Antioxidants in Skincare: What Are They & Do You Really Need Them?

You’ve probably heard of antioxidants by now – but what are they really, and are they just another marketing buzzword? Let’s talk about what antioxidants are, what role they plan in skincare, and why they’re so beneficial to include in your skin routine.

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are a group of naturally occurring or man-made compounds that protect or delay your cells from damage. This damage comes from free radicals, which are unstable molecules that are missing one or more electrons. To make up for this missing element, free radicals steal electrons from healthy cells. This process is called oxidative stress. Over time, oxidative stress can cause extensive damage to our bodies through inflammation and premature aging.

Free radicals are created through normal body processes, like digestion. But, they are also produced when you're exposed to excess sun, pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke, and more. Antioxidants counteract free radicals by donating an electron and therefore protecting the skin. Antioxidants can be absorbed either through digestion or topical application, like through your skincare.

How Are Antioxidants Used In Skincare?

Now that you understand what antioxidants are and how they work, you are probably starting to see the important role they play in skincare. Antioxidants are just as important as sunscreen in terms of protection for your skin. If you care about protecting your skin from preventable damage and want to keep it healthy for as long as possible, antioxidants should be a key step in your routine.

Vitamin C is one of the better known antioxidants, and for good reason: it plays a crucial role in collagen production and protection against UV. It can also improve the appearance of dark spots. Because of this, we wanted to create a serum with Vitamin C, but we wanted to include additional antioxidants to maximize efficacy. 

Our Daily Antioxidant Serum is very lightweight and can be used daily (morning and night) to help brighten and even skin tone. It is fast absorbing and hydrating, and doesn’t feel like it is sitting on top of the skin. We were deliberate in creating something that would fill multiple needs and work for most people with different kinds of skin, sensitive skin included!

Here are all the antioxidants used in our formula:

• Green tea
• Aloe vera
• Jojoba oil
• Cranberry seed oil
• Squalane
• Hyaluronic acid
• Alpha Glucosyl Hesperidin
• Rosemary leaf extract
• Vitamin C (Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate)
• Vitamin E (Astaxanthin)

Benefits of Antioxidants

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic acid’s most significant benefit is that is helps keep skin well-hydrated. It draws in moisture and can hold up to 1,000 times its weight leaving your skin more elastic and supple. As we age, our skin loses its ability to retain moisture, so hyaluronic acid is key for keeping skin youthful.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C serums are known for helping fight photoaging, free radicals, and hyperpigmentation, all of which helps preserve your skin’s appearance for longer and combat the lifelong sun damage that we all experience. So if you’re looking for something that will help perk up dull or dehydrated skin, Vitamin C can definitely help.

An important thing to note with Vitamin C is it can oxidize quickly in certain forms and lose potency. L-ascorbic acid is found in many Vitamin C products, but is highly unstable and doesn’t absorb as well. Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, on the other hand, is considered analogous to L-ascorbic acid but is much stabler and more penetrative on the skin. We chose to use Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate in our Daily Antioxidant Serum for this reason.

Vitamin E + Astaxanthin

Vitamin E is another antioxidant which is particularly effective at creating a strong barrier for your skin and neutralizing harmful free radicals from your environment. It helps moisturize and heal skin, and can even reduce the risk of developing autoimmune skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema. 

Astaxanthin is a plant-based super Vitamin E antioxidant that helps protects the skin against free radicals and sun damage and reduces inflammation. It is regarded as the strongest antioxidant vitamin in nature and is 550 times more effective than standard Vitamin E. Astaxanthin is also what gives our Daily Antioxidant Serum its unique orange color!

When used in combination with one another, these antioxidants put up a powerful front against free radicals and damaging elements.

Whether you’re trying antioxidants in your skincare routine for the first time or are looking for a more potent serum, our Daily Antioxidant Serum is a great choice. It is gentle enough for daily use but powerful enough to make a noticeable difference with time and regular use. It is designed with all skin types in mind and should fit nicely into any routine.