Beau-TEA Tips
This month for our monthly tea post, Dixya from Food Pleasure and Health and I decided to continue with the theme of ways to use tea instead of drinking it. Last month, we did two posts on edible tea leaves. I did an Asian inspired rice bowl featuring gyokuro green tea leaves and Dixya made Burmese lahpet for tea leaf salad.
This month it’s all about DIY tips on both of our blogs! I decided to focus on beauty and oral health tips and have some delicious recipes for you. White Tea and Green Tea are both loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which make them wonderful for beauty treatments. Some studies have found green tea to be good for healthy gums.
I love including luxurious scents in my bath. It makes me feel luxurious and is a great way to treat yourself after a long day of work. Rose pairs with the subtleness of white tea In the bath recipe below, with epsom salt to soothe tired muscles and baking soda to help soften the skin. Green tea can be substituted for white tea if preferred.
White Rose Bath Tea
1/2 cup epsom salts
2 tbsp baking soda
1/8 cup dried rose petals
1/8 cup white tea (silver needle, mai pu tan, etc. I used a darjeeling white tea)
Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and store in a clean jar until using. You can add the contents directly to the bath, but for a less messy version, try stuffing a nut milk bag (really its just a large tea bag) or several cloth or reusable tea bags with the mixture. Add the bath tea once your tub is filled halfway with hot water and let “steep” until the water has come to a comfortable temperature. Enjoy!
Minty Green Mouth Wash
Brew 1 green tea bag (2 grams of loose leaf green tea) + 5 large mint leaves in 1 cup of hot water. Let cool and swish around in your mouth as you would regular mouthwash after brushing your teeth.
Eye De-Puffer
This is a great one for used tea bags! It’s best if they are cold. I usually put used tea bags in a bowl in the fridge and then use this tactic in the morning or before going to bed. You can also soak tea bags in cold water. Just place them over your eyes for about 15 minutes for an instant eye soother which may also reduce swelling.
