Sure! For one thing, you can use tea leaves in soap making - the melt-and-pour kind. These kits are available at most craft stores. You basically chop off a few blocks from the sheet and melt them in the microwave, then add color and fragrance quickly, before the soap starts to harden. Pour the soap into a mold and voila! About.com recommends steeping the leaves BEFORE you add them to the mix, that way there is no "bleeding" and changing of the soap's color. Make sure you dry the leaves as well as you can before adding them to the mixture.
There's an old recipe I read years ago for a hair treatment using tea. Brew up one cup of chamomile tea (about 6-8 oz), using loose tea for the best results. Allow the tea to cool completely. Pour the tea into a reusable bottle, like those sold for travel purposes. Add high quality extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup per each cup of tea. Shake it up vigorously and store in your shower/tub. Then, before you wash your hair, apply a small amount (about the size of a quarter for medium-length hair) of the chamomile concoction to your hair. Leave on for about five minutes and rinse thoroughly. Then shampoo and condition as normal. Do this about once a week depending on hair type - if you have oily hair opt for twice a month, dry hair; try it twice a week. The bottle should last at least a month or so, depending on how often you use it. You can change it up with other teas too, of course: peppermint, or ginger peach, or whatever you prefer.
You can make a green tea face treatment too just by using green tea, fullers' earth and honey. That site also offers alternative for those of you with sensitive skin.
Here's a fun one: Cinnamon Tea for a Healthy Glow. The author uses tea and real cinnamon sticks, but I'm sure you could swap out the cinnamon tea for peppermint...and peppermint leaves if that's your preference.
And here's a recipe I found on Lipgloss Love Affair - the author is a huge fan of green tea and beauty products so this one is sure to be perfect for us tea fiends:
What you'll need
1 green tea bag or loose tea leaves
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup Rose Water (available at Wholefoods or you can make your own by following these instructions)
Vitamin E Oil
Mini Spray Bottle
1 green tea bag or loose tea leaves
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup Rose Water (available at Wholefoods or you can make your own by following these instructions)
Vitamin E Oil
Mini Spray Bottle
What to do:
1) Steep the tea in 1/2 cup boiling water.
2) Let the tea cool to room temperature.
3) Add the rose water. Rose water helps keep skin moisturized, fresh, and balances the pH.
4) Add a couple drops of Vitamin E Oil. Vitamin E Oil acts as an antioxidant which prevents the formation of free radicals on the skin and also has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition it prevents water loss from the skin and helps to retain its natural moisture.
5) Pour into spray bottle. Keep it in the fridge or carry it around in your purse!
6) Spray as needed for a refreshing mist!
1) Steep the tea in 1/2 cup boiling water.
2) Let the tea cool to room temperature.
3) Add the rose water. Rose water helps keep skin moisturized, fresh, and balances the pH.
4) Add a couple drops of Vitamin E Oil. Vitamin E Oil acts as an antioxidant which prevents the formation of free radicals on the skin and also has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition it prevents water loss from the skin and helps to retain its natural moisture.
5) Pour into spray bottle. Keep it in the fridge or carry it around in your purse!
6) Spray as needed for a refreshing mist!
Got any others? Submit your recipe for a tea-infused beauty product by emailing me, or post below.
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