We love having the Green Tea Daily Toner in our colourful line up! So, I’m going to gush about it for an entire blog post, with some comments from our Assistant Development Chemist Faye, who had a hand in taking this product from idea to reality!

Green Tea has been used for centuries, tracing back over 5000 years to China and a story of the Chinese Emperor drinking it by accident when a leaf fell in his water. Whether that is indeed the case, drinking Green Tea became a daily ritual for many in the Far East, then to the UK, where it was awarded the title of national beverage alongside black tea, and America, where it was a key part of the Boston Tea Party. Statisticians predict that in the next few years, Green Tea will show the greatest rise in production as consumption grows worldwide. So, we know that drinking Green Tea has proven its own health benefits over the years… and it probably doesn’t surprise you to know that this ingredient is just as amazing for your skin!

The main benefit I want to highlight when it comes to Green Tea is how it’s a match made in heaven for sensitive and stressed skin. Thanks to being rich in Vitamin E, this extract is super moisturising, and can really help to soothe your skin. It also contains polyphenols, a group of organic compounds that are great antioxidants (and are responsible for giving red wine and dark chocolate their health benefits), including flavonoids. One flavonoid in particular, found abundantly in Green Tea, is catechin, which is a potent antioxidant with antimicrobial activity to help protect you skin against environmental damage. You can read more about the benefits of antioxidants here. 

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“A particular antioxidant to pay attention to in this formula is EGCG, which can rejuvenate dying skin cells, resulting in restored and repaired skin.”

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If you need any more reason to love Green Tea, we make our extract onsite in the Q+A Development Lab, helping to reduce our carbon footprint, and to make sure we’re not wasting any valuable tea leaves!

But Green Tea isn’t the only ingredient in this toner worth talking about. A natural you may not have heard of and certainly doesn’t have the fame of Green Tea is Tasman Pepper, extracted from the Tasmanian Pepperberry. Commonly also known in Australia (where it is grown and cultivated) as Mountain Pepper, or Cornish Pepper Leaf here in the UK, it is an ingredient with three times the antioxidant power of blueberries! Plus,  it has a few extra tricks up its sleeve…

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“The Tasmanian Pepperberry contains a powerful active ingredient called polygodial, an anti-inflammatory agent effective at reducing vasodilatation and oedema (swelling that occurs thanks to a build up of fluid). Studies have demonstrated that polygodial has immediate soothing action on itching & burning sensations. It also contains rutin, an anti-inflammatory mediator known to strengthen capillaries, helping to reduce the appearance of dark circles. Tasman pepper is an excellent addition to a toner as it will provide instant results.”

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And what else have we added to make this toner a Q+A staple? Our favourite, Hyaluronic Acid! Helping to draw moisture into your skin cells for deeper and longer lasting hydration, this ingredient is perfect for a toner as it will give you a gorgeous glow morning, midday and night. 

With the soothing and hydrating effects of Green Tea, Tasmanian Pepperberry and Hyaluronic Acid, the Q+A Green Tea Daily Toner is perfect for sensitive skin which needs a boost of protection throughout the day against daily pollutants and environmental stressors, stressed or inflamed skin looking for something calming, and dry skin which needs a good pick-me-up. A toner not only helps to balance your skin, but remove leftover toxins and irritants from your skin after cleansing (or throughout the day), and improve overall skin health with just an easy swipe of your cotton pad.

Perhaps you’re hesitant to try our Niacinamide Daily Toner due to very sensitive skin, or you already know that niacinamide isn’t the active for you? Look no further than our Green Tea Daily Toner! And of course, there’s nothing wrong with pairing them together, one for supporting your skin in the morning to balance moisture levels and help to keep oiliness and blemishes at bay, and the other for relaxing and repairing your skin at the end of a long day. I find in winter my skin becomes far more reactive to the cold air and irritants like pollution in the atmosphere, so it helps to have this toner ready to go for those days I need something different to support my skin!