Antioxidants – now what’s that all about??

Antioxidants might be familiar to you or they might not. But, they are very important when it comes to healthy skin. What are they and what do they do?

Patrick Holford, the nutritionalist, in his book The Optimum Nutrition Bible heads his chapter up “Antioxidants – the Power of Prevention”. Antioxidants slow down or prevent damage to our cells called oxidative damage. Oxidative damage occurs when the skin is exposed to light, pollution, stress, illness, smoking, burning petrol to create exhaust fumes, frying or barbecuing food and normal body processes. All of these listed situations create free radicals which lead to oxidative damage and antioxidants disarm the free radicals.

Oxidative damage is key to the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin – these are the two fibres responsible for keeping the skin plump and firm – age spots which can have the potential to become more serious.

As antioxidants can help to fight oxidative damage it makes sense to not only to take them in supplement form but also for them to be in our skincare products, thereby absorbing the free radical damage.

The main antioxidants are Vitamins A, C and E plus betacarotene, the precursor of vitamin A that is found in fruit and vegetables. Other antioxidants used in skincare and Jane Iredale makeup are green tea, coenzyme Q10, grape seed extracts, resveratrol, soya bean sterols, niacinamide, pomegranate, idebenone, turmeric and superoxide dismutase.

Whilst some products may contain some of these ingredients, it is thought that a mix of antioxidants is best as they have different benefits. For example, Vitamin C is effective against ozone, grape seed extracts are effective against pollution and Vitamin E is effective against UVA rays.
Antioxidants deteriorate if they are exposed to sunlight and oxygen, so it’s important that they are packaged in opaque, pump only containers. Use them morning and night, ensure they are included in your diet and supplements.

All skincare ranges at Ginger Tree – Environ, Pinks Boutique and Neal’s Yard include antioxidants in their products.