content of the three major tea variations, due to the fact that it is minimally processed. It is made of the best quality young and baby tea leaves which are steamed immediately after harvest to inactivate the enzyme that destroys catechins. The white tea leaves are then sun dried. Because of this minimal processing white tea has a very high concentration of antioxidants, making it highly effective in the anti-ageing market.
Recent studies have found that white tea is more effective in this anti-ageing arena than its more well-known counterpart, green tea. Elma Baron, director of the Skin Study Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland (UHC) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), has carried out extensive research on the benefits of white tea in skincare. Dr. Baron says, “We found the application of white tea extract protects critical elements of the skin’s immune system. Similar to the way oxidation causes a car to rust, oxidative stress on the skin causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function. The white tea extract protects against this stress.”
Similarly, other studies have proven that topical application of white tea is effective in boosting the immune function of skin cells and protecting them against the damaging effects of sun exposure. The antioxidant property of white tea is what makes it effective as an anti-aging ingredient in skincare. Kevin Cooper, chairman of the department of dermatology at UHC and CWRU says, “We know that younger skin tends to be able to resist the oxidative stress associated with exposure to the destructive rays of sunlight. The white tea extract also appears to build the skin’s resistance against stresses that cause the skin to age.”
White tea extract protects your skin from more than just sun damage. All skin contains matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), an enzyme that gobbles up the collagen and elastin that keeps our skin looking young. Small amounts of MMP in younger skin is healthy, however as we age the amount of MMP in the skin increases resulting in visible signs of ageing. Applying white tea extract to the skin inhibits the activity of the MMP enzyme, so collagen and elastin can continue performing their task of maintaining your skin’s appearance.
So what does this all mean? Long story short, white tea extract has been proven to minimise the visible signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots and sagging skin. Great news! This is why we have included white tea extract in the majority of our Natural Skincare products. This super-ingredient is the next big thing in the fight against ageing, are you going to get on board?
Has Mother’s day snuck up on you again? (As it does every year…), don’t panic! We’ve got you covered with some fabulous last minute gift ideas that will leave her feeling indulged, pampered, and spoilt! Does your mum constantly slave away in the kitchen cooking you beautiful meals night after night? If so give her …
Our feet work so hard carrying us around all day, and yet they never get any thanks for it. So why not give those hardworking feet a little TLC? Our Foot Massage Cream is a rich blend of pure grapeseed oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, sage essential oil and lemongrass essential oil. These ingredients have …
Short answer: yes. It really is bad, and you shouldn’t do it. We’ve all been there – you get home late at night and the last thing you want to do is go through your whole skincare regime before you jump into bed. We’ve been told time and time again to never leave our makeup …
We all know that the Linden Leaves signature range of Aromatherapy Synergy Body Oils can be applied with love to skin head to toe to provide all over nourishment, care and conditioning for skin. What you may not know is that there are many other great ways to use Linden Leaves oils… Made from organic rosehip and avocado …
White tea – the new skincare super-ingredient
White tea is quickly becoming known as a miracle ingredient in the skincare world, due to its high catechin (antioxidant) content. Among other benefits, white tea is highly effective at minimising the visible signs of ageing – something that holds growing importance as we all strive to look 10 years younger!
As a drink, tea has long been known for its antioxidant qualities. Made from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, harvested tea leaves undergo various degrees of processing to result in the end product we drink (and now use in skincare!). Harvesting changes the leaves’ chemical composition and reduces the content of catechins. There are three major types of tea: black, green and white tea. They differ by the method of harvesting and processing, resulting in different levels of antioxidant content.
Black tea has a much lower catechin (antioxidant) content than green and white tea, due to the process of fermenting the leaves. Green tea is widely known for its antioxidant qualities, however the process of drying green tea leaves actually reduces the amount of catechins in the final product.
The least well known of the tea types, white tea is the unsung hero. White tea has the highest catechin content of the three major tea variations, due to the fact that it is minimally processed. It is made of the best quality young and baby tea leaves which are steamed immediately after harvest to inactivate the enzyme that destroys catechins. The white tea leaves are then sun dried. Because of this minimal processing white tea has a very high concentration of antioxidants, making it highly effective in the anti-ageing market.
Recent studies have found that white tea is more effective in this anti-ageing arena than its more well-known counterpart, green tea. Elma Baron, director of the Skin Study Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland (UHC) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), has carried out extensive research on the benefits of white tea in skincare. Dr. Baron says, “We found the application of white tea extract protects critical elements of the skin’s immune system. Similar to the way oxidation causes a car to rust, oxidative stress on the skin causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function. The white tea extract protects against this stress.”
Similarly, other studies have proven that topical application of white tea is effective in boosting the immune function of skin cells and protecting them against the damaging effects of sun exposure. The antioxidant property of white tea is what makes it effective as an anti-aging ingredient in skincare. Kevin Cooper, chairman of the department of dermatology at UHC and CWRU says, “We know that younger skin tends to be able to resist the oxidative stress associated with exposure to the destructive rays of sunlight. The white tea extract also appears to build the skin’s resistance against stresses that cause the skin to age.”
White tea extract protects your skin from more than just sun damage. All skin contains matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), an enzyme that gobbles up the collagen and elastin that keeps our skin looking young. Small amounts of MMP in younger skin is healthy, however as we age the amount of MMP in the skin increases resulting in visible signs of ageing. Applying white tea extract to the skin inhibits the activity of the MMP enzyme, so collagen and elastin can continue performing their task of maintaining your skin’s appearance.
So what does this all mean? Long story short, white tea extract has been proven to minimise the visible signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, sun spots and sagging skin. Great news! This is why we have included white tea extract in the majority of our Natural Skincare products. This super-ingredient is the next big thing in the fight against ageing, are you going to get on board?
Related Posts
Our Mother’s Day Fab 5
Has Mother’s day snuck up on you again? (As it does every year…), don’t panic! We’ve got you covered with some fabulous last minute gift ideas that will leave her feeling indulged, pampered, and spoilt! Does your mum constantly slave away in the kitchen cooking you beautiful meals night after night? If so give her …
Product Feature: Foot Massage Cream
Our feet work so hard carrying us around all day, and yet they never get any thanks for it. So why not give those hardworking feet a little TLC? Our Foot Massage Cream is a rich blend of pure grapeseed oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, sage essential oil and lemongrass essential oil. These ingredients have …
Is it really that bad to sleep in makeup?
Short answer: yes. It really is bad, and you shouldn’t do it. We’ve all been there – you get home late at night and the last thing you want to do is go through your whole skincare regime before you jump into bed. We’ve been told time and time again to never leave our makeup …
Top Ten uses for Linden Leaves Body Oils
We all know that the Linden Leaves signature range of Aromatherapy Synergy Body Oils can be applied with love to skin head to toe to provide all over nourishment, care and conditioning for skin. What you may not know is that there are many other great ways to use Linden Leaves oils… Made from organic rosehip and avocado …