Are Green Tea Grooming Products Overhyped?

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If you’re alive in the year 2013 then you already know that green tea kicks ass. But the Green Tea-Marinated Sirloin Tips recipe we checked on the Whole Foods website a little while ago sent a rapid-fire pulse to the “bullshit” sensor in our brain, making us think…has the whole green tea craze gone a little too far? While we have no idea about the quality/taste of that sirloin recipe (we went old school and used soy sauce), after a fair amount of research, we can say with some certainty that when it comes to having green tea as an ingredient in your grooming product—nope, the world hasn’t gone too far.

Actually, skin and hair care have been one of the few favorably and repeatedly tested realms that show just how well green tea can kick butt. The science has to do with the preponderance and supped up nature of the polyphenols found in green tea. (They’re also found in white and black tea, but the kermit color wins when it comes to levels). Basically, these polyphenols are some of the best antioxidants you can take in, and have been linked to anything from fighting cancer to making bumps on your face slither away (and apparently to making sirloin taste good).

The latest and most surprising benefit though is with hair—Japanese and Korean studies have found that green tea can actually stimulate hair growth. As the proud owner of a bald spot—and someone who still kinda-sorta trusts the FDA—this sounds laughable, but less notional are findings that because green tea soothes, it’s a great alternative to chemical dandruff treatments for irritated scalps. Green tea shampoo? Worth a try? Sure.

You’ll also want to keep green tea in mind when it comes to staying out in the sun this summer. Turns out its antioxidant qualities beef up your skin cells’ bravado in the face of UV rays and then go on to help them heal after they’ve been singed to a crisp (or hopefully just flame broiled). Sunscreen with green tea is a good idea. And a note—because green tea might break down quickly with oxide based sunscreens, go with one that uses zinc.

The now classic uses of green tea are still important—It’s the natural enemy of free radicals and pollutants, making it the perfect anti-ager and it’s one of the most well tested anti-inflammatory ingredients that also fights redness. So…green tea face moisturizers, eye creams and shave foams are still kick ass ways to use green tea. As for that steak…we’re almost there…but not quite.

Some worthy green tea products at calming prices (pictured above from left to right):

J.R Watkins, Aloe & Green Tea Daily Shampoo, $7.99/12 oz. at soap.com

Aubrey Organics, Natural Sunscreen SPF 30+ with Green Tea, $15.59/4 oz. at drugstore.com

Anthony Logistics, Eye Cream, $28/.75 oz at anthony.com

Proraso, Shave Foam Sensitive Skin with Green Tea and Oat Extract, $10/10.5 oz at sears.com

Matte for Men, Complete Head and Face Care Lotion, $30/2.5 oz at matteformen.com