Stress doesn’t just have an impact on your mental health— it can also have an effect on your physical health, particularly the appearance of your skin.

When you’re feeling stressed your body kickstarts the production of hormones to help you cope. One of the hormones that your body creates is called cortisol which can stay in your body for quite a long time. Too much cortisol can cause problems with the appearance of your skin, and causes fat build up on the waistline

The hormones that are released by your body to help it cope with stress can cause a number of problems with your skin. They can make it more susceptible to irritation, allergies and inflammation, causing redness and itchiness. Hormone production can also make the glands in your skin create more oil, making your skin more prone to spots, blackheads and whiteheads.

Green tea could help you to reduce your stress levels and reduce the associated symptoms. This means that drinking and using the tea topically could help look after your skin when you’re feeling the pressure.

The secret of green tea’s possible success at reducing the impact of stress lies in the natural chemicals called polyphenols that are found in high concentrations in tea. These polyphenols can neutralise inflammation, help to reduce redness and also soothe irritation. It’s no surprise then, that green tea has been consumed and used as a therapeutic relaxation aid and skin remedy in the east for centuries.

In the West, we’re only just beginning to appreciate the incredible effects that drinking and using green tea in our lives could provide. If you’re looking to reduce the impact of stress in your life, using a green tea face mask could provide the dual effects of helping you to relax whilst also soothing any redness or inflammation that your skin is experiencing because of stress.