Byrdie / Liz Desousa
Antioxidants are a major component of healthy, glowing skin. Then there's free radicals, the bad guys of the skincare world—that can wreak havoc on your skin. Antioxidants are the superheroes in this scenario. They both reverse and prevent free radical damage (this includes things like premature aging, inflammation, and hyperpigmentation). So, if you don't have any antioxidant skincare products in your beauty routine, your skin is at the mercy of free radicals.
We spoke to two dermatologists on the benefits of antioxidant skincare, plus, their favorite products to use. Keep reading for more on how to incorporate antioxidants into your skincare routine.
Meet the Expert
- Marisa Garshick, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist of MDCS Dermatology.
- Morgan Rabach, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. She is the co-founder of LM Medical PLLC.
What Are Antioxidants?
"Antioxidants protect the skin from free radical damage, which may occur as a result of environmental stressors, including UV rays and pollution," says Garshick.
"Free radicals are chemicals that happen inside your cell leading to damage to the DNA. For skin this leads to signs of skin aging and also can lead to skin cancer," adds Rabach.
An important part of a skincare routine, antioxidants are often found in serums, moisturizers, cleansers, lotions, oils and may also be incorporated into some sunscreens. Garshick recommends that patients incorporate an antioxidant into their skincare regimen, especially in the morning to provide protection throughout the day in conjunction with sunscreen.
How Do Antioxidants Work?
"Antioxidants help to protect the skin against free radical damage, which includes the sun, toxins, and environmental pollutants," says Garshick, who adds that antioxidants also protect against the skin against stress.
Rabach adds that "Antioxidants protect the cell DNA and neutralize reactive oxygen species that can go into the cell nucleus and harm DNA.
What Are the Benefits of Antioxidants?
- Reduce inflammation: Antioxidants are super anti-inflammatory and can help to reduce redness in the skin.
- Brighten the skin: Vitamin C helps to even skin tone and brighten the skin for that glowing effect we all dream about.
- Improve skin tone and texture: "By protecting against free radical damage, antioxidants may help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," says Garshick.
- Improve elasticity: Garshick adds that you can see an improvement in skin's hydration and laxity thanks to antioxidants, which help boost collagen production.
- Address signs of skin-aging: Free radical damage can contribute to dark spots and other signs of hyperpigmentation, so antioxidants can help combat this.
The Best Antioxidants to Add to Your Skincare Routine
Vitamin C
This go-to antioxidant is a great addition to a morning skincare routine to protect the skin from free radical damage and pairs well with sunscreen. "Vitamin C helps to brighten the skin and improve discoloration to even skin tone and supports collagen production, helping to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," says Garshick.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E serves as both an antioxidant and an emollient helping to soften and smooth the skin. Garshick says that vitamin E is often paired with other antioxidants to offer a synergistic benefit. However, some people may find vitamin E to be irritating or to increase breakouts.
Ferulic Acid
Ferulic acid is a huge player in the skincare world as it can help reduce signs of skin aging including fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, brown spots and more. "Additionally, when combined with other antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E, it has been showvitn to boost stability and effectiveness. It has also been shown to reduce inflammation by reducing oxidative damage," adds Garshick.
Resveratrol
"I like to think of antioxidants for the skin as a healthy smoothie for the skin," says Rabach, and resveratrol fits the bill. Resveratrol is derived from red grapes and berries, and is a powerful antioxidant that helps to boost collagen production while also protecting the skin from free radical damage. Garshick also speaks to its calming properties, and ability to reduce redness and inflammation.
Bakuchiol
Offering similar benefits to retinol, bakuchiol is also a potent antioxidant helping to improve signs of skin aging. "It can help to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, boost firmness, and improve overall texture and tone of the skin," says Garshick of bakuchiol, which is more gentle than a retinol.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide offers many benefits as it improves discoloration and hyperpigmentation, calms and soothes the skin, reducing inflammation and redness, in addition to offering antioxidant properties.
Green Tea
"Part of the group of polyphenols, these plant-based ingredients offer antioxidant benefits and may be good for those with sensitive skin as they are calming and gentle on the skin," says Garshick. "Green tea in particular contains EGCG, which helps to protect against free radical damage that can occur from oxidative stress, resulting from environmental factors, including pollution."
Can You Use Antioxidants With Other Actives?
Pairing antioxidants together with other ingredients can be beneficial, but combining antioxidants with certain ingredients can lead to irritation.
Ingredients You Can Use With Antioxidants
According to Rabach, vitamin E and ferulic acid work well when combined with antioxidants. "These are best used in the morning with a zinc-based sunscreen and these actives all together help protect and repair the skin during the day," she says. "Vitamin A works well with resveratrol and niacinamide, as resveratrol and niacinamide are calming and vitamin A can be irritating to the skin." Rabach adds that vitamin A is best used at night as it is inactivated by sunlight.
Garshick adds that generally, antioxidants work well with sunscreen to provide daily protection, as "the antioxidant helps to protect against any free radical damage that may occur with UV exposure, serving as a second line of defense after sunscreen." She also shares that antioxidants pair well with moisturizing ingredients.
"Humectants, such as hyaluronic acid, paired with antioxidants, can help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles," says Garshick. "Used in conjunction with other skin brightening ingredients such as azelaic acid can also help to improve discoloration."
Ingredients to Avoid Using With Antioxidants
There are, however, certain products or ingredients may not work well together based on the specific antioxidants or formulation. "Some antioxidants, such as vitamin C, may be unstable in certain formulations and pairing with other ingredients may make them less effective or lead to more irritation," says Garshick. In that case, Rabach recommends using the products at different times of the day or alternating days if it becomes too irritating..
The Takeaway
Experts agree that antioxidants are essential in a solid skincare routine. The ingredients that prevent free radical production in skin cells are responsible for keeping our skin healthy, smooth, and bright. Free radicals most commonly happen inside skin cells from UV light but also can happen from exposure to chemicals and toxins in the air, so be sure to wear sunscreen, establish a good cleansing routine, and follow a skincare regimen that is unique to your needs.
