The Benefits of EGCG (Green Tea) in Skincare

The multi-hyphenated skin care ingredient.

I’m fairly surprised that there aren’t more brands creating entire lines surrounding the many benefits of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Amorepacific, a cosmetic conglomerate in South Korea, has it as the center of their flagship brand boasting a proprietary extraction process which yields more catechins, the beneficial molecules from green tea.

I’m one who obsesses over an ingredient if right off the bat I can find promising research and there is a ton on EGCG. Most of it is in vitro with a small amount of in vivo. At this point there are literature reviews summarizing the consistent findings from the available research. There is a lot of mixed information on EGCG but there are some effects that have been consistently shown across different modalities.

EGCG increases the amount of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (antioxidants already present in the skin) while decreasing MDA, which is a common biomarker for oxidative stress in human fibroblasts and keratinocytes (in vitro & in vivo) [1,2,5]. EGCG has also been shown to be a potent antioxidant in its own right and in some cases better than ascorbic acid (in vitro)[3,6].

The problem with EGCG is its permeability and stabilization. It cannot penetrate human skin by itself. There are several methods to improve stability and permeation though like vehicle selection or molecular alteration. Suspensions, hydrogels, encapsulation, and delivery with micro-needling have been shown to help with permeation and stability [5]. Several derivatives through glycosylation and esterification also improve stability and solubility. The glycosylated derivatives were more water soluble, however, their antioxidant ability was decreased [6]. The oil soluble esters of EGCG were found to actually have better free radical scavenging ability compared to regular EGCG while both performed better than ascorbic acid at reducing free radicals when tested in equal concentrations (in vitro)[7].

Antioxidants are usually associated with anti-aging. Collagen building is a common pathway for antioxidants to provide those benefits. Usually antioxidants inhibit the effects of UV radiation thus preventing any stress induced reactions like apoptosis or inflammation. EGCG does this but it’s nuanced. It can both inhibit[2] and promote MMP-1[1,4], an enzyme that cleaves collagen in reaction to stress. The reaction depends on what kind of cell and what kind of stress is of concern[1,4]. EGCG also has the ability to affect the AP-1 protein which affects cell proliferation, growth and death, especially collagen[1]. The goal for EGCG seems more to regulate than exclusively inhibit or promote, however, the reason for why it chooses to do either is not explicit. This is all assuming EGCG will reach the cells which currently through topical applications it can’t.

EGCG can also modulate pathways of inflammation. The HO-1 enzyme is an anti-inflammatory precursor which is activated by EGCG when applied to an established wound (in vivo)[5], however it is inhibited by EGCG when applied before exposure to UVA radiation(in vitro)[4]. It seems applying EGCG before sun exposure allows its antioxidant power to prevent free radicals from damaging fibroblasts therefore not activating HO-1, but when applied to already damaged tissue it functions as a calming aid. EGCG is also antimicrobial and can help with purification of a wound and preventing acne.

If we boil it all down EGCG is certainly a great antioxidant and calming agent. Its effect on collagen is not as clear cut however most studies indicate it’s great at preventing collagen degradation by inhibiting free radicals and reducing inflammation. Permeability and stability are still problems but research is promising on ways to improve them. In the mean time I’d look for anhydrous solutions, encapsulated EGCG, or applying it in conjunction with micro-needling. Right now EGCG is most valuable when applied as the first line of defense before sun exposure or directly on damaged skin for its soothing properties.

1. Hsu, S. (2015). Green tea and the skin. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 52(6), 1049-1059. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2004.12.044

2. Jia, Y., Mao, Q., Yang, J., Du, N., Zhu, Y., Min, W. (2023). (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Protects Human Skin Fibroblasts from Ultraviolet a Induced Photoaging. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol, 16, 149-159.

   https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S398547

3. 3. Kim, E.; Hwang, K.; Lee, J.; Han, S.Y.; Kim, E.-M.; Park, J.; Cho, J.Y. (2018).

   Skin Protective Effect of Epigallocatechin Gallate. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 19, 173.

   https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19010173

4. 4. Soriani, M., Rice-Evans, C., and Tyrrell, M. (1998). Modulation of the UVA activation of haem oxygenase, collagenase and cyclooxygenase gene expression by epigallocatechin in human skin cells, FEBS Letters, 439, doi:10.1016/S0014-5793(98)01387-8

5. 5. Xu, F.-W., Lv, Y.-L., Zhong, Y.-F., Xue, Y.-N., Wang, Y., Zhang, L.-Y., Hu, X., Tan, W.-Q. (2021). Beneficial Effects of Green Tea EGG on Skin Wound Healing: A Comprehensive Review. Molecules, 26, 6123.

   https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26206123

6. 6. Zhang, X., Wang, J., Hu, J.-M., Huang, Y.-W., Wu, X.-Y., Zi, C.-T., Wang, X.-

   J., Sheng, J. (2016). Synthesis and Biological Testing of Novel Glucosylated Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGG) Derivatives. Molecules, 21, 620.

   htts://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050620

7. 7. Zhong, Y., Ma, C., Shahid, F. (2012). Antioxidant and antiviral activities of lipophilic epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) derivatives. Journal of Functional Foods, 4(1), 87-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2011.08.003