Antioxidant Skincare

source:flickr by:Valerie Everett

Top Three Antioxidant Skin Care Misconceptions

When it comes to antioxidant skin care, it’s easy to get confused about the best ingredients, how antioxidant skin care works, and even why antioxidants are so important. Skin care antioxidant misconceptions are a dime a dozen, which is why I’m here to set the record straight! Read on to discover the truth about the top three antioxidant skin care misconceptions.

Antioxidants Neutralize Each Other
Antioxidants do not cancel each other out! Some believe that since antioxidants provide neutralization abilities against free radicals that those same abilities can work against beneficial skin care ingredients, including the antioxidants themselves. Rest assured that your antioxidant products will not be rendered useless due to self-neutralization.

Antioxidants are for Mature Skin Only
Anyone at any age can use and benefit from antioxidants, whether they’re taken internally or used topically. Antioxidants prevent damage as well as they repair damage, making them a must-have ingredient in every beauty care product from a young girl’s acne cleanser to a potent anti-aging skin care moisturizer for mature skin. In addition to skin care with antioxidants, consuming antioxidant-rich foods will help keep the body running well and feeling great, due to the combination of antioxidants and natural nutrients, such as vitamins.

Antioxidant Skin Care Doesn’t Work
The most common, and arguably the most incorrect, antioxidant skin care misconception is that it simply doesn’t work! Countless clinical studies have shown that skin antioxidants effectively prevent and/or repair damage, including fine lines, wrinkles, undesired skin textures, hyperpigmentation, and more. If you only remember one misconception correction, make it this; skin care antioxidants are proven to be healthful, beneficial, and effective. Plus, they’re often taken from natural sources, making them one of the gentlest and most nourishing skin care ingredients available on the market!

Do you have an antioxidant skin care question? Leave us a comment and we’ll do our best to provide you with an answer!

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!

source:flickr by:daniel y. go

Antioxidant Ingredient Close-Up: Green Tea

Weight issues, acne, poor health, oxidation damage; these are just a few of the things green tea antioxidants can improve. Green tea has long been used as a multi-tasking “healer” in Asian cultures, and has more recently become a staple of many American diets. It has been said that drinking green tea will help prevent one from aging, which sounds more far-fetched than it actually is. What’s green tea’s anti-aging secret? Antioxidants, of course!

Green tea contains particularly potent antioxidants known as catechins. The catechins found in teas, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), are also responsible for green and white tea’s antimicrobial effects and suspected anti-cancer abilities. When taken internally, green tea is able to improve overall health while boosting metabolism and protecting against a wide variety of illnesses. When used topically, green tea is able to provide similar benefits to the skin, including:

• Protection against free radicals
• Reduced visible signs of aging and damage
• Protection against sunburn
• Skin cell rejuvenation
• Inflammation prevention
• Anti-acne benefits
• Anti-psoriasis benefits
• Anti-dandruff benefits
• Skin lightening abilities
• Suspected anti-skin cancer abilities

Green tea is also very calming and soothing, making it a wonderful skin care treatment for conditions such as rosacea. All skin care product types, such as cleansers, moisturizers and treatment products, can be found with green tea as an ingredient, making it easy to build a regimen based on green tea’s extensive benefits. Plus, green tea rarely causes undesired side effects, such as irritation, which means you can use as much or as little as you like without worrying about redness, inflammation or itching.

If you’re looking for a quick, easy way to improve your health, skin and body all at once (who isn’t?), then simply replace your coffee, black tea or soda with a mug of strong green tea. Add honey or lemon to alter the flavor, and possibly even improve green tea’s beneficial aspects. Don’t forget to slather on your green tea antioxidant cream to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and dullness! With a new green tea regimen, youthful beauty and wellness is just around the corner.

source:flickr by:avlxyz

What’s in Your Mug?

Whether it’s tea or coffee, most Americans are loathe to drive to work without something warm and awakening in their travel mugs. For years, coffee has received a bad rap for its tendency to cause nervousness, jitters, rapid heartbeat, stomach pains, elevated blood pressure levels, and higher cholesterol levels when consumed in excess. However, more and more studies show that coffee’s antioxidant levels may provide as many benefits as those found in antioxidant green tea, white tea, and black tea.

A study published by Dr. Joe Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, stated that coffee is the leading source of antioxidants in the average American diet. You read that right, folks! While coffee may not be the highest on the ORAC scale, most Americans receive the highest amount of their daily antioxidant intake through their morning cup of joe – up to 1,299 milligrams! Unfortunately, while this means coffee is providing us with anti-aging benefits, it also means that Americans still aren’t eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables, which are healthier sources of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Coffee is also being studied for its ability to protect against liver and colon cancer, Parkinson’s disease, cavities, and type 2 diabetes. While much more research needs to be done in order to fully know coffee’s risks and benefits, it is clear that, when consumed in moderation, coffee is a great contributor to one’s health and general well-being.

