Skincare

Antioxidants… Hype or Hero?

Vit C
03
Aug

The answer is Hero!

Antioxidants protect the skin by limiting free radical production.

With daily use, they can reduce sun spots, help combat visible signs of ageing and calm skin inflammation.

Several antioxidants provide the skin with hydration and increase moisture retention to help revitalise dull-looking skin.

Free Radicals and the skin.

Free radicals are unstable, highly reactive molecules that have one or more unpaired electrons. To gain stability, they attack stable molecules, triggering a chain reaction that damages healthy cells.

Once an overload of free radicals is present in our system, it causes oxidative stress, or an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects.

Environmental factors like UV radiation from the sun, pollution, cigarette smoke and other toxic chemicals are also known to trigger the formation of free radicals. Luckily there are many studies that have shown that the inclusion of antioxidants in your skin care regimen can help your skin fight free radical damage and recover from oxidative stress.

The 5 Main Benefits of Antioxidants for Your Skin

  1. Antioxidants help correct signs of ageing.

Oxidative stress breaks down collagen, hinders skin’s natural repair process and triggers inflammation—and you see these as fine lines, wrinkles, loose skin, acne breakouts and a blotchy skin tone. By scavenging free radicals, antioxidants can help prevent and correct these visible signs of ageing.

  1. Antioxidants help prevent inflammation and sun damage

Antioxidants reduce  your skin’s inflammatory response to the sun’s harmful rays, preventing sunburn and providing enhanced protection against sun damage and photoageing. They are not, however a substitute for sunscreen, which is still required.

  1. Antioxidants help skin repair itself.

By reducing inflammation, antioxidants allow skin to repair itself and correct visible damage. Some antioxidants, like vitamin C, can also stimulate collagen production.

  1. Antioxidants help brighten skin tone.

Free radicals and frequent sun exposure can also trigger changes in our skin’s melanin production, causing dark spots and uneven skin tone. By reducing photodamage, antioxidants can help prevent abnormal skin pigmentation. Some antioxidants, like Vitamin C also work as a tyrosinase  inhibitor(an enzyme that stimulates melanin production).

  1. Antioxidants may help prevent skin cancer.

Some antioxidants, such as Vitamins A, C and E, have properties that may help prevent skin cancer.

What are the best antioxidants to use in skincare?

  • VITAMIN C.
  • RETINOL (VITAMIN A)
  • VITAMIN E.
  • RESVERATROL.
  • COENZYMEQ10.
  • NIACINAMIDE.
  • POLYPHENOLS.
  • FLAVONOIDS.
  • GLUTATHIONE.

One of our go to products is Skinceuticals Resveratrol.

Resveratrol is one of the most powerful antioxidants.
You know how people say a glass a day of red wine is good for you? Well, Resveratrol is the reason why. Although most of us would be happy to, you don’t need to guzzle a bottle of wine every night to reap the benefits like protection against diabetes, heart disease and signs of ageing. Where visible ageing is concerned, apply Resveratrol straight to your skin.
Resveratrol is a natural antioxidant that is found in the skin of red grapes, dark chocolate, berries and peanuts.
Resveratrol in skincare works on a cellular level to fight ageing.
Harvard Medical School researchers concluded that Resveratrol stimulates the production of SIRT1, a serum that blocks diseases by speeding up the cells energy production centres know as mitochondria.
Resveratrol is also known to be chemically linked to salicylic acid, which helps to remove dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, as well as having anti-inflammatory benefits.
Resveratrol is beneficial for repair and protection in all skin types. It can help with premature ageing, redness, bumpy skin and dullness. It is certainly a must-have ingredient for its long-term, anti-ageing results.
SkinCeuticals Resveratrol B E, is an antioxidant night concentrate that gives your skin a boost by improving resilience, radiance and elasticity.
Resveratrol
Antioxidant superhero

Some of our favourite daytime antioxidants are Skinceuticals C E Ferulic and Phloretin CF.

Phloretin CF

 

Dr Jenny Kimmins/Felicity West RN