Put Down the Iced Latte, Matcha Is Far More Beneficial as a Skincare Ingredient—Here’s Why
And experts are in agreement
Beauty's obsession with food and drink is far from over—we've had coffee-inspired hair colours, jam lips, and even glazed donut nails, but there's one particularly trendy ingredient that skincare in particular cannot get enough of: matcha.
Search interest in matcha reached an all-time high in July 2025, but we're not just drinking it anymore. 'Matcha green nails' are the top trending 'green nails' style this year, and countless beauty brands have jumped on the bandwagon with matcha-themed products. But why? The appeal of the drink itself evokes serious debate, but it has become inextricably linked with health and wellness.
Green tea is known to have a high concentration of antioxidants which can reduce inflammation in the body, and matcha in particular can boost skin health when applied topically.
"As wellness and beauty continue to overlap, matcha is the perfect 'crossover' ingredient," says Qiang Qiu (QQ), Vice President, Global Innovation at Tatcha. "It has a strong heritage in Japan as an artful ritual and well-being practice to cleanse the body inside out and a way to bring harmony from within, and this is what inspired us to use matcha as inspiration for The Matcha Cleanse—a way to cleanse oily, often sensitised skin while bringing harmony and balance."
Whether you're in the market for the best cleanser for your skin type or even one of the best lip balms to keep stashed in your handbag, matcha could be the answer.
Is matcha good for skincare?
"Matcha is potent in skin-supporting ingredients that all skin types can benefit from. All skin types are under constant attack from external aggressors, which prompts inflammation in the skin if it isn't equipped to deal with oxidative stress. Matcha is packed full of antioxidants, which help support the skin as it deals with this stress, helping to prevent premature ageing," explains Qiu.
"It is also full of soothing ingredients that can help calm sensitised skin, especially blemish-prone skin. We partnered our Kyo-matcha with Japanese hatomugi, which acts like a ceramide to support the skin barrier health—so when you cleanse, instead of stripping the skin, you're strengthening and soothing it."
And it's not just skincare benefits that matcha can provide; it can improve the appearance of your makeup as well. "I often notice how my oily skin clients have stripped their skin of natural sebum and thrown their pH-levels out of balance by over-cleansing, which impacts the wear of makeup I’m applying on top," says Daniel Martin, Professional Makeup Artist and Tatcha’s Director of Artistry. "We designed the Matcha Cleanse to bring your skin to a balanced state, which helps keep your makeup locked down for hours."
Shop matcha beauty products
"Consumers know and love matcha in its ingestible form. Now, we can get those same benefits to their skin with our ultra-potent, uniquely sourced Kyo-matcha used in The Matcha Cleanse," says Qiu. I use this cleanser regularly and it works wonders to calm my acne-prone skin and cleanse thoroughly without stripping.
Designed to intensely hydrate and nourish the lips, Laneige's matcha lip balm is the antidote to dryness—and it protects the lips from environmental aggressors to prevent any further irritation.
Think of this mask like a smoothie for your face. It's designed to protect against environmental stress and leave your skin smooth, plump and glowing when it needs a little boost.
I'm a huge fan of this lip scrub by SYNC. As well as buffing away dryness, it delivers hydration and rejuvenates tired lips when they need it without being too harsh or gritty.
Hydrating and soothing matcha protects the skin's barrier as this cleanser strips away oils and dirt without dehydrating the skin. It's also formulated with vitamin B5 and sodium PCA for an extra moisture hit.
Made for dull and parched hair types, this matcha blend shampoo supports healthy-looking hair and a balanced scalp. Matcha also works to guard against colour fade to keep your hair fresher for longer.
I couldn't write about matcha without including one of my new favourite scents. Thé Matcha is equal parts fresh and mature, with a light, creamy and earthy finish that has unisex appeal. It's the perfect size for travelling too, and fits any occasion.
