Skin Deep/Urbal Tea

It’s rare that I start of a review with the focus being on the ingredients but it’s a MUST with this offering from Urbal Tea named Skin Deep.

Skin Deep from Urbal Tea contains a slew of ingredients but they are carefully and thoughtfully mixed with care and include Calendula, Burdock Root, Red Clover blossoms, Oatstraw, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Rosehip, Sarsaparilla Root, Oregon Grape Root, Yellowdock, Chaste Berry, Fig Wort, Cleavers, Licorice Root, Dried Cherries, Cinnamon, Dried Coconut, Chickweed, and Natural Flavors.

You may have heard of some of these before but I would like to highlight a few of the ingredients we don’t tend to see a lot of here at SororiTea Sisters such as Oatstraw, Oregon Grape Root, Yellowdock, Chaste Berry, Fig Wort, and Cleavers.

Cleavers are known for their anti-inflammatory properties as well as Urinary Infection, Water retention, Oedema, Cystitis, Swollen Glands, Tonsilitis, Ulcers, Lumps, Tumours, Eczema, Psoriasis, Boils, Abscesses, Skin irritations, Wounds and Burns. It’s also a friend of the kidneys and liver. Of course, we aren’t making any claims here…just sharing information we have found in our tea and tisane loving journeys in the wonderful world of herbs!

WebMD says that Yellowdock is used for pain and swelling (inflammation) of nasal passages and the respiratory tract, and as a laxative and tonic. It is also used to treat bacterial infections and sexually transmitted diseases. Yellow dock is also sometimes used to treat intestinal infections, fungal infections, and for arthritis.

As for Chaste Berry, Healthline says, It’s most commonly used against premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual disorders, infertility, acne, menopause and nursing difficulties. It’s also touted as protection against insect bites and certain types of cancer and claimed to offer a variety of other health effects. However, not all benefits are backed by science.

Figwort is a natural alternative to a ‘water pill’ and the herb is sometimes applied directly to the skin for skin conditions such as eczema, itching, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, swelling, and rash.

So you can see that this blend of herbs in this herbal tisane is jam-packed with skin-friendly ingredients!

As for the taste – I was pleasantly surprised. With the additional of rosehips, coconut shreds, and cherry this really went above and beyond in superfoods and herbs and overall flavor. It’s just enough sweetness to enjoy both hot or cold.


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Herbal

Where to Buy:  Urbal Tea

Description

A unique blend of cherry, cinnamon, coconut, and other herbs and roots to help combat skin issues from the inside out.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Lemon Mango from Urbal Tea. . . .

Urbal Tea is one of the many companies introduced to me through the Sips By Subscription Box. It’s amazing how letting someone else pick your teas sometimes can lead you to a whole new world of companies and flavors. This Lemon Mango tea by Urbal is no exception. It is not something I believe I have seen before and yet the flavors seem like such a great combination in theory that I am surprised this is one of the first times I came across it.

The package for this tea advertises sweet lemon and mango which combine to make a tropical, refreshing blend and with a description like that, I couldn’t help but feel like this tea should be iced. I steeped about a tablespoon of leaf in boiling water for 5 minutes, per the company’s recommendation and then added ice.

The tea is definitely sweet and has a distinct lemon flavor at the tailend of the sip. It is refreshing because it is crisp and then that lemon zip sets in, coming off more as a lemonade inspired tea with just the slightest bit of mango sweetness. I am not surprised though given this has several lemon ingredients including lemon balm, lemon verbena, lemon peel, and lemon myrtle. In addition to the lemon ingredients, this tea is comprised of mango, orange, apple, pineapple, red clover blossom, raspberry leaf, blue violet leaf, rosehip, and dried mango. There is a lot going on but very little of it comes through other than as a generic fruity sweetness preceding the vibrant lemon flavor.

All in all, this is a bright tea that has great refreshing flavors for a hot summer day. Is it the best tea I ever had? No. Is it a tea I would drink again? Probably, if someone offered it to me or if I needed to reach free shipping on an Urbal Tea cart. It’s nice but not a must have in my books. Still, it was fun to try and it got me curious about the tea company and their other offerings.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Herbal
Where to Buy:  Urbal Tea
Description

Sweet mango and lemon combine to make this tropical, refreshing blend.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Kiwi Strawberry Energy from Urbal Tea. . . .

This tea was deliciously sweet-tart!

Far more sweet than tart, but the little extra zip that kiwi provides was certainly present. The hibiscus can be detected in the tang as well. It was also full of lots of other herbs I didn’t taste. And some I’ve never heard of before. If you like to know what you consume, this may be a good educational opportunity for you!

The tea is advertised as an “invigorating alternative to…. caffeine”. Not being at all susceptible to caffeine, I can’t say I felt susceptible to this tea’s energy claims either. However, it certainly wasn’t a sleepy time tea, as the tartness alone is stimulating. Which brings me to another observation. The instructions are to brew the tea and serve hot. It was pleasant warm. But it was stellar as an iced tea!

I would get this tea to have on hand to make bottles of iced tea, ready to go on a hot summer day. It would be perfectly refreshing and thirst quenching on the beach or for a sunny summer picnic. I loved that the tea has a blend of actual fruit pieces, instead of relying on flavorings, and the added herbs are minimally detectable, and probably beneficial. I’ll definitely stock up on this tea for the upcoming summer!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Herbal
Where to Buy:  Urbal Tea
Description

Enjoy this invigorating alternative to coffee, soda or energy drinks without any caffeine.  A burst of strawberry and kiwi combined with the vitality and stimulating properties of mate, gynostemma, eleuthero and more.

