Spring Approaching
20 Mar 2008 ~ Categories: blog • body • products
Early Spring is a time to appreciate the life that is all around us. Many of the plants that sustain everyday life for cultures all over the world also house amazing benefits for the skin. White tea is one of my favorites, not only for the taste, but also the unique benefits it provides both when digested and used in topical application.
White teas are made from buds and young leaves picked in the early spring. Shortly before the buds have fully opened white tea retains high concentrations of catechin, the active compound that is responsible for many of the health benefits of both white and green teas. The tea takes its name from the silver fuzz that still covers the buds, which turns white when the tea is dried. Because white tea leaves are left close to their natural state, by undergoing less processing than all other teas, white tea contains more of the powerful anti-oxidant properties that fight and kill cancer-causing cells than any other type of tea.
Similar to the way oxidation causes a car to rust, oxidative stress of the skin (exposure to everyday elements) causes a breakdown in cellular strength and function. White tea’s anti-oxidative properties have been shown to protect against this stress, suggesting that the compound may provide anti-aging benefits to the skin over time.
The latest white tea product to grace my bathroom counter is Arcona’s White Tea Purifying Cleanser. This antioxidant rich cleanser includes white and green teas along with cranberry enzymes to nourish, clarify, and strengthen skin while soothing yucca, vitamin E, and aloe extracts maintain balance.
Happy Spring Cleaning,
Amy