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This list will show the best teas for acne to drink to clear up your skin.As a fellow acne sufferer, I have tried every natural acne treatment known to mankind. Teas for acne was something I tried begrudgingly. Sure, I wanted to have clear skin and I was willing to do what it takes but sipping down teas that taste like lawnmower clippings wasn’t exactly a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

However, with a little tweaking, time, and patience I was able to find teas that I actually enjoyed. After consistent use, I was able to see improvements in my own skin from drinking the right teas for me. Stay tuned to learn more about the best teas for acne and which tea you should be drinking for clear skin.

Hate tea? Don’t worry! If you like to scarf down water all day like me (or at least want to try) then there are some yummy detox drink recipes I created that can help clear your skin!

Is Tea Good for My Skin?

The short answer is yes!

Tea is actually good for almost every part of your body. That’s why people have been drinking it for thousands of years. Whatever ails you, there’s a tea that was made for it, including acne.

Good skincare all starts from within. When your insides are working correctly, it shows on the outside. Additionally, tea starts with water which is the most essential part of keeping your skin healthy and clear.

Best Teas for Acne

  • Chamomile Tea for Acne:

Chamomile tea is best known as a sleep aid, which is also what makes it one of the best teas for acne.

When you aren’t sleeping well, it shows on your face. Chamomile is full of quercetin, which is an antioxidant that protects your skin from sun damage with its potent antioxidant properties. Chamomile tea for acne can be used both internally and topically.

One of the best teas for acne is chamomile tea which is full in quercetin. Click for more info

How to use: 

Steep two tea bags in hot water with a bit of lemon and honey. Once cool, remove the bags and enjoy the tea. Save the cooled tea bags and place them on your skin for several minutes to reduce puffiness, redness, and irritation. You can also crush chamomile tea leaves into a fine powder and rub them on acne scars to fade them away.

  • Spearmint Tea for Acne:

If you have hormonal acne and tend to breakout around your period or during ovulation (too much testosterone), particularly as an adult – then spearmint tea for acne is the tea for you.

It is anti-androgenic (testosterone reducing) and known to prevent a hormonal imbalance, which may trigger acne breakouts. The antioxidants prevent damage to the skin caused by acne so your skin can recover fully.

Spearmint tea is one of the best teas for acne because it reduces hormonal breakouts. Click for more info

How to use: There are several facial cleansers that include spearmint tea as an ingredient, but you can use the actual tea to apply on the face with a cotton ball, or use cooled tea bags directly on affected areas. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse.

But honestly, it is a very delicious tea. So if you prefer to just enjoy drinking it feel free to do so. This is the tea I drink every afternoon before I eat my lunch. It helps reduce cravings a little and can help balance my sugar levels before I eat too!

  • Green Tea for Acne:

Green tea is a powerhouse tea blend that protects your skin from the sun and fight free radicals that can cause skin damage. They also can promote healthy new skin cells and prevent wrinkles.

Of course, green tea is not a substitute for sunscreen, but a little extra protection doesn’t hurt, right? This is what makes green tea one of the best teas for acne that’s easy to find and enjoyable to drink.

One of the best teas for acne is green tea because it can prevent wrinkles. Click for more info

How to use: You can find green tea in many forms including tea bags, iced tea, and even green tea face masks. Simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions and reap the rewards.

  • Dandelion Tea for Acne:

Dandelions aren’t just weeds; dandelion root tea has amazing skin benefits. Dandelion root tea makes the list of best teas for acne because it’s full of antioxidants and immune-enhancing properties. This keeps your skin looking young and fresh.

It also helps with digestion, which can help your skin as well because when the digestive tract is off, so is everything else. Best of all, roasted dandelion has a taste and smell similar to coffee. If you’re looking to kick your coffee habit and replace it with tea, this is a good place to start.

Dandelion Root is one of the best teas for acne for its antioxidants and immune-enhancing properties.Click for more info

How to use: Simply steep one tea bag in a mug of steaming hot water. Allow it to sit for 8-10 minutes and then enjoy.

  • Ginger Tea for Acne:

Ginger tea is full of anti-inflammatory power making it an amazing tea for acne. When taken internally, it helps your digestion and your skin.

Ginger also helps prevent colds, which can weaken our immune systems and bring up more irritating skin conditions.

One of the teas for acne that can help with digestion and breakouts is ginger tea. Click for more info

How to use: Ginger tea can be made by using fresh ginger, finely chopped and placed in a boiling cup of water. Allow it to steep and use the liquid to apply topically to the skin.

  • White Tea for Acne:

White tea has one of the highest concentrations of antioxidants and catechin than any tea out there because it’s the least processed type of tea.

It has great antibacterial properties that can fight several types of skin conditions and tastes great too. Clearly, it makes the list for one of the best teas for acne to enjoy every day.

