Tea-time beauty: Tea-inspired beauty buys

Beauty in tea

Tea is amazing. Lots of great health benefits from drinking the right types and of course the sheer relaxation benefit of sitting down, feet up, cup of tea in hand. But did you know it\'s great for your skin, makes a fabulous perfume and a perfect pampering tool? We\'ve put together our favourite tea-inspired beauty products which offer all sorts of beauty benefits - read on to find out why tea should become as important in your beauty boudoir as on the kitchen table.

Tea in the shower

 
This mint tea shower gel from the Korres natural skincare range contains lots of good things with the main ingredients derived from plants. Great for moisturising, the gel is creamy and rich with active aloe juice to moisturise and even enhance the skin\'s wound-healing process! And it\'s not every day you get the chance to take your tea in the shower ....

Korres Mint Tea shower gel,
£7 for 250ml, available from selected department stores and online at www.lookfantastic.com

Get glowing skin

This mild exfoliating gel is enriched with green tea to gently remove dead skin cells and blackheads, and stimulate skin metabolism. It also has an anti-oxidant effect, which will make skin appear brighter, and balances free radicals to delay the ageing process. Plus it revitalises skin cells to lighten ageing spots and freckles. See, truly a marvel gel!

Green Tea Marvel Gel,
£15 for 30g,
www.happybabble.com

Home spa treat

Gorgeous home spa treatment for body, mind and spirit and the most popular soaking treatment at Ole Henriksen Face/Body. Key ingredients of tea tree oil, chamomile, sea salts and seaweed offer a package of soothing, nourishing, exfoliating, cleansing, hydrating, purifying and healing properties - and you can\'t say much better than that. Unless it\'s the fact you will be experiencing all the benefits while soaking (perhaps by candlelight?) in utter bliss.

Ole Henriksen Detox Tea Tree Oil Soak,
£40, www.beautique.com

Soothe the senses

 
New by Dr Andrew Weil for Origins, this light body lotion with Japanese Matcha tea is rich in natural antioxidants. Matcha is a green tea containing one of the highest levels of antioxidants of all green teas, and is made of specially grown whole leaves, harvested by hand and stone ground. The lotion also contains goodies like stress-relieving Ginseng and hydrating Jojoba seed, with rich rice and Murumuru butter for added moisture.

The Way of the Bath Matcha Tea Body Lotion,
£30 for 200ml, www.origins.co.uk

Honey, it\'s the eyes

Why settle for teabags on your eyes when you could enjoy this silky smooth eye cream from Jo Malone? Enriched with green tea, rich in both anti-oxidants and vitamin C, and combined with honey to hydrate the skin and reduce the appearance of under-eye circles, this rich cream brings a feeling of calm to the eye area. Now it won\'t just be that first cuppa of the day that promises to wake you up in the morning.

Green tea and honey eye cream,
£37, www.jomalone.co.uk

Nourishing home facial

 
The people at Neal\'s Yard are well known for their lovely organic range of beauty goodies and this organic facial mask with white tea is the winner of the Soil Association\'s Best Organic Skin Care Product for 2008. The nourishing mask has white tea extract and promises to reduce fine lines, while ingredients like seed oils will replenish your skin\'s vital moisture. Quick and simple to use - just leave on face for up to 10 minutes, then rinse with tepid water. You can use once a week or as necessary for stressed-out skin.

Organic White Tea Enriching Facial Mask,
£15 for 40g, www.nealsyardremedies.com

Have your cake

Now you can have your cake - and lick it too! Okay, so it\'s not strictly a ‘tea product\' but what goes better with tea than cake? And these Naughty but Nice lip glosses won\'t add a single calorie to your diet - the Take Away Gift Box contains six pots, including chocolate cream puff, chocolate chip, raspberry cream and other scrummy goodies. Perfect for sharing tea-time pleasures with friends - or just keep them all for yourself!

Naughty But Nice Take Away Gift Box,
£11.99 www.totally-funky.co.uk, 0845 226 9177

Light a candle

A gorgeous gift for anyone - yourself included - this White Orchid Tea candle combines the delicate scents of orchid, peony and Asian bergamot wrapped in green tea leaves. Cutting edge too - created by New York florists, a mother and daughter team whose stunning arrangements are well loved in stylish fashion and interiors circles. Now they\'ve turned their attention to candles with the Belle Fleur range, available exclusively from Space NK nationwide. The perfect background scent to the perfect cut of tea.

Belle Fleur White Orchid Tea scented candle,
£35, www.spacenk.com, 0208 740 2085

Fragrant tea times

 
Smelly tea - in the nicest possible way. Head notes of orange and sweet mint combine with green tea extract, jasmine, musk and cedar to create a lovely fresh fragrance that is perfect for this time of year. And the lovely retro bottle will add a touch of old world glamour to a dressing table - take yourself back to the days when afternoon tea was a regular ritual, white gloves optional!

 

£30 for 100ml,www.loccitane.co.uk, 020 7907 0301

Lose an inch or three!

As seen on Channel 4\' Supersize vs Superskinny and ITV\'s Lorraine Kelly show, Gerard\'s Green Tea Abdomen treatment promises a leaner tummy through deep, relaxing massage with fragrant creams and exfoliants, followed by a cooling green tea and seaweed mask. What elevates this treatment above sheer indulgence is the fact that the massage effectively targets sluggish digestion and bloating, and the mask stimulates circulation and tightens the skin around the abdomen.  Most of the products used can be brought as well, but take it from us, this is one treatment worth splurging on.

Green Tea Abdomen Treatment,
£50, for your nearest spa call 0208 202 202;

www.gerards.uk.com