Objective: Tea is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Also, skin care products often contain antioxidant compounds that help protect the skin from free radicals that cause premature aging. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of whole green tea (Camellia sinensis) and its polyphenols, especially EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) on human skin.
Materials and Methods: This scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. The literature search was conducted using keywords: "Green tea", "Camellia sinensis", "cosmetics", "dermatology", and "topical". The literature search in this study included journals published from January 2013 to December 2023.  This scoping review aimed to answer questions about the benefits of green tea or tea polyphenol extract in cosmetics for skin aging problems. Since the aim of this scoping review is to give a broad overview of the subject matter, review articles are included to give all possible insights into this topic.
Results: We included twenty-one articles for qualitative analysis. The included studies consisted of six in vitro studies, nine reviews, and six controlled trials, with twelve studies investigating the effects of whole green tea, four studies focusing on its polyphenols, and five studies examining the compound EGCG.
Conclusion: This review gave an overview of green tea extract as an anti-aging in vivo and in vitro studies. Further research on the use of molecular carriers and their application to human skin is needed.