Antioxidant Skincare

source:flickr by:def110

Antioxidant Ingredient Close-up: Resveratrol

I recently wrote about the great antioxidant duo of wine and chocolate, but only vaguely touched on resveratrol, the component responsible for wine’s exceptional antioxidant benefits. Resveratrol is a truly remarkable ingredient that deserves its very own post, so that’s exactly what I’m giving you today!

Resveratrol is a unique natural skin care ingredient that’s found in grape vines. The antioxidant ingredient resveratrol is what’s responsible for grape vines being able to live and produce fruit for centuries! Resveratrol is an extremely precious skin care ingredient, due both to its exceptional capabilities, and its rarity; it takes one entire ton of grape vine shoots to extract one kilogram of resveratrol. Found highly concentrated in red wine, resveratrol is what makes controlled consumption of red wine a great way to improve your health.

Harvard’s Department of Medicine has called resveratrol the best anti-aging molecule, and for good reason! It is believed that resveratrol is what allows French people to lead longer, healthier lives than cultures with lower red wine consumption. (The French also have much lower incidences of heart disease than peoples who only drink wine on occasion.) In addition, resveratrol has been studied as a way to protect against cancer, radiation, neurodegenerative disease, and more!

In anti-aging skin care, resveratrol has been proven in clinical studies to be an effective way to improve skin denseness, firmness, and fibroblast multiplication. It also boosts cellular renewal (exfoliation), supports collagen and elastin production, and prolongs the life expectancy of skin cells by up to 160%. All of these skin antioxidant actions work together to create a healthier and younger-seeming skin texture while reducing the feel and appearance of deep wrinkles and fine lines.

Very few antioxidant products or anti-aging products contain resveratrol due to the exclusiveness of the ingredient. Caudalie, the skin care company that discovered resveratrol’s skin anti-aging abilities, holds the exclusive patent on the extraction and stabilization of grapevine resveratrol. Thankfully, Caudalie is an exceptional skin care company, even without the generous credibility boost provided by resveratrol. For extreme anti-aging benefits, choose a Caudalie anti wrinkle treatment formulated with resveratrol from the Vinexpert line, a comprehensive regimen for mature skin types.

source: flickr by:abdallah

Glutathione: The Skin-Whitening Antioxidant

Glutathione is a naturally occurring tripeptide antioxidant that helps protect our cells from free radicals and other forms of oxidative stress. Known as ‘The Master Antioxidant‘, glutathione is present in almost every single cell of the human body, and is sometimes even used to determine one’s lifespan. Glutathione levels decrease as we age, resulting in weaker defenses against free radical and oxidative damages.

In addition to its essential life-supporting role, glutathione is also an effective skin whitening agent. Glutathione taken internally can only whiten and brighten the complexion after the body’s natural glutathione stores have reached their threshold. However, it can also be applied topically via antioxidant skin care products to reduce age spots, hyperpigmentation and other forms of discoloration. Targeting pigmentation concerns from both the inside and outside will yield optimized results, though either route will improve the appearance of the skin.

Glutathione whitens the skin by inhibiting the natural enzyme tyrosinase. Tyrosinase is responsible for catalyzing the production of melanin within the skin, which is what leads to discolorations such as age spots, freckles, and more severe forms of hyperpigmentation. Broken down into simple terms, more glutathione means less tyrosinase. Less tyrosinase means less melanin, which equals reduced instances of hyperpigmentation. Glutathione also offers the anti-aging skin care bonus of reducing fine lines, wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.

Proper use of glutathione will promote a younger-looking complexion complete with youthful coloring and radiance. Compared to other whiteners, such as hydroquinone, glutathione is a much safer, gentler choice, making it perfect for those with sensitive skin, or for those who want to whiten their skin without the side effects associated with harsh bleaching. Look for antioxidant products containing L-glutathione, the chirally correct form of The Master Antioxidant.

Remember, using a skin care product containing L-glutathione will provide great results in 4-12 weeks time, though the added benefit of taking L-glutathione internally will only help. In addition, glutathione is being researched as a treatment for many serious illnesses, including cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, infertility, and even HIV and Autism! With that kind of potential, it only makes sense to add glutathione to your daily antioxidant diet.

source: flickr by:beatbull

Antioxidant Skin Care: Wine and Chocolate

By now, we’re all familiar with antioxidants. They’ve been on the buzzword list for quite some time, but unlike some buzzwords, antioxidants are here to stay. The benefits they can provide to our bodies and skin are proven, and more uses and benefits are currently being researched.

Antioxidants are able to neutralize free radicals, the “bad guys” responsible for visible signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, hyperpigmentation and more. In addition, oxidative stress, which is countered by antioxidants, is thought to be a main contributor to many diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and more. Therefore, many believe that antioxidants could have positive effects on these and other diseases.

Some people feel as if antioxidants are simply another step in their daily dietary and skin care routines, as well as another weight on their pocketbook. Nothing could be further from the truth! If only everyone knew how easy (and sometimes fun) it was to get their daily allowance of antioxidants, everyone would be feeling and looking healthier and more youthful. The best antioxidant secret? Chocolate and wine!

Dark chocolate and red wine contain some of the highest levels of food antioxidants. Based on the ORAC unit scale (the scale by which antioxidant levels are determined), dark chocolate with a minimum of 70% cocoa solids contains up to 8,849 ORAC units per one and a half ounces consumed, while red wine contains 3,873-5,034 units for five ounces. With the daily ORAC unit recommendation set at a minimum of 3,000 units, it doesn’t seem too difficult to protect your body and skin from oxidative stress!

Many topical anti-aging skin care products contain chocolate or resveratrol, the powerful antioxidant in wine. These skin care product additions allow you to target visible signs of aging from the outside while your daily antioxidant diet combats both internal and external damage, fine lines, wrinkles and more. For the ultimate antioxidant treatment, choose an antioxidant-fortified face mask and let it work on your skin while you enjoy a rich, velvety piece of chocolate and a relaxing glass of red wine. Staying healthy and combating visible signs of aging never tasted so great!