Why Your Skincare Routine NEEDS Antioxidants

You will see the word “antioxidant” talked about when it comes to skincare. Antioxidants are a great addition to your skincare routine, especially this summer. Many serums, like vitamin A, C or E-based ones, contain antioxidants that provide positive effects for your skin. It’s even found in foods like fruits, vegetables and certain teas. What exactly can they do for you? Here are three important functions of antioxidants:

• They stop free radicals at the molecular level – A free radical is a substance that causes oxidation in your skin. Whether it’s from  the sun’s dangerous rays, from pollution, or from bacteria, free radicals accelerates your aging process. This means more prominent lines on your face, more visible discoloration, and sagging.
• They help preserve your collagen production – Collagen, along with elastin and keratin make up the structure of your skin. Aging decreases your natural collagen production, and so does being exposed to negative environmental factors.  What antioxidants do, like alpha-hydroxy acids (also known as AHAs) is they provide as an extra support to your skin’s structure, keeping your collagen levels up, and preserving the suppleness of your complexion.
• They reduce your inflammatory response – When our skin is damaged from trauma, or from allergen exposure, or from a disease, our inflammatory system goes on overdrive. This results in skin redness, inflammation, and sometimes bumps and rashes. Antioxidants calm this system down, and also boosts your skin’s healing process. That means shorter timespans for acne breakouts, or fewer pimples, or cuts that heal much faster.