If you want your skin to be healthy and radiant, meet the protectors of beauty known as antioxidants.
Although you are aware that antioxidants are found in some of your favorite skin care products, you may not actually know what antioxidants are and how they affect the skin. However, it is worth getting acquainted with this star of all ingredients because antioxidants can do miraculous benefits for your skin.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants have a very important task - to protect the skin by limiting the production of free radicals, which are the main actor in skin damage. With daily use, antioxidants can reduce lentigin (sun spots), help reduce the visible signs of aging, and help soothe skin inflammation. Some antioxidants have essential effects on the skin such as hydration and increased moisture retention which is ultimately the key to revitalizing skin without shine and restoring radiance.
Think of antioxidants as a plan to insure your skin. They provide protection for your skin from future damage, but also help reduce the damage that has already occurred to your cells. We believe that you would not drive a car without insurance, so why would you leave your house without antioxidants in skin care?
So, antioxidants are damage protectors that help slow down skin aging - and they certainly deserve a place in your facial skin care routine.
Antioxidants and free radicals
If you've ever seen a sliced apple turn brown, you've witnessed the oxidation process caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that have one or more unpaired electrons. To gain stability, free radicals react with other molecules by triggering a chain reaction that causes damage to healthy cells .
Except in metabolic reactions in our body , free radicals also occur as a result of exposure to harmful external and internal factors. The skin, the largest organ of the body in area (its area is about 2 m2) and the first line of defense of the organism from harmful environmental factors, is strongly exposed to the formation of free radicals. Namely, it acts on external aggressors (such as UV radiation, pollution, pollution, smoke, various chemicals, etc.) by initiating an immune reaction in which reactive oxygen species, ie free radicals, can also be formed.
Once there are too many free radicals in our body, it causes oxidative stress or an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body's ability to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects.
Free radicals in the skin can cause irritation and cell damage , especially the fibers that make up the middle layer of the skin (collagen and elastin), which is why there is a loss of firm skin structure, the skin loses elasticity and goes through a process of premature aging .
Although the skin or the body as a whole has a number of defense mechanisms that fight against the harmful effects of free radicals (eg various enzymes in the body that donate their electrons to free radicals, making them stable before binding to a structural element of the cell) , however, these mechanisms are sometimes not enough to protect the body from their harmful effects. Then antioxidants come to our aid. Fortunately, many studies have shown that incorporating antioxidants into your skin care routine can help your skin fight free radical damage and recover from oxidative stress .
What are the benefits of antioxidants?
Simply put, antioxidants are molecules that can prevent the oxidation of other molecules by donating one or more electrons to a free radical, allowing the free radical to stabilize and prevent the triggering of a sequence of chemical reactions (oxidative stress) that causes cell damage. >
The role of antioxidants is threefold:
- preventing the formation of new free radicals in the body
- neutralization of existing free radicals
- Repair cell damage caused by free radicals.
How do antioxidants help the skin?
In addition to the many health benefits that are closely related to health, antioxidants also have many miraculous effects in cosmetics, ie they have many benefits for the skin and face.
- DELETING THE SIGNS OF AGE : Antioxidants help correct the signs of old age. Oxidative stress breaks down collagen, interferes with the skin’s natural renewal process, and triggers inflammation - and these effects on the skin are seen as thin lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, acne and blemishes on the skin. By cleansing free radicals, antioxidants help prevent and correct these visible signs of aging, after which your result is a youthful facial appearance and glowing skin.
- PREVENTING SUN DAMAGE : Antioxidants help prevent UV and sun damage. By definition, all antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties. They “dull” your skin’s inflammatory response to harmful sun rays, thus having a huge impact on preventing sunburn. In addition, the task of antioxidants is to enhance the protection of the skin from damage and photoaging.
- SKIN RECOVERY : Antioxidants help the skin repair itself. Any inflammation prevents the skin renewal process. Reducing inflammation is the first step that antioxidants take to successfully regenerate skin cells. Along with cell renewal comes the power of antioxidants - repairing visible damage to the skin. Some antioxidants, such as vitamin C, also stimulate collagen production, which is vital for the youthful appearance of the skin.
- SKIN LIGHTENING : Antioxidants help lighten skin tone. Free radicals and frequent sun exposure can also trigger changes in melanin production in our skin, causing dark spots and uneven skin tone. Reducing UV damage from harmful sun rays and preventing abnormal skin pigmentation are some of the main benefits that antioxidants are proud of. Some antioxidants (again, like vitamin C) also work by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme that stimulates melanin production.
The role of antioxidants in cosmetics is twofold: preventing the occurrence of oxidative skin stress that causes cell damage and premature skin aging, and preserving the stability of cosmetic products. Antioxidants prevent the oxidation of lipids (vegetable or mineral oils), fragrances and other raw materials that would react with oxygen to cause spoilage of the product.
What are the best antioxidants for the skin?
