How to make green tea? {DIY}

I had once upon a time done a post on the beauty benefits of green tea. But, making green tea properly is a little tricky. Properly made green tea provides plethora of benefits but if not made properly, not only does it not give the benefits but also tastes horrible. If it tastes bitter or too bland, then you are not making it correctly.

Green Tea is the least processed tea leaves after white tea so the leaves are very delicate and can burn at higher temperatures. The optimal temperature of water for green tea is 75 degrees. Even a little bit more would spoil the leaves, burn them and cause the taste to turn bitter at which point you are not receiving any benefits from drinking the tea. So, how to make it properly?

Here's what I do. I don't take more than a tea spoon of tea leaves. I always use loose powder because the instant tea bags need to go more processing than the loose powder.I boil my water in electric kettle coz it happens faster. So, after it boils, I leave the kettle open for 15 minutes for the water to cool down. Then, after 15 minutes are over, pour the water over the tea leaves in a cup and stir it with a spoon for two minutes exactly (a minute more would make the tea taste bitter). Strain the tea and drink it. You can add honey as a sweetener but it tastes better without that or you can also add 4-5 drops of lemon for extra flavor. 

Instead of throwing the used leaves, I pour boiling water over the leaves and leave it over night. In the morning, I strain the leaves and use the liquid either as a toner, pour it in my bath water, wash my face or use it as a hair rinse.

I like the Tetley brand of green tea particularly. Heard that Twining is good but I have not used the Fab India one. But, I had used their Tulsi something tea which I didn't particularly like. And, there are a lot of flavors in the market in various brands. So, you can use any!!

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Honey: Elexir for Hair and Skin {Ingredient}

Honey is a natural humectant. It traps moisture and keeps your skin supple. It is anti-bacterial and prevents the skin breakouts. Many of the skin care and hair care products swear by the goodness of honey. The home remedies have their stock full of goodness of honey.

• put on a thick layer of honey on your face for 30 minutes and wash off.
• to remove scars, blemishes, even out complexion or any other marks on skin, apply honey on it.
• use it as an ingredients of various face masks.
• use it to clean your eyes
• use it as a hair conditioner (wash off or leave-in)
• use it as a last rinse for shine
• pour a table spoon of honey in bath water for a silky smooth skin
  

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Green Tea Beauty Uses {DIY}

Hi

We all are, by now, aware of the benefits of drinking Green Tea everyday thanks to the marketing of its benefits done so aggressively by everyone from cosmetics to health care professionals.

It can provide you with abundant anti-oxidants to slow down your aging process. You can cut down your calories by not adding any sugar or honey to your tea but it depends on your taste, of course. Not everyone can drink it. Anyways, I am not here to tell you how to drink your cup of tea or tell you about its benefits. I know that you all are more than saturated with all that information.

You all must have heard about the growing use of green tea extracts in the cosmetic industry. Well, instead of spending large bucks on buying such products which contain less than 10% of the green tea extract as its ingredient and mixed with all sorts of chemicals, you can use your own freshly brewed green tea for the same effects at home and save your bucks simultaneously. You can use green tea as a rinse for your hair, wash your face with it, use it as a toner, in the body scrub and for those people who like making their own moisturizers and all, you can use green tea instead of simple distilled water to provide you with extra benefits. After drinking your cup of tea, you can use the left over tea leaves to brew another cup. You might want it to be a little concentrated so use less water and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. After straining, put the brew in the fridge for half hour. When chilled, you can use it the way you want to. You can also relax your eyes by placing cotton balls saturated with green tea on your eyes.

If you do not drink green tea then you can buy the supplements available at drug stores. Enjoy your cup of tea and the health and skin benefits that come with it.

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