Blueberry Pomegranate Iced Green Tea + A Green Tea Beauty Hack
As a girl who grew up in the South, a cold pitcher of iced tea was on our dinner table every single night. I grew up drinking unsweetened iced tea, and I’ve carried my iced tea obsession into adulthood. When you live in a state known for heat and humidity, you learn that you always need to have a cold drink in your hand, and in my opinion, iced tea is a great way to go.
While my family taught me to love drinking a refreshing and tasty cup of tea, my mom also taught me to use our leftover tea to fix a variety of beauty problems. Waste not, want not! Today I’m sharing one of the best beauty tips my mom ever taught me. It’s a beauty hack for de-puffing tired eyes that’s quick, easy, affordable, and effective. Plus, I’m also sharing a delicious recipe for blueberry pomegranate iced green tea that’s absolutely delicious!
How to De-Puff Your Eyes with Green Tea
I love DIY beauty hacks, but let’s be real, it’s better when they’re quick and easy. Today’s tip couldn’t be easier, and it’s a time-tested beauty secret that might just change your beauty game. Raise your hand if you don’t get enough sleep and constantly have tired and puffy eyes. By the way, I’m raising BOTH of my hands right now! As the mama of a one-year-old little girl who gets most of her work done after her daughter is asleep, a good night’s sleep is unfortunately not part of my daily routine at the moment. I get by with quick cat naps, caffeine, hydrating drinks, a whole lot of concealer, and today’s green tea beauty secret.
Have you ever seen an old movie where a glamorous women layed down in bed with tea bags over her eyes? I certainly have, and I watched my grandmother and mother do the same thing when I was a child. Of course, I immediately copied their actions because I wanted to be just as beautiful and fabulous as they were, but I never really understand why you were supposed to put tea bags on your eyes. Here’s the deal. When you apply chilled tea bags to your eyes for 10-30 minutes, you’ll notice it reduces puffiness in your eye area to give you a more rested and youthful appearance.
But why tea? Well, green tea contains caffeine that constricts your blood vessels to reduce swelling and produce tighter skin. Plus, green tea is also filled with antioxidants called tannins and flavonoids. Both of these antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties as well. When you combine the effects of caffeine and antioxidants with the cold temperature of chilled tea bags, you have an incredibly effective combination for dealing with tired and puffy eyes.
The best part of this beauty hack is that it’s also recycling something that you’ve already used. The next time you brew a cup of green tea (or make the yummy iced green tea recipe I’m sharing below), be sure to store your leftover tea bags in a zipper bag or lidded container in your refrigerator for up to one week. The next time you wake up with tired and puffy eyes OR before you’re headed out for a night on the town and want to look your best, wash your face, grab two cold tea bags, and place one tea bag over each of your closed eyes for ten to thirty minutes. The cold temperature will instantly feel soothing on your tired eyes, and the caffeine and antioxidants will work their magic while you relax on your bed. I personally like listening to a podcast or audiobook while I’m doing this DIY green tea beauty treatment, but you could definitely also try it out while you’re taking a nap too.
Whether you’re looking for a hydrating and refreshing drink or just want to invest in a time-tested beauty tradition, definitely try out Lipton Tea bags. My mom always used Lipton tea bags to make the iced tea our family drank each day of my childhood, and it works just as well in this beauty treatment. Click here to get $1 off ANY one (1) Lipton Tea (excludes ready to drink tea) at Publix from 10/13 – 10/26!
Blueberry Pomegranate Iced Green Tea Recipe
Now that I’ve shared how I get rid of puffy eyes with leftover tea bags, let’s talk about a great way to use the tea bags in the first place! While I love a good old-fashioned cup of hot and unsweetened green tea (zero calories and absolutely delicious), today I’m sharing a recipe for blueberry pomegranate iced green tea that’s absolutely addictive. Tea is comprised of 99.5% water, so it’s just as hydrating and refreshing as plain water – BUT this recipe is way tastier than a plain water bottle and extremely easy to create. Keep reading to learn how I created this delicious fruity iced tea with Lipton Pure Green Tea from my local Publix.
STEP ONE: The first step is to brew a pot of Lipton Pure Green Tea. When I’m making iced tea, I like to brew my tea slightly stronger than I would for hot tea because it will be diluted by the melting ice. I tend to use the ratio of two tea bags for every one cup of water. Once your tea is brewed, stir in honey to taste while the tea is still hot. The heat of the tea will help to melt the honey quickly and evenly. Once your tea and honey is combined, simply pour the tea in a pitcher and chill. If you’re looking for great green tea that’s also a great deal, use this coupon to get $1 off Lipton Tea!
STEP TWO: While iced green tea is delicious on its own (especially with a splash of honey), today we’re adding a fruity flavor and extra antioxidants with the addition of blueberry pomegranate juice. I don’t like my tea to be too sweet, so I found that adding 1/2 cup of juice for every two cups of green tea was my perfect ratio. At the end of the day, it’s totally up to you and your taste preferences. For a sweeter drink, add more fruit juice. If you don’t like this flavor combo or simply have another type of fruit juice at home, feel free to substitute your desired juice.
STEP THREE: Now it’s time to add some extra flavor. Add in a few handfuls of fresh blueberries and mint leaves to brighten up this fruity iced tea. You can either muddle the berries and mint with a spoon to release the flavor into the drink or allow them to infuse the water over time.
STEP FOUR: While your yummy iced blueberry pomegranate green tea is ready to go, I highly recommend chilling it before drinking. The extra time will allow the iced tea to become even colder and more refreshing, and your green tea has an extra chance to soak up all of the flavor from the blueberries, mint, honey, and pomegranate.
This easy iced green tea recipe is delicious, refreshing, and 100% natural – just like Lipton Pure Green Tea. I love that this particular brand of green tea is made with young tea leaves to give a light, fresh, and non-bitter taste. I will definitely be stocking up on this green tea and all of our favorite Lipton tea bags while I can use the $1 off coupon! If you’re trying to watch your sugar intake, feel free to omit the honey in this recipe OR simply opt to make iced unsweetened green tea that’s naturally calorie-free. I promise you, it’s a delicious drink either way!
Now that I’ve bragged about the benefits of green tea for your beauty regimen and your tastebuds, I have to brag about one more thing that makes Lipton such a unique brand. They are Rainforest Alliance Certified, which means they’re working with the Rainforest Alliance to improve the social, environmental and economic conditions of the people who grow and pick every tea leaf in every tea bag. There’s nothing better than a company who truly cares!
Whether you need to grab DIY green tea beauty supplies or simply want to stock up on delicious and refreshing beverage options, don’t forget to use this coupon to get $1 off ANY one (1) Lipton Tea (excludes ready to drink tea) from 10/13 – 10/26. If you live in the southern states, you know that Publix is the #1 place to buy groceries and buy Lipton tea! Do you have any DIY beauty hacks that have been passed down in your family? What’s your favorite way to drink tea?
