Astaxanthin: The Super-Antioxidant Your Skincare Routine Needs

We’ve talked before about why antioxidants are so important in skincare. But there’s one particular antioxidant star that we love: astaxanthin. Pronounced “a-stuh-zan-thn,” this super antioxidant is one of the most powerful ingredients you can use on your skin. But, what is it exactly, and why should you use it? Let’s talk about it.

What is Astaxanthin?

Astaxanthin is a form of Vitamin E that’s derived from freshwater microalgae. Yes, seriously! The algae produce astaxanthin as a form of protection against environmental stressors like UV radiation – which is exactly what we use antioxidants for in skincare. Astaxanthin is easy to recognize due to its signature bright orange color (which is natural).

Vitamin E antioxidants help protect your skin from free radicals, which cause inflammation and premature aging. Free radicals aren’t just unwanted for aesthetic reasons; they can cause real damage to your skin barrier and lead to bigger problems as you age.

Astaxanthin in particular, though, is seriously powerful in the face of free radicals. It’s 550 times more effective than standard Vitamin E, and is 6,000 times more powerful than Vitamin C, which is why we included it in our Daily Antioxidant Serum. In order to be this effective, the astaxanthin must be naturally derived. While some products may use synthetic astaxanthin, we chose to use naturally sourced astaxanthin that’s cultivated with pure Icelandic water and 100% renewable energy.

Benefits of Astaxanthin

Astaxanthin is more stable than most formulations of Vitamin C, which makes it suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin. Beyond that, though, it has a whole host of benefits:

• Boosts skin collagen
• Helps reduce fine lines
• Works away age spots
• Increases skin hydration
• Helps prevent environmental damage
• Improves skin texture and elasticity

In short: astaxanthin can lead to brighter, bouncier, happier skin. Sounds pretty great, right?

How to Use Astaxanthin

If you’re thinking you need to be careful with astaxanthin due to how powerful it is, good news! It’s actually a gentle skincare ingredient that can be used every day, morning or night.

To use our Daily Antioxidant Serum, apply a few drops to your face after cleansing in the morning and/or evening. It layers easily and plays nicely with many other skincare ingredients, so don’t be afraid to mix it up.

That’s it! And if you happen to have sensitive skin, we tested our serum on 102 participants age range from 18-79 years old (54% whom had self-perceived sensitive skin). None of the participants experienced any skin irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, so we can happily say that our product has been dermatologist-tested and is suitable for sensitive skin. Of course, if you have any concerns, you can always do a patch test or some research to see how astaxanthin, hyaluronic acid, and Vitamin C (our star ingredients) might work with your other products, or you can check with your dermatologist.