Crazy about Kombucha! The Beauty Behind it's External Use.

Kombucha: Fermented Tea

 Kombucha:
Many of us have become familiar with this probiotic rich drink over the last 2 decades (introduced into mainstream America in the early 1990's) but did you know that this sweet fermented tea has been around in different parts of the world for at least 2,000 years? There is record of it's uses and benefits in China (Qin Dynasty) dating back to 220 BC!  Early records indicate it's traveling to Japan and Russia early on as well and then continuing it's spread through out many cultures.

This "elixir of health" as it has been referred to world over, has a naturally effervescent (bubbly carbonation), and known for its probiotics, antioxidants, and B vitamins, and almost too many to name bacterial acids (yes this is good for you and your skin).

Kombucha Scoby

 This strange membranous thing pictured above is called a kombucha scoby.  It is a cellulose membrane that forms with all the health giving bacterias colonizing on it. This is what turns your tea from regular a sweet tea to a fermented and health giving "liquid gold".

So how can this fermented tea be of external use for our health and beauty regime?  Many people who love kombucha begin home brewing, caring for their  scoby, and making their own delicious concoctions. Sometimes by accident (or purposefully) we let a batch sit just a little too long, turning into a vinegar like drink instead.  Many people prefer the stage right before the kombucha turns to a vinegar for drinking purposes.  Here are some wonderful reasons WHY  to let a batch or two every once in a while sit a little too long...

Facial Toner:
Kombucha, just like regular vinegar, helps to balance the pH of your skin.  But unlike normal apple cider or white vinegar it also has many different acids and healthy bacteria to help fight bacterial imbalances that come with conditions such as acne.  Kombucha also gently tightens, firms, and tones the skin that it is applied to.  It has been seen to over time reduce dark spots and color imbalances fro the face and neck as well.  Application with a cotton pad followed by a cool water rinse, or kombucha added to a small amount of other facial ingredients (aloe water, hydrofoils, etc.) and spray misted on to the skin are both great ways to incorporate this into your daily (weekly) routine.

Hair Rinse: 
Another application that can be substituted for regular apple cider or white vinegar; the hair rise!
The longer you have allowed your kombucha to ferment the better.  This rinse will strip your hair of all of the build up from daily usage of hair sprays and gels, shampoos and conditioners, as well as the build up that happens from toxins in our environments.  It gently takes off residue and helps begin the repair process of damaged, dry, and over treated hair strands.  Not only does it work with each strand of hair, it gently removes the built up oils from the scalp, helps balance pH, and is great for reducing and eventually eliminating unwanted itchy scalp and dandruff.