Antioxidant Skincare — Everything You Need To Know

Antioxidants are the triple threat of the skincare world. Not only do they defend your skin against environmental damage and pollution, but they also penetrate deeply to improve how your skin works and responds to outside stressors. 

 

Put simply, if there is one type of ingredient your skincare needs, it's antioxidants. Whether you're trying to combat dullness, increase firmness, or calm inflammation, antioxidants can help you achieve your desired complexion. Keep reading for a crash course all about antioxidants and what they can do for your daily skincare routine.

 

What Are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals inside your body. This is important because left unchecked; free radicals can damage your cells and DNA, leading to symptoms of aging like wrinkles. Studies have shown that using antioxidants can help your body to fight off the production of free radicals and stop their harmful effects. In addition, antioxidants help your skin fight to fight off free radical damage and repair itself from any oxidative stress it experiences.

 

Although your body produces some antioxidants naturally, the majority of antioxidants come from your food choices and outside sources. For instance, berries, green tea, leafy vegetables, and fish are excellent sources of dietary antioxidants. 

 

 

The Benefit of Antioxidants in Skincare

 

Various studies have linked oxidative stress to age-related changes such as wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, and hair loss. Because they reduce oxidative stress, antioxidants help to keep the body's cells healthy and free from damage. Antioxidants provide a myriad of other benefits to your skin. Here are just a few reasons why you should incorporate antioxidants into your skincare routine. 

 

• Fight Sun Damage

Everybody knows that exposure to harmful UVA and UVB rays can accelerate the aging process and damage your skin. Fortunately, antioxidants have powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce your skin's sensitivity to sun exposure and lessen the severity of sunburn. As well as daily sunscreen, you should also use a daily moisturizer that contains antioxidants to give your skin even more protection against midday rays. 

 

• Slow the Signs of Aging

Collagen is the key to youthful and plump skin. After around the age of thirty, our body produces less collagen, which causes our skin to start losing its elasticity. This, combined with the added effect of oxidative stress breaking down existing collagen, also leads to the development of fine lines and wrinkles. By gathering up the free radicals that cause oxidative stress, antioxidants give your skin a break, while also preventing complete collagen breakdown.

 

• Brighter Skin

Dull and ashen skin is one of the most common issues many women have with their complexion. This is especially true as we get older, and our skin tends to lose its dewiness and luminosity. Fortunately, regular use of the antioxidant Vitamin C has been proven to brighten skin tone, giving you a more youthful appearance. 

 

• Helps the Skin Repair Itself

Inflammation causes great stress on all processes of the body. As antioxidants lower your natural inflammatory response, they allow your body to repair itself, before any more damage can take place. 

 

 

How Can I Use Antioxidants In My Skincare?

 

There are many different ways of incorporating antioxidants into your daily skincare routine. Whether your skin is oily and requires lighter hydration, or mature and needs a little extra TLC, there are plenty of products on the market that utilize the benefits of antioxidant ingredients.

 

Antioxidant Moisturisers

 

Antioxidant moisturizers are similar to standard moisturizers; only they have the added benefit of being infused with antioxidants. Moisturizers tend to have less concentration of active ingredients than serums and a larger molecular structure. Because of this, moisturizers don't penetrate the surface layer of the skin and instead act as a barrier to lock in moisture and nutrients.

 

Bella Aura's Daily Repair Moisturizer features Olive Leaf Extract, a potent natural antioxidant that has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. One of the most impressive benefits of Olive Leaf Extract is its ability to stop your skin tissue from breaking down, which means your skin cells stay healthy for longer.

 

Antioxidant Emulsions

 

Emulsions are effectively the in-between product between serums and creams. They offer many of the same benefits of a cream, but in a lighter consistency. As emulsions tend to be water-based, they absorb into the skin much more quickly, rather than sitting on the skin in the way that some heavier creams do.

 

Bella Aura's The Night Cellular Renewal is a potent nighttime emulsion that is packed full of antioxidants such as cistus incanus. Also known as rock rose, cistus incanus helps increase lymph drainage and is particularly beneficial for oily skin, while also helping to reduce wrinkles and fine lines. 

Antioxidant Serums

 

Serums are typically lighter than moisturizers and emulsions and contain the highest concentration of active ingredients — helping them to penetrate the skin as deeply as possible. You can use serums day and night, and they should be applied after cleansing your skin and before applying your emulsion and moisturizer.

 

If you're looking for a serum that hydrates and balances the appearance of your skin, the Hydra Revive Treatment serum from Bella Aura's skincare range is formulated with Icelandic moss, and evergreen fern extracts to deliver vital antioxidants and minerals to the skin. 

Antioxidants — The More the Merrier

 

When it comes to antioxidants, there's strength in numbers. Combining various potent antioxidants in your daily skincare regime is one of the most effective ways to achieve a hydrated and youthful visage. The more antioxidants you incorporate into your skincare, the easier it becomes for your body to neutralize free radicals and limit damage to your cells. 

 

Although antioxidants can provide a myriad of benefits. From brightening your skin tone, to providing a protective effect against premature aging. However, to get the best results possible, you need to use them consistently. If you'd love to experience the benefits of antioxidant skincare, but feel overwhelmed by the choice of products on the market, you can ask your esthetician for some trusted product suggestions. Whatever your skin concern, there's a skincare regimen and products out there to help you achieve gorgeous, glowing skin.