According to the research antioxidants are the best solution for improving skin health. Whether you consume antioxidant rich foods or use skincare products with antioxidants, your skin will thank you for it. Antioxidants not only fight the visible signs of skin damage but also calm skin, help reveal a more youthful appearance and revitalize dull-looking skin due to airborne pollutants and blue light exposure.
In this blog we will understand what antioxidants are. How do they help to improve skin health and what are the best antioxidants foods and ingredients that you should incorporate in your skin care routine.
What are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules or compounds that can prevent or delay some types of cell damage by counteracting free radicals and oxidative stress. Antioxidants can be both natural and synthetic molecules. Our body produces antioxidants like glutathione while others can come from diet or hair care supplements. Antioxidants help to neutralise the harmful effects of free radicals which are the main culprit for skin ageing, skin damage and other skin conditions.
What are the Antioxidant Benefits for the Skin?
· Helps to Protect Against Oxidative Stress
Oxidative stress caused by the free radicals is the biggest reason for skin damage and early signs of ageing. Antioxidants help to reduce oxidative stress caused by the free radicals which reduce skin damage and delays signs of ageing.
· Helps to Reduce Inflammation
Inflammation caused by the free radical can cause redness and irritation. Antioxidants neutralise the free radicals reducing the skin redness and irritation.
· Helps to Improve Skin Texture
Antioxidants can help to improve collagen production in the body. Collagen is responsible for providing firmness to the skin and also improving skin flexibility.
· Helps to Brighten Skin
Antioxidants help to reduce dark spots and pigmentation, giving the skin a brighter, more even tone. Some antioxidants, including vitamin C and kojic acid, even go further and step in to disrupt the process that produces dark spots providing an even toned skin.
· Helps to Protect Against Skin Damage
Sun damage caused by UV radiation is harmful for the skin and can even lead to skin cancer. Antioxidants can offer some protection against sun damage, preventing skin darkening.
What are the Best Antioxidants for the Skin?
1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidant vitamins that is beneficial for skin health. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that does not get stored in the body hence needs to be consumed either through food or supplements. Vitamin C helps in collagen production that is responsible for providing structure to the skin. Vitamin C is also effective in diminishing the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness and uneven skin tone.
Vitamin C can be found in many citrus fruits and vegetables. It is also a common ingredient in many skincare supplements and serums (1).
2. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is the best supporting partner for vitamin C. Vitamin E helps protects skin from environmental damage and helps promote hydration, but most importantly, it’s a great boosting antioxidant, often used alongside other hard-hitting antioxidants, like vitamin C.
Vitamin E rich foods include nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. Vitamin E absorption decreases as we age hence using skincare supplements containing vitamin E is essential (2).
3. Retinol
Retinol, also known as vitamin A, is a powerful antioxidant. Retinol is one of the common ingredients in skincare serums. Applying serum containing retinal can help to reduce uneven skin tone, bumps and enlarged pores, to rough surface texture and fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps to reduce the signs of ageing (3).
4. Niacinamide
Niacinamide is a type of B vitamin in a key ingredient in many skincare serums for brightening skin. It is one of the best antioxidants for skin. Niacinamide helps to improve skin health by normalising the appearance of enlarged pores, tackling oil overproduction, softening the appearance of dark spots and assisting in reducing visible signs of ageing. While choosing a niacinamide serum look for Korean niacinamide as it offers the best absorption (4).
5. Resveratrol
Resveratrol is a natural plant compound that is found in grapes, blueberries, peanuts, and red wine. Resveratrol is studied extensively for its antioxidant benefits for the skin. Resveratrol helps to protect skin’s surface, interrupts and helps rebuff negative environmental influences and brightens a dull, tired-looking complexion. Resveratrol also has skin-calming properties that may help minimise the look of redness.
6. Polyphenols
Polyphenols are a group of compounds that have antioxidant properties. They are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. There are several types of polyphenols such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and stilbenes. Green tea is one of the best examples of flavonoid rich food that can help to provide antioxidant benefits. According to the research topical application of green tea extract can protect from the environmental factors that have the most pronounced negative effects on skin’s appearance. Green tea extract also provides a calming effect, making it a great ingredient to visibly soothe skin.
Conclusion
Antioxidants are effective against protective skin from the damage caused by free radicals and other environmental factors. Our body naturally produces some antioxidants like glutathione but need other antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide, retinol and resveratrol to add externally. Whether you consume antioxidant rich foods or use products that contain antioxidants as ingredients, it will improve your skin health.
FAQs
1. What is the most powerful antioxidant for anti-aging?
Vitamin C is the most powerful antioxidant for anti-ageing.
2. Which antioxidant is best for skin?
There are many antioxidants which are good for the skin. Vitamin C, vitamin E, retinol, niacinamide and polyphenols are some of the best antioxidants for the skin.
3. Which vitamin is best for aging skin?
Vitamin C is the best for ageing skin.
4. What supplements make you look younger?
Supplements that contain niacinamide, vitamin C, retinol can make you look younger.
5. Do antioxidants prevent aging?
Antioxidants do not prevent ageing. They only help to slow down the process of ageing.