Ceramides, isoflavones, vitamins, antioxidants… Sometimes it’s hard to know which ingredient to turn to! Here’s your smart guide to cosmetology. This month the spotlight is on antioxidants.
Similar to what you see when metal rusts or an avocado turns brown a few minutes after being cut, oxidation is a natural phenomenon that you are exposed to often. Like everything around you, your skin is exposed to the elements. It oxidizes, which leads to accelerated skin aging.
The source of the problem is what keeps you alive
The oxygen you breathe interacts with your cells, creating free radicals—unstable molecules that make cells age. Pollution, smoking, excess weight, fatigue, stress, and, of course, exposure to UV rays also increase the production of free radicals.
Naturally, your system tries to eliminate them and repair the damage. When too many free radicals are produced, the body can no longer cope with them using its own defence mechanisms or repair all the damage they cause. What’s more, with age your system becomes less effective at fighting them. What should you do?
The protective action of antioxidants
When applied to skin, the antioxidants in cosmetics are absorbed by the cells in the outer skin layer. They stop the destruction of cells and stimulate the body’s natural production of antioxidants. By protecting skin cells from aging, they also become powerful ingredients for preventing fine lines and wrinkles.
Researchers agree that antioxidants that act on all free radicals are rare. Different antioxidants neutralize different types of free radicals, hence the idea of using a variety of antioxidants to increase your chances of success and acting on all fronts. How do you do this? It’s simple: fill your plate with fruits and vegetables, enjoy some nice green tea, and cover yourself with antioxidants!
Antioxidants and the prevention of skin aging
The addition of an antioxidant to sunscreen significantly reduces redness when skin is exposed to the sun. Sunscreen containing antioxidants also helps fight free radicals generated by UV rays and therefore the damage they cause to skin.
You can either use sunscreen that contains antioxidants or combine an antioxidant product with your sunscreen to boost its protective effectiveness. Our favourite is vitamin C, which is very powerful. It not only tracks down free radicals generated by UV rays, it also reactivates the vitamin E present in skin, which traps other free radicals.
Medicart Firming Serum C is highly concentrated in vitamin C, which helps slow skin aging, stimulate collagen production, and even out skin tone by stopping the formation of brown spots.
Antioxidants and the prevention of skin imperfections
On a different note, a good antioxidant also prevents the oxidation of sebum on oily skin, thereby minimizing imperfections and infectious complications. Purifying skin is great, but helping it stay pure is even better. Esthederm has created a line of innovative products designed for oily skin that are suitable for all ages.
Its Pure System products control the production of excess sebum while retaining the skin’s natural protection. Skin is cleaner and more matte and retains its natural self-defences.