White tea is popular because of its high concentrations of antioxidants and catechin making it one of the best teas for acne. Click for more info

How to use: Prepare the tea in just-boiled water for about 5 minutes.  Remove the tea bags or tea leaves and let them cool on a clean paper towel for use later. Use the tea as an astringent and apply it to the skin with a cotton ball. You can use the leaves and the tea bags on the skin as well.

You can also just drink this like a normal person if you enjoy the taste! Trust me you still get all of the benefits that way.

  • Matcha Tea for Acne:

Matcha tea is a Japanese tea that has been used for centuries to detox the skin and fight bacterial infections with antioxidants, chlorophyll, and catechins.

The catechins in Matcha tea are much higher than green tea, so it’s one of the more powerful teas for acne.

Matcha is one of the great teas for acne because it helps fight bacterial infections. Click for more info

How to use: You can use matcha powder to create a face mask or look for creams and lotions with matcha included. Of course, you can enjoy a cup or two of matcha tea for acne to enjoy the same benefits.

  • Stinging Nettle Tea for Acne:

Stinging Nettle tea is rich in B vitamins, vitamin K, selenium, and zinc to purify and detoxify the blood, which naturally clears the skin right up.

These factors combine to help give you skin that is firm and clear. However, do not use stinging nettle tea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as it can cause decreased blood sugar levels.

One of the teas for acne is Stinging Nettle tea which is rich in B vitamins, vitamin K, selenium, and zinc to purify and detoxify the blood. Click for more info

How to Use: You can use stinging nettle teas for acne by enjoying a hot cup of brewed stinging nettle tea in the morning, or you can apply with a soaked cotton ball to affected areas. I recommend drinking a cup before meals to help balance blood sugar levels.

Much like the stinging nettle tea for acne, I highly recommend looking at your supplements. If you aren’t taking any, then please do!

One of the best supplements I have found that works for my skin is the HUM Nutrition Daily Cleanse. It has all of the skin clearing ingredients I want you to look for in a daily tea, so why not combine the best of both worlds?

Overall Benefits of Tea for Breakouts

If your morning ritual involves some form of hot caffeine, why not choose one that’s going to help your skin as well? High-quality teas for acne can both treat current breakouts and prevent future problems. Here’s how:

  1. Antioxidants

We hear the word “antioxidants” surrounding many types of tea. But how does it actually work?

Antioxidants are compounds that protect skin cells from oxidizing (going bad). This means you are better protected from sunlight, pollution, smoking, etc. The more antioxidants, the less oxidizing, the better your skin looks.

Green teas for acne have the most antioxidants, followed by white tea, oolong tea, and black tea.

  1. Lower Insulin Levels

If you have issues with insulin, it will show up on your face. Insulin activates the release of several acne-causing hormones and compounds.

High-quality teas for acne can lower levels of insulin and dull the effects of foods that typically spike insulin levels. This is a huge benefit if you struggle with acne caused by your food choices.

  1. Lower DHT levels

DHT is the male sex hormone responsible for some types of acne.

Maintaining a healthy testosterone level is important, but a slightly lower DHT generally means less sebum oil, which means a lower risk for clogged pores and acne infections.

  1. Gut health

Some teas for acne, specifically black and green tea improve your overall digestive health by acting as probiotics.

They help promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut which makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients it needs. This new, healthier you will show up on your face as fresh, glowing skin.

Are All Teas Good for Me?

Absolutely not. If you’re ordering sweet tea through the drive-through because you think it will help your breakouts, you’re wrong. Any tea with added sugar, sweetener, or pre-made tea beverages aren’t going to give you any of the benefits listed here.

These “teas” are sugary beverages with tea additives and will cause the opposite effects. They spike your blood sugar, trigger insulin responses, and will actually make your hormonal acne much worse.

Most of these sugary teas have absolutely no anti-inflammatory or antioxidant benefits. It’s important to go for the good, pure, and hot brewed tea rather than try to find a quick and sugary substitute.

How Do I Apply Tea Topically for My Acne?

If you can’t stand the taste of herbal teas, then use this method to apply the tea directly to your skin:

  • First, prepare the tea as directed. The tea has to be brewed to allow the active ingredients to seep into tea solution.
  • Once it is ready, soak a small, clean towel in the tea until it absorbs much of the liquid. This is called a tea poultice.
  • Spread the poultice (the soaked towel) directly on the face.
  • Leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing.
  • Follow with a high-quality moisturizer to prevent dryness.

Treating Your Skin Right Using Tea for Clearer Skin

The best teas for acne really do have some superpowers. However, all great results take a little bit of time. Try different teas and see which one you like best. You want a tea regimen that you enjoy, not one you have to choke down every day.

Make teas for acne a part of your daily routine and give it a few weeks to really see some changes in your skin.

The results you’ll see may be minimal at first, but tea comes with far fewer side effects than regular acne medications. You can enjoy a hot cup of spearmint tea in the morning or a cup of chamomile at night.

These best teas for acne are just one of the many benefits you can enjoy from incorporating tea into your daily routine. Trust me now and your skin will thank you later.