Although, this tried-and-true hack is not as—shall we say—sensorially appealing as a sweet banana mask. This time, Michiko wants you to repurpose your onion peels: “The skin has so many benefits,” she says in a recent video, as the two sip on piping mugs of “onion skin tea.” The thing is, the quercetin seems to be most concentrated in the onion skin: Multiple studies show that the peel contains higher levels than the outer, middle, and core parts of the onion. Of course, the bulbs themselves still have significant amounts of the antioxidant, but you might want to pause before tossing away the peel. In terms of which color onion to use, there isn’t one onion deemed the “healthiest.” All varieties of onions contain skin-healthy antioxidants, although red onions, in particular, also have anthocyanins (aka the phytochemical that gives them their red pigment). This class of flavonoids is like a bonus nutrient for your skin, with added anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects3. So while you can grab any colored onion for your brew, red onions do pack a punch. Will it become your new favorite bedtime beverage? Perhaps not. But for the sake of glowing, youthful skin, why not give it a try? Plus, you can always add other skin-supporting ingredients to mask the taste, like turmeric or lemon.
