What are the differences between matcha and moringa?

Matcha has been hailed as a superfood in recent years, from matcha lattes to matcha face masks, this trendy ingredient continues to gain popularity. Enter moringa. You could call it matcha’s lesser-known cousin as there are lots of similarities between the two. We use moringa in our Body Scrub Melt and Cleansing Face Mask.

As moringa isn’t as mainstream as matcha, one of our most asked questions here at Wildtree is, “what is the difference between the two?”. We have drawn up an easy guide highlighting the differences and specific benefits of each ingredient, which will hopefully help you in making informed decisions about your skincare.

Let’s start with matcha powder. The result of finely milled green tea leaves, matcha is historically associated with Japanese tea ceremonies. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG for short) is found in high quantities in green tea, which means matcha is great at neutralizing free radicals and as a result, prevents skin ageing and congestion from the likes of pollution and harmful rays from the sun. In other words, if you’re worried about age spots, wrinkles and sun damage, matcha is a great ingredient to incorporate into your skincare.

Now let’s move onto moringa, one of our star superfood ingredients! Moringa is similar to matcha in that it combats environmental aggressors due to the high vitamin E content. Moringa is rich in vitamins A and C, which stimulate collagen production and cell turnover, reducing the appearance of fine lines. The encouragement of cell renewal also helps in the fight against blemishes and pigmentation. Moringa is generally great at protecting against breakouts due to its natural anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties – this ingredient has powerful cleansing and purifying abilities.

Both matcha and moringa are very gentle and suitable for all skin types. In particular, for those suffering with dry or even flaky skin, these ingredients can provide soothing relief. Whilst the two ingredients can offer similar benefits, there some differences that are important to point out when deciding which may be best for you.

Matcha contains caffeine which is increasingly added to modern skincare products as it is believed to ‘wake up’ skin, reducing puffiness and dark under eye circles. On the other hand, moringa offers higher levels of the essential nutrients, vitamin A and C, and antioxidants. meaning the visible results may appear more effective, for example you should quickly notice your skin looking more rejuvenated and less dehydrated as your fine lines begin to fade when using moringa.

The specific skincare problem you want to tackle will determine which ingredient you should incorporate into your skincare routine. Both moringa and matcha are extremely beneficial to supporting healthy, happy skin, but their differences may help tailor your skincare to your exact needs.

Enjoy the benefits of using matcha for yourself by indulging in some of favourite matcha products from our friends OMG Tea.