Antioxidants in Skincare Are a Preventative Must
By now, we've all heard it a million times, antioxidants are one of those "must have" ingredients we all need to have in our skincare.
But why? What's all this fuss about antioxidants and should you care?
In short, the answer is yes. Antioxidants matter as much in our skincare as they do in our diet. Your mother's advice about eating all your vegetables is sound. Here's how it pertains to skin health.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are active substances that help your skin neutralize the negative effects of free radicals. They also work to prevent oxidation and subsequent oxidative damage of other molecules.
Antioxidants are a key ingredient in helping to prevent premature skin aging. This is an important distinction, antioxidants do not treat existing wrinkles, they work to curb the effects of environmental factors that lead to fine lines and wrinkles.
Because antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, incorporating an antioxidant serum into your skincare routine will help curb the loss of firmness and elasticity and help keep premature wrinkles from forming.
Examples of antioxidants are polyphenols, certain vitamins (Vit E and Vit C), minerals, and others like Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Coenzyme Q10.
Polyphenols are some of our favorite antioxidants because they occur abundantly in nature and are found in many whole-plant ingredients.
- Flavonols: Flavonoids (from Aspen Bark)
- Flavones: Apigenin (from Roman Chamomile)
- Flavanals: Catechins (from Green Tea)
- Tannins: Ellagic acid (from Cranberries)
- Phytoalexins: Resveratrol (from Bearberries, Plums, Cranberries and Grapes)
- Hydroxycinnamic Acids: Ferulic acid (from whole grains, grasses, vegetables and fruits)
What are the benefits of antioxidants in skincare?
By interrupting the inflammation cascade triggered by free radicals, also known as the free radical cascade, antioxidants help curb oxidative damage to skin cells.
They do this by binding one of their electrons to free radicals effectively neutralizing it so that they can not oxidize cellular DNA and collagen-producing fibroblasts in the skin’s dermal layer.
Antioxidants also help mitigate the production of certain enzymes such as collagenase, elastase, and hyaluronidase that degrade collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid levels in the skin.
Are the effects of antioxidants immediately visible?
No. Just like taking a multivitamin, the effects of antioxidants on the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and pigmentation are visible in skin health over the long term. That’s why having a consistent skincare routine is key.
What should I look for in an antioxidant product?
Antioxidants are reactive and must be appropriately packaged in dark glass containers and stored in a cool, light-free environment when not in use.
A quality antioxidant serum like our Alpine Phytonutrient Serum will contain a synergistic blend of various antioxidants to squelch the effects of the many free radical types that can form from the inflammation cascade.
