Antioxidants are widely used in over-the-counter skin care and cosmeceutical products.

Antioxidants are used topically to improve many cosmetic skin conditions and are credited with anti-aging and skin-protective qualities. Find out what the science is telling you and how you can make the most of it when choosing an antioxidant skin care product.

What are antioxidants?

The term "antioxidant" is a buzzword in the health and beauty industry, however, many people are not sure what they are and why they are so beneficial to health. Antioxidants are a group of natural compounds that protect your cells from damage. Your body makes some antioxidants itself, but the vast majority of antioxidants must be obtained from the foods you eat. Antioxidants are especially abundant in fresh fruits and vegetables and are important for the health of your entire body, not just your skin.

What are the benefits of antioxidants for the skin?

1. Antioxidants help correct the signs of aging.

Oxidative stress destroys collagen, impedes the skin's natural repair process and triggers inflammation. Antioxidants have an anti-aging effect and work to combat years of sun and pollutant exposure by balancing the molecules that reduce our natural collagen and elasticity, and damage our skin tissue. These effects result in fine lines, wrinkles, loose skin, acne breakouts and a blurred complexion. By scavenging free radicals, antioxidants can help prevent and correct these visible signs and give skin a more youthful glow. This process helps to diminish fine lines and wrinkles and restore the skin’s natural youthfulness.

2. Antioxidants help prevent sun damage.

All antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties. They blunt your skin's inflammatory response to the sun's harmful rays, preventing sunburn and providing enhanced protection against sun damage and photoaging.

3. Antioxidants help your skin repair itself.

Antioxidants can help by neutralizing the free-radical damage that sun exposure causes as they focus on diffusing the effects of the bad rays that make it through your sunscreen. Left unchecked, this damage can lead to skin problems no one wants. Therefore, by reducing inflammation, antioxidants allow the skin to repair itself and correct visible damage. Some antioxidants, like vitamin C, can also stimulate collagen production, which is vital for youthful skin. Moreover, while vitamin does not absorb light in the UVA or UVB spectrum, its antioxidant activity can protect effectively against UV-induced damage caused by free radicals

4. Antioxidants help brighten skin tone.

Antioxidants help prevent the signs of premature aging caused by skin oxidation, which is the work of free radicals produced by the body (to enable it to effectively defend itself against bacteria and viruses, an unbalanced diet, stress, smoking, medications and pollution. Free radicals and frequent sun exposure can also trigger changes in our skin's melanin production, causing dark spots and uneven skin tone. Free radicals weaken the epidermis and in the long term, they dull the complexion, stain it, dig furrows and cause the relaxation of tissues. By reducing photodamage, antioxidants can help prevent abnormal skin pigmentation.

Choosing a skin care product

There is no shortage of antioxidant skin care products on the market today. Some have a broad spectrum while others act on one or two substances and most likely, your current skin care regimen probably contains at least one product with antioxidant ingredients. Among the most popular and effective antioxidants are vitamin C and vitamin E, polyphenols or carotenoids, as well as certain minerals such as zinc, copper and selenium. Some combinations have synergistic effects that increase the antioxidant power of your face care products tenfold. They can help your skin look brighter and feel smoother, but antioxidants aren't going to produce huge changes overnight. Be patient because on average, the complexion is more uniform and radiant after three months of use. Whatever your skin care routine, don't forget to include sunscreen. It's never too late to start protecting your skin from the sun.