Like coffee, tea is a favorite morning beverage. Tea is available in thousands of variates, and known for its soothing, comforting, and rejuvenating abilities. Green tea has long been touted for its high antioxidant levels, but green tea’s antioxidants are actually surpassed by those found in white tea. Black tea comes in last place for antioxidant levels, most likely due to the fermentation process. Though white tea does have higher antioxidant levels, green tea is still the front-runner for improving one’s overall health. Green tea can help burn excess fat, reduce one’s risk of cancer, and help prevent inflammation.

So, which is better? Even with coffee’s relatively new-found redeeming qualities, tea is still a healthier choice. However, coffee does provide antioxidants and other benefits, so don’t give up your morning jolt if you don’t want to! Whether you’re a steadfast tea drinker or a hardcore coffee lover, you have skin antioxidant options, too. While tackling free radicals internally, try Juara’s Invigorating Coffee Scrub or Green Tea Botanicals’ Anti-Aging Calming Serum with Peptides. These skin care products, as well as other products containing tea or coffee ingredients, will improve and protect your skin with antioxidants while supplying targeted actions against visible signs of aging and damage.

source:flickr by:Arlo Bates

A History of Antioxidants

Before antioxidant skin care and daily antioxidant supplements, there was the prevention of metal corrosion and rubber vulcanization. Antioxidants have been around long before today’s beauty care products and pomegranate-acai beverages became popular, and they’ll continue to provide benefits after the antioxidant craze dies down. Ever wonder how antioxidants became known as one of the greatest anti-aging tools we have at our fingertips? Here’s a brief history of antioxidants from its first uses to today’s antioxidant-infused world.

Antioxidants were used by engineers in the 19th century to prevent metal from corroding and rubber from vulcanizing, thereby saving millions of dollars in materials every year. However, it wasn’t until the 20th century that the same principals were successfully applied to biotechnology, a feat that would change the course of history.

During the mid-20th century, scientists set out to lengthen the life of foods. Using foods high in unsaturated fat, the scientists applied antioxidants and found that they were able to prevent rancidity. As the scientists continued to study the effects of antioxidants on foods, they discovered that many of the essential nutrients consumed by humans on a daily basis were actually antioxidants! It was then that one man who would later be known as “the father of the free radical theory of aging” set out to study the effects of free radicals and antioxidants on human aging.

In 1954, Denham Harman became a research associate at Donner Laboratory of Medical Physics at UC Berkeley. Harman quickly set out to study the puzzle aging and its causes. After four months of dead-ends, Harman considered the role of free radicals in aging. Like most new ideas or discoveries, the theory was initially scoffed at by Harman’s peers. Regardless, Harman was able to get his findings published in the Journal of Gerontology, and his article is now an often cited piece of science.

Thanks to the engineers of the 19th century, and scientists like Denham Harman, we now know that antioxidants are able to improve our health and quality of life. When used in skin care products, antioxidants are able to prevent visible signs of aging, like fine lines and wrinkles, which indeed helps us appear younger and healthier. Perhaps the Fountain of Youth exists after all, filled to the brim with antioxidants.

Can Antioxidants Prevent Skin Cancer?

Antioxidants are promoted for many uses, including everything from general health to anti-aging benefits. But, what about skin cancer? It’s a legitimate question; basal cell carcinoma, a skin cancer, is the most common form of cancer, affecting over one million people each year in the US alone. Similarly, melanoma, a less common form of skin cancer, can be one of the most lethal types of cancer.

Sun-caused ultraviolet damage is the leading cause of skin cancer. The American Cancer Society states that, “Many of the more than 1 million skin cancers diagnosed each year could be prevented with protection from the sun’s rays.” When excessive (more than 15 minutes) or cumulative unprotected sun exposure occurs, the sun’s UV rays damage the DNA within the skin. The body will try to repair the damage before mutation occurs and cancer develops. However, sometimes a person’s body is unable to repair the UV damage, which results in visible signs of damage, such as sun spots, wrinkles and loss of elasticity, as well as skin cancer.

Sunscreen and protective clothing, such as hats, go a long way in preventing sun damage and therefore skin cancer. But, what if we could add antioxidants to our arsenal? Many studies found that antioxidant foods and antioxidant skin care products would certainly help protect the skin against cancer-inducing damage.

To know if antioxidants are a worthwhile method for preventing, and even treating, skin cancer, we first have to understand how skin cancer is formed. Thymine is a base pair that forms some of the blocks in the double-helix of everyone’s DNA. Ultraviolet radiation binds thymines together to form thymine dimers. When thymine dimers occur, the body splits them up again with a cellular process. However, when the thymine dimers get split up, there’s a chance for mutation, which can become cancerous.

