Green tea, an ally for oily skin?

The green tea (INCI: Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract), extracted from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, is a natural ingredient abundantly present in the cosmetics market. Antioxidant, mattifying, anti-inflammatory... Its properties are numerous. Green tea is indeed considered an ally for oily skin.

Several studies have explored the benefits of green tea and concluded that this natural ingredient possesses sebum-regulating and mattifying properties. Indeed, in one of these studies, a group of 10 individuals with oily skin applied a cream containing 3% green tea extract to their cheeks daily for 8 weeks. The study revealed a significant reduction (≈ 60%) in sebum production in these individuals. From a mechanistic perspective, catechins, polyphenols found in green tea extract, inhibit the activity of 5-alpha-reductase. This enzyme catalyzes the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, which activates sebum synthesis by the sebaceous glands.

Another study, conducted over a shorter period, also highlighted the mattifying effect of green tea extract. In this one, 30 women applied a formulation based on green tea extract, bamboo extract, and 5% lactic acid five times a week for two weeks. Sonophoresis was used to enhance the absorption of the gel into the skin. Sonophoresis is a method that uses ultrasound to facilitate the diffusion of molecules into the epidermis. At the end of the two weeks, measurements made with a sebumeter, a device capable of assessing the amount of sebum on the skin, showed that the gel had helped to reduce the amount of sebum in the areas where the gel had been applied. This went from an average of 170 µg/cm2 at the start of the study to 120 µg/cm2 after 2 weeks.

Thus, the use of a skincare product containing green tea extract is beneficial for individuals with oily skin, as this ingredient helps to regulate sebum production and reduce the oily nature of the face and the dilation of pores, thereby helping to prevent the onset of blemishes.