When you wake up to a nice, calm morning and steep yourself some green tea, you can get more than one use out of the leaves. Don't throw away that tea bag just yet!
With just a little bit of honey and the leftover tea bag you can create a homemade face mask. Honey green tea masks have several benefits, including glowing skin.
Drinking green tea, alone, has been proven to help with memory enhancement and concentration, while also reducing the look of aging skin and acne. Several recipes for DIY face masks incorporate green tea because of its benefits toward healthy skin. This honey green tea mask is simple, minimal and effective.
Brewing the tea
Start by brewing yourself a cup of green tea and let the bag settle for a few minutes. Once you have your tea just the way you like to drink it, take out the bag and let it drain onto a napkin or a dry surface to absorb the excess water.
You can drink the tea hot while waiting for the bag to dry out or place it in the fridge for a cold beverage later. Green tea is great for energizing the body pre- or post-workout, right after waking up or as a simple way to treat yourself.
Making the Mask
Once the tea bag is no longer dripping water and is fairly dried out, cut or tear it open. Grab a small bowl to pour the tea leaves into and add a few drops of honey. Stir with a small spoon until it gels to a nice consistency. It's okay if the mixture is a little watery from the tea, but it's easiest to apply when the consistency is a little thicker and more of a paste.
Once the mask is prepared, all that's left to do is apply it to your face. It can be a little messy so I recommend going to the bathroom and using a spoon to help rub it on your face. Make sure to evenly spread the mask on your forehead, nose, chin and jawline, or wherever you feel your face needs it most.
Let the honey green tea mask set on your face for about 10 minutes; it never really hardens but should feel cold against your skin. Once the 10 minutes has passed, or whenever you feel ready to take it off, rinse your face with cool water and exfoliate with the leaves.
The next time you're making yourself a cup of green tea, save the tea bag. You can feel good about reusing the tea leaves rather than throwing them out while also giving your face a nice wake-up for the day. Maybe it's not-so cute, but it's easy, fun, feels good and does good for you and your skin.