Today, it is not just about eating superfoods for nourishment, good health and wellness but how well we can extract these superfoods to make them super powerful topical skincare products. What goes on your skin also gets absorbed into your skin and body hence, it is important to choose the right ingredients that help your skin flourish naturally with age.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Yukta Raghu, CEO and Co-Founder of AFFOREST Green Beauty, shared, “One such brewing goodness are teas, which are popularly being used in skincare, if not as an entire product but blended as extracts to help the skin with their extensive benefits. They have natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Teas like chamomile and purple provide essential vitamins and minerals that promote a healthy complexion and are extremely antioxidant-rich, which help protect skin from environmental stressors. Blue elixir teas are becoming popular in organic skincare because of their astringent properties, which help to tighten, tone and reduce the appearance of pores.”

According to her, following methods can be used to incorporate the teas into organic skincare –

• Infusions: Steeping the teas in hot water to create a concentrated infusion, which can then be added to skincare formulations such as toners, serums or creams.

• Extracts: Creating extracts by concentrating the active compounds of the teas through methods like maceration or solvent extraction. These extracts can then be incorporated into skincare products for targeted benefits.

• Facial Steams (Homemade Remedy): Using the teas in facial steams can help open pores, allowing the skin to better absorb nutrients and antioxidants from the teas.

• Masks (homemade remedy): mixing the teas with other natural ingredients like honey, yoghurt or clays to create nourishing and purifying face masks.

Suggesting to use tea extracts to blend with other botanical extracts to make them highly effective, Yukta Raghu encouraged using the tea extracts as they offer a multitude of benefits due to their rich concentration of bioactive compounds and antioxidants. She said, “In a nutshell, teas in skincare can offer as many benefits as they do when consumed. Topical application of teas blended with the right formula can do wonders for your skin due to their natural compounds, antioxidants and other bio active components.” If we break it up, we get benefits like:

1. Skincare: antioxidant protection, anti-inflammatory properties, hydration, and nourishment can target skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or acne due to their antimicrobial properties.
2. Wellness: stress relief, digestive aid and immune support
3. Gut Health: Prebiotic Properties, Anti-inflammatory Effects and Hydration.

For the uninitiated, Hibiscus and Butterfly Pea Flower lend their enchanting colours to these teas, creating a rainbow of antioxidants that can work wonders for your well-being. Butterfly Pea Flower is infused with rich anthocyanins and flavonoids and potent antioxidants known for their immune-boosting properties where these compounds help combat oxidative stress, supporting your body’s natural defenses whereas Hibiscus, a key ingredient in purple tea, brings not only its deep red hue but also a powerhouse of vitamin C and antioxidants and studies suggest that regular consumption of hibiscus tea may contribute to lower blood pressure and improved heart health, further enhancing the overall well-being of individuals.