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It’s an understatement to say that antioxidants are important when choosing skincare that actually works, and should be one of the main considerations when picking out natural skincare products. Without getting too technical on you, our environment we live in and interact with on a daily basis contributes an enormous amount to how good (or not so good) our skin health is. And a big part of our skin’s defences are antioxidants.
Why are Antioxidants So Important For Skin?
There are four big baddies that wreak havoc on our skin the most and cause advanced aging: pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and oxidation. All of these in some way bombard our skin on a constant daily basis, and if your skin barrier isn’t up to the task, it can fail you, leading to our youthful complexion escaping us much faster than it needs to among other skin complications.
But the worst culprit is oxidative stress, which is a bi-product of energy produced in the body that uses oxygen, leading to the production of free radicals. And these are no good, rogue and unstable molecules running amok and causing all sorts of mischief in our skin. Have you ever gone back to an avocado you sliced up that suddenly looks brown and withered? That’s oxidation, and a similar thing occurs much slower with our skin.
Antioxidants = Superheros for Skin
Enter antioxidants, substances with superpowers to save your skin from these dermal bullies and keep your skin looking and feeling younger for longer. Take the avocado example, if you squeeze lemon juice on a sliced avocado, it is preserved much longer and stays green. That’s because lemons have vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant.
These potent compounds scavenge for free-radicals and rid the body of them, helping to increase cell strength and effectively giving your skin a helping hand when it gets tired or overwhelmed. But not all ingredients with antioxidants are made equal, so we’ve put together our top 7 antioxidants to look for in your skincare products.
Vitamin C
As one of the most studied antioxidants in the skincare and scientific worlds, vitamin C is one of the top ingredients to keep an eye out. Vitamin C, besides being a favourite of dermatologists and one of the more powerful antioxidants in nature, has also been proven to protect the skin better against UV rays. This reduces aging effects and sun damage while helping to reduce the risk of skin cancers.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a hugely important antioxidant and plays an integral role in upkeeping the functions of organs, including our skin. Vitamin E is found in most moisturisers and creams because its known to enhance skin healing and cell regeneration. Vitamin E also stabilizes other antioxidants, which is exactly why you see if often paired with vitamin C in skincare products.
Retinol (Vitamin A)
One of the top antioxidant skincare superheroes is the mighty vitamin A, one that can help turn back the clock on aging skin and a prominent ingredient in anti-aging skincare products. Why? Retinol is a by-product of vitamin A, and given it’s tiny molecular structure, allows it to penetrate deep into the skin barrier to boost skin cell healing and turnover helping to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines, reduce hyperpigmentation and aging spots, and keeps skin snappy.
Polyphenols
Found in a plethora of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and botanicals, polyphenols are an incredible plant-powered way to reduce photodamage and protect from UV damage. Nuts are packed with polyphenols, which is why you see oils from nuts like walnut, chestnut, almonds, and brazil nut gracing many skincare products now. Polyphenols are regarded as “lifespan essentials” and same goes for your skin, as they reduce aging effects to skin cells and reduce chronic illnesses.
Carotenoids (Beta-Carotene):
Beta-carotene is found as a major ingredient in many skincare products due to this antioxidants incredible effectiveness at maintaining skin appearance, colour, and strength over time as we age while defending against UV exposure. It’s ability to neutralise free radicals, carotenoids help prevent the degradation of elastin, fibrillin, and collagen which are integral in keeping your skin barrier healthy and your skin remaining fortified and youthful.
Glutathione
A naturally occurring and potent antioxidant found in almost every cell of the body, glutathione is an incredible skincare ingredient to keep an eye out for. It’s known as a “free radical scavenger” that hunts down free radicals and reduces oxidative stress on the body. It’s often found in skincare products that promote skin lightening and is said to improve skin complexion. Avocados are known to pack high levels of glutathione and are a popular ingredient in skin oils and lotions because of this.
Rosehip Oil and East Cape Mānuka Oil
These two ingredients aren’t antioxidants on their own, yet they hold an unbelievable amount of antioxidant superpowers for your skin. Rosehip oil contains high amounts of vitamin, which are some of the most effective antioxidants for keeping your skin young and strong.
East Cape mānuka oil on the other hand is a synergistic oil with powerful antioxidants called beta-triketones, which allows it to increase the effectiveness of other ingredients like rosehip, while adding antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits to the mix. Which is exactly why rosehip oil and East Cape mānuka oil are the hero ingredients in our Collagen Restore Skincare Products.
Now you know the superb skin benefits of antioxidants, so it’s time to experience the effectiveness of scientifically formulated and antioxidant-rich skincare solutions in our Collagen Restore lineup today!