Research into the effects of antioxidant vitamins on sun damage has shown that vitamins C and E can drastically reduce the severity of sunburn, which, in turn, reduces the number of thymine dimers created. With less thymine dimers around, there’s a smaller chance of cancerous mutation occurring.

So far, there’s only been one topical antioxidant product clinically proven to reduce the incidence of thymine dimers. Based on five years of extensive research, Phloretin CF by SkinCeuticals protects against free radicals and other mutation-causing molecules while also repairing damage by stimulating protein and fiber synthesis and boosting skin cell turnover. Although Phloretin CF is the only skin care product clinically proven to have a direct result on thymine dimers, it’s certainly not the only one. Products containing proper concentrations of stabilized vitamins C and E will offer wonderful antioxidant protection against the environmental damage that can lead to thymine dimers and other forms of damage.

source:flickr by:joe marinaro

Antioxidant Ingredient Close-Up: Pomegranate Extract

One of the most powerful (and yummy) antioxidants foods is the pomegranate. This lush, seed-bearing fruit provides vitamins C and B5, potassium and, of course, antioxidant polyphenols. Pomegranate juice contains 2,860 ORAC units per 100 grams and is said to rival the antioxidant capabilities of red wine, green tea and wild blueberries . With all of these great benefits, it’s no wonder why skin care companies have started to harness the power of the pomegranate.

So, aside from being a potent skin antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals, what are the benefits of using pomegranate extract skin care products? Take a look below to learn about the protective and anti-aging abilities of pomegranate extract in skin care.

Anti-Aging
Pomegranate extract is proven to boost the skin’s collagen production. Collagen is what gives youthful skin a supple, plump texture and appearance. The loss of collagen is what leads to many visible signs of aging, including fine lines and sagging skin. Pomegranate can also rebuild the skin’s outer layers and protect against the visible effects of oxidation.

In addition to pomegranate extract’s potent collagen-boosting capabilities, some skin care companies, such as Rodial, also use pomegranate ellagic tannin. This pomegranate derivative is supposedly nature’s most potent firming and collagen-enhancing ingredient.

Sun Protection
Using an antioxidant product formulated with pomegranate extract can boost your SPF formulation by up to 20%! This means you may be able to go longer between re-application of your sunscreen products and experience fewer or less severe sunburns.

Cancer
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin claim that pomegranate is a powerful anti-skin cancer ingredient. Before inducing skin tumors, researchers pretreated a percentage of skin samples with pomegranate extract. These pretreated samples showed “substantially reduced tumor incidence.” Since skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, the effects of pomegranate on skin cancer tumors is quite a breakthrough!

With all these proven benefits, plus the possibility of even more unknown benefits, pomegranate extract is definitely an ingredient you’d like to see in your antioxidant skin care regimen.

source:flickr by:scpgt

Feed Your Skin With Chocolate!

Chocolate. It’s delicious, versatile and filled with antioxidants. In only 1.5 ounces of undutched cocoa powder, you’ll find 13,396 ORAC units. Compare that to acai berry, one of the leading antioxidant foods, which has 18,500 ORAC units in a 3.5 ounce serving size. The antioxidant powers of chocolate are well-known, which is why more and more skin care companies are using this delicious substance in their anti-aging skin care products.

Due to chocolate’s antioxidant skin care benefits, it is able to help prevent the onset of premature signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Dark chocolate, which is rich in flavonoids, may also be able to help protect collagen and prevent against UV damage. Finally, chocolate has shown the ability to moisturize, rejuvenate and exfoliate dead skin cells, thereby restoring a radiant and smooth quality to the complexion.

If you want to get your daily dose of antioxidants by eating dark chocolate, it is important that you choose a chocolate treat containing at least 50% cacao. Selecting a semisweet chocolate that is a minimum of 70% cocoa solids will provide you with 6,649 ORAC units per 1.5 ounces consumed. That’s more than twice as many ORAC units than the recommended 3,000! Unfortunately, milk chocolate lovers will lose out on the antioxidant supplement benefits, as research suggests that dairy products may inhibit the proper absorption of antioxidants.

Even if dark chocolate doesn’t float your boat, you can still get the antioxidant benefits and sweet aroma of chocolate by using chocolate-infused skin care treatments. To moisturize, comfort and revive, try Chocolate!, a moisturizer and lip treatment by Karin Herzog that also contains orange and avocado oils, or Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque by Eminence, an all-natural, organic treatment mask that helps reduce visible signs of aging. For oily or acne-prone skin, Chocolate Mousse Primer by Colorescience will prepare your skin for flawless makeup application while controlling excess oil, hydrating without greasiness, protecting with an SPF of 20, and reducing redness, inflammation and fine lines.