Contains: Nettle leaf, Yerba Mate, Green Mate, Eleuthero, Rosemary, Ginkgo leaf, Alfalfa leaf, Gotu Kola, Gynostemma, Oatstraw, Apple pieces, Dried Strawberry and Kiwi pieces, Hibiscus, Rosehip, Natural flavors

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Equalibrium from Urbal Teas. . . . .

Equilibrium from Urbal Teas is what’s next at Sororitea Sisters. It’s a heavily herbal Rooibos Blend of flavors. Urbal Tea says it’s their version of an herbal chai. I’m not sure if I would make that flavor connection right away but what I will say is that the actual flavor of this did blow me away!

It’s made up of Rooibos, Nettle leaf, Rosehip, Raspberry leaf, Licorice root, Anise Seed, Cardamom, Clove, Calendula, Dandelion leaf, Ginkgo, Eleuthero, Oatstraw, Gotu Kola, Cinnamon, Anise Seed and Safflower petals. All of that offers a herbal yet sweet taste. A creamy yet oat-like flavor. A floral yet spicy subtle surprise on the tongue. I have to give credit where credit is due. I think what brings this all together is the gentle use of licorice. I rarely say that because I was turned off by a few licorice flavored teas in the past and I know it isn’t fair to pre-judge others but they aren’t the first flavor I jump for if you know what I mean.

I’m a complex character. And so is this tea. I LOVE Peanut Butter. And I like some Jellies. But I don’t care for Peanut Butter AND Jelly Sandwiches. It’s weird, I know. That’s kind of how I feel about Licorice. I LOVE Licorice. I just don’t usually like Licorice Tea. In THIS specific case I couldn’t imagine this heavily flavored rooibos any other way! The Licorice is done PERFECTLY and really MAKES this tisane!

Every time I have a cup of Urbal Teas offerings I continued to be amazed by their blending ability. I should know by now NOT to ever question or be afraid of it because they are always memorable!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Urbal Tea
Description

This is our version of an herbal chai blend without the black tea or black pepper.  A warming combination of spices and herbs including anise, licorice, raspberry, and nettle to restore internal order and balance in the body.  Rosehip makes an excellent tonic for a tired and worn out body.  Anise helps rejuvenate the digestive system and soothe your respiratory pathways, while raspberry is known to improve your vitality.  Licorice is a powerful herb that eases body tensions and clears the respiratory system.  The spice components of clove and cardamom jump start your entire body.  There is much historical evidence to suggest that Nettle, a component of the blend, has the ability to settle the body.  Likewise, calendula has long been prized by herbalists for its ability to cleanse and detoxify the body, in particular the liver and gallbladder.

Contains: Rooibos, Nettle leaf, Rosehip, Raspberry leaf, Licorice root, Anise Seed, Cardamom, Clove, Calendula, Dandelion leaf, Ginkgo, Eleuthero, Oatstraw, Gotu Kola, Cinnamon, Anise Seed and Safflower petals

Steeping Instructions:
Boiling water
Steep 10 to 30 minutes
The longer the steeping time the stronger the tea

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Kiwi Strawberry Energy from Urbal Tea

KiwiStrawberryTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal

Where to Buy: Urbal Tea

Tea Description:

Enjoy this invigorating alternative to coffee, soda or energy drinks without any caffeine.  A burst of strawberry and kiwi combined with the vitality and stimulating properties of mate, gynostemma, eleuthero and more.  Contains Nettle leaf, Yerba Mate, Green Mate, Eleuthero, Rosemary, Ginkgo leaf, Alfalfa leaf, Gotu Kola, Gynostemma, Oatstraw, Apple pieces, Dried Strawberry and Kiwi pieces, Hibiscus, Rosehip, Natural flavors

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

To say I am a fan of this company would be an understatement.  I adore this company! So far I have had a couple of their herbal teas and all have delivered a flavor that was spot on.  With herbals they can be hit or miss, but everything from Urbal Tea has been delicious and ones I would highly recommend.

This particular tea was sent to me in a tea bag.  I boiled up my water and allowed this tea to steep directly in my mug.  While it was steeping, I kept thinking I was smelling bubblegum.  Yes, this tea has a bubblegum/candy fragrance.  How fun is that!

Brewed this tea up for about 10 minutes and instantly fell in love with the gorgeous pinkish red color I was left with.  Took my first sip and oh mama. . . This is some good strawberry lovin’!

The itself is sweet yet the hints of tartness that are there gently give a slight contrast.  Remember back in the day when Snapple was everywhere and they had a strawberry kiwi flavored one? This reminds me of that flavor but this flavor is kicked up several notches and tastes amazingly fresh where Snapple always tasted watered down and not so great.  The strawberry kiwi flavor is what you are greeted with front and center.  I pick up subtle notes of the other ingredients but they are much less pronounced than the strawberry. As delicious as this was hot, I wanted to try this iced.

When this tea is treated like an iced tea, you are greeted with this adorable candy like flavor that I wasn’t getting when brewed hot.  Strawberry candy flavor.

For an herbal tea, it just doesn’t get much better. I can see this tea being fantastic as a tea to serve at a girl’s tea party or just to enjoy yourself! I’m hooked!