Nourilo

Food-therapy guide

What tea helps with acne and oily skin?

Short answer

For acne and oily skin, Cantonese food therapy often turns to cooling drinks and teas associated with clearing heat and supporting skin balance. Kudzu Root, Mung Bean, Coix Seed and Hyacinth Bean Drink is one of the closest matches, while Three-Flower Tea (San Hua Cha) is traditionally associated with reducing facial oil. Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup is a stronger cooling option for heat-related breakouts.

Skin & Natural BeautyCooling & Summer Heat

In traditional Chinese food therapy, oily skin and breakouts are often approached as signs of accumulated heat and dampness, particularly when they appear during hot, humid weather or alongside a diet rich in fried or greasy foods.

The recipes below take slightly different approaches. Mung bean, kudzu root, rehmannia and Job's tears appear in several cooling preparations traditionally used for heat-related or acne-prone skin, while floral teas offer a lighter everyday option associated with clearer, brighter skin and less facial oil.

6 recipes compared

RecipeTypeKey ingredientsBest forTime
Kudzu Root, Mung Bean, Coix Seed and Hyacinth Bean Drink Tonic Drinks & Waters Kudzu root, Mung beans, Raw coix seeds / Job's tears Acne linked with accumulated heat 135 min
Three-Flower Tea (San Hua Cha) Herbal & Flower Teas Pink rose buds, Golden osmanthus flowers, Jasmine flowers Oily skin and an everyday floral tea 10 min
Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup Soups Raw rehmannia root, Honeysuckle flower, Mung beans Heat-related breakouts in hot weather 70 min
Rehmannia Mung Bean Pigeon Soup (Sheng Di Lu Dou Ru Ge Tang) Soups Fresh rehmannia root, Mung beans, Raw coix seed / pearl barley Acne needing a milder balanced soup 110 min
Old Cucumber, Mung Bean and Pork Rib Soup Soups Old yellow cucumber, Mung beans, Dried tangerine peel Oily skin in hot, humid weather 105 min
Kudzu, Mung Bean and Job's Tears Soup Soups Kudzu root, Mung beans, Job's tears / Chinese pearl barley Summer heat and acne-prone skin 3 hr 20 min

The recipes, and why each one fits

  1. Kudzu Root, Mung Bean, Coix Seed and Hyacinth Bean Drink

    Best for: Acne linked with accumulated heat

    This slow-cooked drink combines kudzu root, mung beans and coix seeds, ingredients traditionally associated with clearing accumulated heat and supporting clearer skin. It is specifically used for acne, pimples and blemishes.

    traditionally used to clear internal heat, support skin clarity, and ease acne and blemishes

  2. Three-Flower Tea (San Hua Cha)

    Best for: Oily skin and an everyday floral tea

    Rose, osmanthus and jasmine make this the most tea-like everyday option here. The blend is traditionally associated with moistening the skin, improving complexion and reducing facial oil.

    traditionally associated with improving circulation, brightening skin tone, reducing pigmentation spots, and clearing breath

  3. Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup

    Best for: Heat-related breakouts in hot weather

    Raw rehmannia, honeysuckle and mung beans make this a distinctly cooling preparation traditionally used for heat-related acne and skin eruptions. It is intended as a short course rather than a daily drink.

    traditionally supports skin cooling and the body's natural processes for heat-related breakouts

  4. Rehmannia Mung Bean Pigeon Soup (Sheng Di Lu Dou Ru Ge Tang)

    Best for: Acne needing a milder balanced soup

    Fresh rehmannia, mung beans and raw coix seed form the skin-focused base of this soup. It is traditionally used to clear heat and dampness and support skin affected by acne or early-stage folliculitis.

    traditionally used to clear heat and dampness, support skin health, and ease folliculitis and acne

  5. Old Cucumber, Mung Bean and Pork Rib Soup

    Best for: Oily skin in hot, humid weather

    Old yellow cucumber and mung beans give this classic summer soup its cooling character. It is traditionally associated with clearing heat and supporting oily, acne-prone skin during hot and humid weather.

    traditionally associated with clearing heat, supporting the body's natural processes, and supporting skin comfort

  6. Kudzu, Mung Bean and Job's Tears Soup

    Best for: Summer heat and acne-prone skin

    Kudzu root, mung beans and Job's tears are traditionally associated with clearing summer heat. This pork-bone soup is particularly suited to people whose breakouts accompany hot weather and oily sweat.

    Traditionally used to clear summer heat and support clearer, acne-prone skin

How to choose

  • For a drink specifically aimed at acne and accumulated heat, start with the Kudzu Root, Mung Bean, Coix Seed and Hyacinth Bean Drink.
  • For a quick, tea-like daily option focused particularly on facial oil, choose Three-Flower Tea (San Hua Cha), which takes about 10 minutes.
  • For distinctly heat-related breakouts, Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup is the stronger cooling choice, but it is not intended for daily drinking.
  • If you tend towards a cold constitution, avoid the raw rehmannia and honeysuckle recipe and consider the more balanced Rehmannia Mung Bean Pigeon Soup instead.
  • If you prefer a substantial meal rather than tea, the old cucumber or kudzu pork-based soups offer traditional summer options for oily, acne-prone skin.

When to be cautious

  • Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup is not suitable during pregnancy or for people with a cold constitution, and it is intended for short-term use rather than as a daily drink.
  • For Rehmannia Mung Bean Pigeon Soup during pregnancy, replace the coix seed with red beans as specified in the recipe.
  • Food therapy is traditionally used as supportive dietary care rather than as a treatment for acne. See a doctor if acne or other skin symptoms persist, worsen or are severe.

Common questions

What is the best tea in this list for oily skin?

Three-Flower Tea (San Hua Cha), made with rose, osmanthus and jasmine, is the closest match if facial oil is your main concern. It is traditionally associated with reducing facial oil while supporting a brighter complexion. It also takes only about 10 minutes, making it considerably quicker than the mung-bean drinks and soups.

What should I drink when acne gets worse in hot weather?

Traditional Cantonese food therapy often turns to cooling ingredients when breakouts coincide with hot, humid weather. Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup is specifically associated with heat-related breakouts, while the Kudzu Root, Mung Bean, Coix Seed and Hyacinth Bean Drink is traditionally used for accumulated heat, acne and blemishes.

Can I drink these acne teas every day?

Not all of them. The Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup is explicitly intended as a short-term preparation rather than a daily drink. Three-Flower Tea (San Hua Cha) is described as suitable for daily drinking, while the kudzu, mung bean, coix seed and hyacinth bean drink is described as a gentle preparation suitable for family use from older children upwards.

Which option is suitable if I have a cold constitution?

Avoid Raw Rehmannia Honeysuckle Mung Bean Soup if you tend towards a cold constitution, as the recipe specifically cautions against it. The Rehmannia Mung Bean Pigeon Soup is described as more balanced: traditionally it clears without being excessively cold and nourishes without being heavy, making it a milder option for people with weaker constitutions.

Guides are compiled from Nourilo's recipe library and describe traditional use. Read how we write and check our content and who is behind Nourilo.

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