I'll be the first to admit that I've been pretty lucky when it comes to skin. For much of my life, I’ve made it through blemish-free with no need to fully understand the complexities of salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide nor the three-step cleansing system.

But that also means that when I started consistently breaking out as an adult, I felt a little lost when it came to feasible solutions. In talking to my sister (conveniently, an herbalist), she told me to drink more water, less coffee, and eat more leafy greens—all of which I already did, and it didn't seem to be making a damn bit of difference. So then she advised me to make an herbal tea blend, which I aptly named my Beauty Tea.

Here’s what you need (if you live in NYC, Flower Power is the place to go):

- Nettles

- Milky oats

- Rose petals

- Calendula

- Orange blossom

Here’s what they do:

Nettles are dense with vitamins and minerals such as iron, protein, and chlorophyll, so they help fill in the body’s nutritional needs where our diets may be lacking. They act as an aid to the liver—I was once told that whatever the liver can’t process, the skin does. A little help in that area can't hurt, I figure.

Milky oats come from the same plant as oatmeal and have a long history of curing skin ailments. They’re a cooling herb, which “helps to relieve inflammation and works to soothe the body, especially the nervous system,” my sister told me.

Rose petals have been used on skin for centuries as they are an “astringent plant that helps to tone the body from the inside out,” she added.

Calendula is another healing herb often used for skin issues. “It helps reduce inflammation in the body and helps the skin heal more quickly.” Also things I want.

Orange Blossoms come straight from the orange tree and are all things cooling, brightening and refreshing.

Directions:

Combine nettles, milky oats, rose petals, calendula, and orange blossoms in a jar or container. Mix them all together and spoon out 1 tablespoon. Fill a tea ball or infuser and drench in water. Let steep for three to five minutes. Drink at least one cup per day.

—Alexandra Bergeron

Photos courtesy of Morgan Von Steen. Read up on even more reasons to love tea.