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how antioxidants work in skincare

I can’t get enough of antioxidants. If a serum or moisturizer isn’t loaded with them, chances are I won’t even give it a second look.

Antioxidants are your skin’s police force. They patrol your body looking for free radicals felons ready to form wrinkles, give you dark spots and inflame your skin. Once they get hold of one, they destroy it before it can wreak its damage.

Here’s how antioxidants work and why you should load your skincare routine with them if you want younger-looking skin:

What are free radicals?

First things first: to understand antioxidants, you must first get to know free radicals.

Free radicals are your skin’s #1 enemy. They’re highly unstable molecules caused by something called “oxidization process”.

Here’s the simple version: a healthy molecule turns into a free radical when it loses one its electrons. Without it, it goes crazy. It must get it back and become whole again.

When it spots a healthy molecule, the free radical attacks it and robs it of its electron. The robbed molecule is now a free radicals. Now, it’s its turn to become a thief.

It’s the beginning of chain reaction that destroys anything in its path, including vital proteins such as collagen and elastin and even cellular DNA.

Free radicals speed up the aging process. In the best case scenario, this only gives you wrinkles and dark spots. In the worst case scenario, it can lead to deadly diseases, such as cancer and heart diseases.

But, what starts this nasty chain and turns a healthy molecule into a free radical in the first place? All the usual culprits:

  • Alcohol
  • Body processes like metabolism and breathing
  • Diet rich in sugar and poor in vegs
  • Pollution
  • Smoking
  • UV rays

You can’t stop breathing or eating, but you can nourish your body with healthy foods, drink alcohol in moderation, wear sunscreen every day and quit smoking.

The healthier a lifestyle you lead, the fewer free radicals your body has to deal with. But, that’s not always fun. So, let’s see how to destroy those nasty free radicals.

Related: I Went On The Low Glycemic Diet And It Transformed My Skin

how antioxidants fight pollution

What Are Antioxidants And How Do They Keep Skin Young?

Enter antioxidants. They’re your body’s natural defence mechanism against free radicals. The most famous members of the antioxidant family are:

  • Beta-carotene
  • Coenzyme Q10
  • Flavonoids
  • Green tea
  • Resveratol
  • Superoxide dismutase
  • Vitamin C
  • Vitamin E

Their job is to destroy every free radical they see before they can wreak their damage on your skin. They do this in two ways, depending on the antioxidant’s MO:

  • Chain-breakers: these antioxidant break the free radical chain after it’s started. Examples include vitamins C and E.
  • Chain-neutralizers: these antioxidants neutralize the initiating free radicals, slowing down or even preventing the chain reaction. Examples include superoxide dismutase.

Related: Is Superoxide Dismutase The Most Powerful Antioxidant Of All?

best vitamin C serum: drunk elephant c-firma day serum

How To Use Antioxidants To Help Prevent Free Radical Damage

Because EVERYTHING (well, almost!) causes those pesky free radicals, free radical damage is constant. Every single day your body has to deal with these felons and destroy them.

But, it can’t do it alone. Your body is well-equipped to cope with free radicals caused by metabolic processes, but these days it has to also put up with antioxidants caused by pollution, our unhealthy Western diet, tanning habits… It’s too much for it to handle alone.

Your body needs your help. Quitting bad habits like smoking and heavy drinking is a great place to start. But, your body also needs you to constantly replenish it with a new stream of antioxidants. You can do it in two ways:

  1. Eat a healthy diet full of antioxidants-rich fruits, vegs and berries
  2. Use skincare products loaded with antioxidants

Skincare is my area of expertise, so I’m sharing with you my fave antioxidant serums and moisturizers below:

Best Picks:

Related: 5 Things No One Ever Told You About Antioxidants

The Bottom Line

Antioxidants are your skin’s BFF. Eat them up. Slather them all over your face. Give your skin the daily dose it needs. You’ll age a lot more slowly and keep your complexion clear and younger-looking for longer.

Are you using antioxidants in your skincare routine? Share your picks in the comments below.

About Gio

Hi, I'm Gio. I'm a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever - every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what's worth the splurge and what's best left on the shelf - using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.