Sipping a hot tea is a great way to bring a sense of calm on a hectic day, but did you know that you can actually turn your cup of tea into a homemade beauty recipe? Teas, including black, red and green, have long been used to improve not just one’s overall health, but the appearance of the skin and hair as well. Curious enough? Then head down to your grocery store, buy some tea and enjoy these amazing beauty benefits.

1. Adds Shine to Dull Hair. Suffering from brassy strands? Then perform a hair rinse using black or green tea. Just steep one to two tea bags in a boiling water for about 15 minutes, then allow it to cool overnight. As you shower the following day, pour it on your hair and leave it on for 10 minutes. Once you’re done, shampoo and condition your hair to seal in the shine.

2. Reduces Under-Eye Circles. Another reason why you shouldn’t toss your Earl Grey bags yet is that it helps in reducing under-eye circles. The caffeine found in the tea shrinks the blood vessels beneath the skin, thereby eliminating the darkness and puffiness around the eye area.

3. Rids of Smelly Feet Odour. Accept it, your Chanel No. 5 won’t help in treating your stinky feet. Instead, soak them in a cool solution that’s made out of boiled tea. The tannic acid found in most teas is antifungal and antibacterial, and this is what will help in keeping your feet from sweating and smelling.

4. Enhances Hair Colour. Looking for a good, chemical-free alternative to dyeing your hair? Then try using some tea. Most teas has staining properties that enhances the colour of naturally blonde or brunette locks.

5. Gives Tan Skin. Just like in colouring hair, rubbing a sponge soaked in black tea all over your body, or submerging in tub full of tea bags, will give you a natural tan. Just make sure that you rinse properly afterwards as the process can leave a sticky feeling on your skin.

6. Soothes Sunburns. Happened to get some sunburn from your weekend beach trip? Then grab your used tea bags and turn them into cold compresses to relieve the stinging pain and reduce the redness of your burns. Opt for black tea on this one though, as it treats sunburn better than the other tea variety.

Teas are no longer just a drink that offers a calming effect. Now, it’s already known as a great grocery item capable of giving you the beauty benefits that you only used to get from your store-brought beauty products.