There are many different types of antioxidants, some of which are stronger than others. Those used in topical skin care products can protect cells from UV light, pollution and other environmental factors that produce harmful free radicals. Here are the most popular antioxidants that can be found as an ingredient in your skin care products:
- VITAMIN C - A favorite among dermatologists, vitamin C is one of the most studied antioxidants. As a free radical scavenger, vitamin C has a number of benefits for the skin, such as collagen production (resulting in firm skin) and the removal of dark spots . Use vitamin C in the morning to make the most of its ability to prevent sun damage and hyperpigmentation - and after vitamin C you ALWAYS need SPF sunscreen.
- NIACINAMID - Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a powerful antioxidant that aims to improve skin texture and tone, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, reduce hyperpigmentation and anti-inflammatory impact. Thanks to its ability to soothe inflammation, niacinamide also helps prevent the formation of acne, blackheads and acne. Additional benefits of using niacinamide are redness reduction and protection of the skin barrier. Therefore, niacinamide is often used to treat skin problems such as rosacea and acne, and since it does not cause any adverse reactions, niacinamide is an ideal choice if your skin is sensitive.
- RESVERATROL - Due to its impressive anti-aging properties, resveratrol is known as a "longevity molecule" . Resveratrol is an antioxidant found mainly in the skin of fruits such as grapes and berries, serves as a protective shell for plants - and has a similar reparative effect when used in skin care products. Resveratrol has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal properties that help soothe the skin, reduce skin aging and keep the skin free of infections. Resveratrol is best used in the evening, as exposure to UV radiation may reduce its effectiveness.
- VITAMIN E - Vitamin E is an important antioxidant needed for the proper function of many organs in the body, including the skin. It is widely recognized for its ability to influence the acceleration of the skin healing process . No wonder vitamin E is often found as an ingredient in many cosmetic products: moisturizer, cream and lotion for dry skin, cream to reduce stretch marks. Vitamin E also helps stabilize other antioxidants and improves their effectiveness, so vitamin E and vitamin C or resveratrol are often used in combination.
- RETINOL - If there is an ingredient that has been re-confirmed to restore age to mature skin is retinol. Another name for the vitamin A derivative, it is a particularly effective antioxidant due to its small molecular structure, which allows it to penetrate deep enough into the skin that it can effectively stimulate collagen production and accelerate cell renewal. Over-the-counter retinol and prescription forms of vitamin A (retinoids such as tretinoin) have an excellent effect on smoothing fine lines and wrinkles and improving skin tone and discoloration.
- COENZYME Q10 - Have you ever wondered how you used to have a fresh looking face the next day and after a sleepless night without signs of fatigue? Thanks to your body's abundant supply of coenzyme Q10 or coQ10, such late nights have not taken a toll on your skin - but unfortunately it doesn't last forever. As we age, the presence of coenzyme Q10, also known as ubiquinone, in our body slowly decreases, making us more sensitive to wrinkles and photoaging. Studies show that increased topical application of this antioxidant helps fight free radical damage and keeps skin cells healthy. The skin easily absorbs this nutrient and helps boost collagen production, which improves elasticity and texture .
- POLYPHENOL - There are thousands of types of polyphenols (resveratrol is one) found in fruits, vegetables, green or black tea (also called flavonoids) and other herbal funds. Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antioxidant properties to prevent UV photo-damage to the skin. The use and topical use of polyphenol-rich ingredients help improve our skin’s natural defenses against oxidative stress, prevent the signs of aging and repair DNA damage.
La PIEL products enriched with antioxidants:
Gentle foam for cleansing the face and removing makeup
Gentle foam for daily thorough cleansing of the face or removing makeup without drying, irritation and feeling of tightness after use. 8 antioxidant plant extracts, glycerin and panthenol act as hydrating agents, preventing moisture loss and possible drying of the skin.
Extremely regenerative and nourishing face mask
Extremely regenerating and nourishing cream-clay face mask for all skin types. Mineral clays kaolin and bentonite remove impurities from the pores, and the addition of plant extracts, oils, glycerin and active ingredients (ceramides, niacinamide, copper peptides, hyaluronic acid, collagen, panthenol, vitamins (E and F)) makes your skin nourished, smooth and healthy.
Moisturizing and extremely nourishing face cream
Moisturizing and extremely nourishing day and night face cream, for all skin types. High quality and advanced formula contains 6 active ingredients: niacinamide, peptides, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, retinol, collagen which give facial skin freshness and elasticity, renew it, improve tone and texture. The combination of powerful ingredients makes the cream ideal for maintaining youthful skin in their twenties, and for more mature skin it acts as an excellent anti-aging.
"Superpower liquid" exfoliating liquid with AHA glycolic acid
La PIEL LAB "Superpower liquid" is a type of liquid peeling that removes dead skin cells, deeply purifies it and prepares it for better resorption of oil and active components from products such as creams and face masks. The formula is based on 5% glycolic acid and enriched with even 8 plant extracts and oils for complete skin regeneration and revitalization.
