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Antioxidants, The Superfood For Your Skin

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Like antioxidants in food that keep our health in tip-top shape, antioxidants in skincare products protect our skin to bring out that natural glow. Let’s dive straight in and get to know these skincare heroes better!

Antioxidants help combat the elements responsible for the visible signs of aging. They also help to revitalize dull-looking skin helping to reveal a more youthful appearance.


While there are antioxidants that are created in the laboratories (“designer antioxidants”), mother nature also has also blessed us with many natural antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, green tea extract, soy extract, pomegranate extract and grape extract which are are derived from fruits and vegetables.

Antioxidants are added to skincare products to hone in on specific skincare issues more effectively.

When they’re present in higher concentrations in quality skincare products, it makes them more potent and more effective!

Some antioxidants are more popular than others because they are considered powerhouses when it comes to treating certain skincare concerns.

Here are a few antioxidant powerhouses which are often added to skincare products:

Vitamin E: this is often listed as tocopherol or tocotrienols in skincare products and is one of the most highly regarded antioxidants in skincare products. Vitamin E is often present in sunscreens as it can protect the skin from harmful UV rays of the sun. When it’s combined with vitamin C in facial or body moisturizers and serums, they become the dynamic duo in antioxidant properties.

Vitamin C: this is known as ascorbic acid, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate or by other names in skincare products. Having known to diminish the look of fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone and defend the skin against environmental stressors, vitamin C is fantastic at sweeping away these signs of aging to reveal youthful, radiant skin.

Resveratrol: this antioxidant superstar is found in red grapes, red wine, nuts, and berries such as blueberries and cranberries. When applied topically, resveratrol nurtures the skin surface, protects it from negative environmental influences and brightens the complexion while calming it.


Retinol: this is a form of vitamin A that has been proven to dramatically improve a whole host of skincare concerns such as enlarged pores, rough skin texture, fine lines and wrinkles and dull skin tone. So look out for retinol in facial moisturizers or serums. With retinol as an antioxidant in skincare products, you can be loving more of what you see in the mirror very soon.

Green tea: whether consumed or applied topically, green tea contains a great deal of a type of antioxidant known as epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG). Research has shown that when EGCG extract is applied to the skin, it calms (just like how a cup of green tea seems to melt stress away), reduces redness and protects the skin from environmental pollutants.

Why our skin needs Antioxidants?

Besides responding to our emotional and physical states of being, the skin is also affected by external factors such as temperature and environmental pollutants.

Antioxidants in food keeps us healthy and charged up. The antioxidants in skincare products do the same for our skin.

The skin is a living organ that will grow old and fine lines, age spots and other signs of aging will start to show sooner or later. It sheds old skin (though this is inconceivable to the naked eyes) and new skin takes their place.

Which is why besides practising pro healthy skin lifestyle habits such as eating right and wearing sunscreen, it’s essential to take care of our living skin by using the right antioxidants on a regular basis to slow down signs of aging and damage.

Benefits Of Antioxidants

Antioxidants in skincare products primarily target the two major nemeses of the skin, namely aging and environmental damage. Let’s look at these two major types of antioxidants in detail.

Antioxidants to Reduce Signs of Aging

While aging makes us wiser (hopefully!), it also brings on a barrage of skincare issues not seen in our younger days. As the skin ages, its natural ability to rejuvenate itself and “bounce back” slows down. This inevitably causes fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, dull skin, uneven skin tone and a list of skincare ailments to rear their ugly heads – literally.

This is where antioxidants for aging plays a unique role. They minimize these obvious signs of aging, shield the skin’s surface from further damage and nourish it from within to help recover its glow and radiance.

1) RESIST C15 Super Booster
An effective antioxidant against aging, this contains 15% pure vitamin C (one of nature’s most potent antioxidants) to visibly brighten uneven skin tone while reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. The lightweight formula gets absorbed by the skin more readily and is mild enough for use on its own or blended into your moisturizer.

2) RESIST Barrier Repair Moisturizer with Retinol
This is a hydrating, creamy advanced formulation which every skin type craves. Its blend of powerful antioxidants nourishes aging and dehydrated skin while targeting all visible signs of aging. With the addition of retinol, a type of vitamin A that supports the elastin and promotes collagen production in the skin, this is the go-to antioxidant if your skin is starting to show fine lines or other signs of aging. This rich moisturizer is most effective as the last step in your skincare routine at night.

