Personality and skills coaches would say that it is best to invest in one’s face. This does not mean that a person has to undergo surgery, but instead take the time to take care of this body part. Going back to the basics of washing your face goes a long way.
Others even take things up a notch by taking supplements such as antioxidants to keep their skin healthy. But, are antioxidants good for skin?
How Do Antioxidants Work?
With the way we live our lives today, we have continuously adapted bad habits that are detrimental to our health. Our regular consumption of alcohol, continuous smoking, too much exposure to sunlight, and even poor metabolism contribute to the formation of free radicals which cause damages to cells and eventually lead to illnesses.
If we have too many free radicals in our bodies, then this will result in oxidative stress, an imbalance between free radicals and the body’s ability to detoxify or counteract its harmful effects.
On a positive note, antioxidants have electrons that can help neutralize these free radicals. Thus, antioxidants can also help repair the damages caused by oxidative stress. Moreover, antioxidants are also among the compounds found on plant food such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, which our bodies need for good health.
These are among the reasons why it is widely believed that regular use or consumption of antioxidants can help fight diseases.
Additionally, constant use and consumption of antioxidants can help increase the antimicrobial activities, boost one’s immune system, enhance a body’s response to infection as well as prevent the common cold.
Are Antioxidants Good for Skin?
So, are antioxidants good for skin? Definitely, yes!
As part of the natural aging process, our skin loses its elasticity and thins out. Unfortunately, several factors can trigger the skin to start sagging and aging faster than usual, and free radicals are often the cited culprit that causes premature aging of the skin.
Since antioxidants are scavengers of these free radicals, regular intake and use of it can also help prevent early aging of the skin. This is why many over-the-counter skin care products, such as creams and serums, are marketed as anti-aging because they carry antioxidants.
If you decide to turn to these products, then it is best to look for the following antioxidants in these skin care goods.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can be found in different food including meats, seeds, and vegetables. It boosts collagen production and reduces the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines.
Vitamin E comes in two forms, namely, the alpha-tocopherol (AT), which helps prevent UV damages to the skin, and the alpha-tocopherol acetate (ATA), which is commonly used in skin creams and other dermatological products as it has a longer shelf life than the former.
However, since the cells in the skin’s upper layer are less metabolically active, ATA is said to be unable to penetrate the skin as much as AT.
Studies also show that for ATA to be effective, it must be used with other vitamins and minerals.
Green Tea
Green tea has become widely popular these days because of its many health benefits. It can help in weight loss, prevent heart disease, and fight skin aging. It also has catechins, an antioxidant that is capable of clearing off the cell damage as well as repairing blemishes, wrinkles, and other impurities.
Moreover, green tea has five times more catechins than black tea. Experts say that the green tea, when applied to the skin can reduce the inflammation and tackle free radicals caused by too much exposure to sunlight.
Lycopene
Lycopene is another powerful antioxidant that can be found in the carotenoid of red vegetables and fruits. It can help improve one’s skin texture since it promotes the production of collagen as well as reduce the damage to DNA, which causes wrinkles.
One can either eat food that is rich in lycopene or take a daily supplement or even both. Skin care products also have this ingredient in its formulation since lycopene can be absorbed by the skin quickly.
CoffeeBerry
Many skin care products also boast of having coffeeberry. After all, this ingredient can help in the prevention of collagen damage and protection of the skin against damage.
The coffee berry also has impressive anti-inflammatory properties, which can reduce the appearance of both wrinkles and fine lines.
Resveratrol
Resveratrol is another antioxidant that is widely used by product makers of anti-aging creams. This is commonly sourced from nuts, grapes, and fruits.
Some experts conclude that Resveratrol, when applied directly onto the skin, can protect the skin against damage from excessive exposure to sunlight.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide, also commonly known as Vitamin B3, is another antioxidant that has both depigmenting and anti-inflammatory properties. The regular intake and application of Niacinamide can help in improving the tone of the skin as well as its texture. It can also reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is famous for its ability to help fight illnesses, particularly the common cold and flu. Doctors often say to eat fruits and vegetables to help fight the fever and cold since vitamin C is originally sourced from fruits and vegetables. What many people do not know is that Vitamin C can also help prevent and reverse skin aging.
How Much Antioxidants Per Day?
There are plenty of sources of antioxidants as many foods contain them in varying quantities. Given the many sources, a great number of people also worry about loading up excessively on antioxidants. Many individuals often wonder how much antioxidants can the body carry or accommodate in one day.
Experts, however, recommend that an individual should take at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. One can also take food supplements that are high in antioxidants.
There is also no established rules on how much antioxidants can be applied topically to the skin. As a safety precaution consult a professional dermatologist when in doubt.
Choose the best antioxidant moisturizer
When it comes to selecting the best moisturizer containing antioxidants, you need to know your type of skin and what you want from a moisturizer:
hydration
softness
lightening action
anti-wrinkles
what type of antioxidants it contains or:
brand
price
reviews
If you prefer serums the same first rule applies for choosing the best anti-oxidant serum for your skin type.
We recommend that you read also our article on the best antioxidant moisturizers for soft skin to give you an idea of what’s on the market this year. If you click on the images on this page and the other article, the link takes you to the Amazon website where you can buy the products, read reviews, and other important information.
