Antioxidants and Your Skin


What are antioxidants and what do they do for your skin? These are substances that are found in nature that may prevent or delay some cases of cell damage. As for your skin’s case, it’s slowing down the aging process while maintaining the healthiness of your current skin.
Antioxidants are especially important to you when you are exposed to molecules called “Free Radicals”. These are molecules that form when your body is exposed to certain activities, like tobacco use, or prolonged sun exposure, or an imbalanced diet.
Four examples of the most powerful antioxidants include Retinol, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Lycopene. These can be found in many fruits and vegetables, and many skincare products have these antioxidant substances in their ingredients.
Here’s what each of these four antioxidants does for your skin:
Lycopene
-Improves skin texture by increasing collagen production
-Gives red fruits and vegetables their color
-Easily absorbed by the skin from topical supplements
Retinol
-Also known as Vitamin A
-Evens skin tone, reduces enlarged pores, and lessesn the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines
-Combats inflammation on the skin
-Can be found in moisturizers and serums
Vitamin E
-Fat-soluble vitamin that can be found naturally or in synthetic substances
-Protects the skin from external elements, including exposure to the Sun’s harmful rays
-It is the primary ingredient of sunscreens
-Works well in tandem with Vitamin C for more beneficial effects
Vitamin C
-A very potent antioxidant that focuses on diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as evening out your skin tone
-It is a very flexible vitamin and is recommended for all skin types
-Also calms and hydrates your skin after a long day
-Found in many skincare products, from eye creams to lip balms and even skin-brightening solutions