3) RESIST Super-light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30
Lightly tinted and mineral based, this anti-aging moisturizer with SPF protection prevents premature aging of the skin. A universal antioxidant that is suitable for use on all skin types, it restores the vital elements of the skin. Its feather-light formula reduces shine to bring on a soft matte finish that’s often seen in many Korean actresses. This anti-aging moisturizer is great as a last step in your daytime skincare routine, so don’t leave the house without it!

Antioxidants to Combat Environmental Damage

Admit it, we don’t live in a pristine environment.

Air pollution, dust, radiation from computers and mobile devices are just a few environmental stressors we encounter on a daily basis. These could be detrimental to our skin.

Worst thing is, there’s no way we can avoid them.

Day and night, they’re everywhere around us, even when we’re indoors. Scary isn’t it? The prolonged build-up of stress on the skin manifests on the skin as a range of issues such as sensitive skin, uneven skin tone or lacklustre complexion.

So how do antioxidants come to the rescue of skin stressed out by environmental pollutants? Besides forming a protective barrier on the skin surface to block out negative influences, they can also effectively penetrate the deeper layers of the skin to work their antioxidant wonders.

1) RESIST Ultra-light Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum
Brightens and refines. These are what this lightweight serum does for your skin. It has a powerful blend of antioxidants that enhances the skin’s hydration while resisting environmental stress. It’s also effective in minimizing enlarged pores as well as reducing the appearance of wrinkles and visible signs of aging.

2) SKIN RECOVERY Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum with Retinol
Retinol is a type of vitamin A that improves and stimulates the elastin and collagen (support fibers of the skin) production, allowing the skin to be supple and “bounce back”. This Super Antioxidant is a concentrated serum that improves hydration, a crucial component in supple, youthful-looking skin while protecting the skin against environmental stressors. The silky-smooth serum also brightens and refines dry, tired-looking skin, making it a fantastic antioxidant to include into your skincare routine.

3) RESIST Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum
This antioxidants-rich serum retains moisture, brings back the radiance for dull, dry skin and improves the appearance of wrinkles – all while resisting the damage that the environment wreaks on the skin. The silky-smooth concoction is an essential antioxidant for skin that’s showing signs of aging or sun damage.

So, which is the best skincare antioxidant for me?

Don’t be surprised if we say there’s no “best” antioxidant for your skin.

Rather than pinpointing one “best” antioxidant” to use, we suggest choosing the ones that will effectively target specific skincare concerns.

You see, antioxidants are the classic reflection of the adage “there’s strength in numbers”. They perform even better together!

The largest organ of the body requires a combination of exceptional antioxidants and consistent daily use to effectively safeguard it from the natural process of aging and the environment.

It may be good to think of antioxidants as part of a skin-healthy diet. Just as you wouldn’t assume that eating only one food makes a balanced diet, using only one antioxidant and expecting it to take 10 years off or solve every skincare woe is impractical as well.

Antioxidants should be complemented by skin nourishers like ceramides, hyaluronic acid and glycerin plus a range of skin boosters such as retinol, peptides and niacinamide. Together, all these work in synchrony to give you healthy, radiant skin that you’ll love getting complimented for.

The skin could age prematurely due to sun exposure. Always remember to use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 during the day as well. It’d be good if the sunscreen is packed with antioxidants, your newfound best friend!

Work antioxidants into your skincare routine

Incorporating antioxidants into your skincare routine requires nothing more than a few extra minutes. While there’s no one ‘right’ way to use them, they should be used on a daily basis for you to see the wonderful results on your skin. It’s good to establish a routine that works most comfortably for you.

You can incorporate your skincare antioxidants in the following way:
Morning and night routines
– Cleanser
– Toner
– AHA or BHA exfoliant (can also be used once a day, either AM or PM)
– Apply one or more skincare boosters (if you use one. Otherwise apply your essence or serum containing antioxidants)
– Apply your essence containing antioxidants
– Apply your serum containing antioxidants
– Apply a sunscreen of at least SPF30 before you step out of the house during the day
– Apply a moisturizer at night

Now that you know what antioxidants can do for your skin, all you need to do is look for the right ones to help you target your skincare issues more effectively.

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