ALL THE TEA IN CHINA

Tea. Where would we be without it?  Not only does it keep us going through the day, it comes loaded with health and beauty benefits.

While we were in China we met up with a tea expert who explained that drinking tea through the day was an important ritual to keep the body well and maintain internal balance.  The tea-making process ensures the leaves release just the right amount of flavour and is tasted at the right temperature (not too hot otherwise it 'shocks the body' and gets in the way of the delicate flavours that the tea leaves contain).

While the link between tea and health is well-known in Asian cultures, what was new to us was how tea is considered an important beauty aid.  What's more, different tea is used by Chinese women for different beauty benefits.  

Rose tea is prefered to 'keep your skin smooth and looking young'.  

Green tea to help 'keep everything flowing and remove toxins' so often used to prevent acne and congested skin.  

We were thrilled to hear that the most prized of all for skin care was white tea. These delicate (and often quite pricey) tea leaves are prized for their high levels of antioxidants to 'keep skin healthy and fit'.

(The reason this made us smile so much is that all our products have White Tea Seed Oil as part of the blend - so it's lovely to hear that this beauty secret from Asia is growing in popularity there too.)

The other benefit of tea is its power to help destress and calm the mind. Especially the herbal infusions.  In China, lavender tea and chamomile are both gaining popularity as night time drinks to help you wind down and relax.  As 70% of taste is actually aroma, as well as soothing from the inside, they both tap in to the power of smell to change the way we feel and to act on our response sensors in our brain. Read more about the health benefits of tea from this fab article on the topic from wellness experts mindbodygreen.com - maybe get yourself a cuppa first.