Skin Care Superheroes: Antioxidants

Today I would like to answer a question that was recently posed to me. A friend said, "I keep hearing about antioxidants in skin care, but I really don't understand what they are."

Many of you may have the same question. I'd like to explain it in depth:

Think of the term "antioxidant" as a shield against harmful flying objects. In reality, these "flying objects" are free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that cause tissue damage and aging. These could be things such as cigarette smoke, radiation, UV rays, pesticides, various drugs, smog, and other forms of environmental pollution.

Picture these harmful things flying at you, swirling around. Antioxidants will help shield you from harm, essentially. Think of them as superheroes! They are special molecules that can help stop those free radicals--they can neutralize their effects.


Antioxidants are found in many different foods, especially fruits:


SUPERFOODS: Blueberries, cranberries, and blackberries are said to be the best sources of antioxidants, according to a study published by The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.



*Red wine

*Pomegranates

*Tea (specifically green and white)

*Plums

*Peaches

*Melons

*Mangos

*Tomatoes

*Dark chocolate --at least 70% cacao (this is the reason why I eat this, LOL!)




They are also present in vitamins and minerals:

*Vitamin C

*Vitamin E

*Beta Carotene (from Vitamin A)

*Coenzyme Q-10

*Copper

*Selenium

*Manganese

*Zinc



For your health, antioxidants are believed to help inhibit cell damage and are said to help prevent skin damage from the sun's UV rays (in fact, a recent study showed that the antioxidants in dark chocolate can actually increase your skin's UV protection), lower the risk of heart disease, help prevent Alzheimer's and more.


Antioxidants are also wonderful when used in natural skin care. Earlier in this post, I mentioned those nasty little free radicals. All of those things impact your skin, just as they do your health. UV damage, smoke, and all of those other pollutants can wreak havoc on your skin, accelerating the aging process and damaging those cells.


At Nature's Basin, we offer many antioxidant-rich products to help protect your skin cells from further environmental damage.

Weleda has a lovely line of antioxidant products which use Pomegranate to help fight free radical damage. In fact, one item I find myself recommending over and over again is the affordable Pomegranate Regenerating Body Care Kit for just $17.95. This kit contains a hand cream, body oil, and creamy body wash all rich in natural pomegranate, which is a true antioxidant powerhouse.

The Polyphenol Skin Drops Antioxidant Serum from Sophyto is another potent antioxidant-rich, natural skin care product. Don't just take my word for it -- Elle named this the 2009 Green Stars in Skin Care Best Anti-Aging Treatment! This serum is 96% certified organic and contains both green and white teas, red grapes, vitamin C, and more.

Suki also makes an effective antioxidant serum. The Bio-C 10% Formula Face Serum is full of antioxidants such as copper, vitamin C, and white grape polyphenols. With the addition of other peptides, this is not just a protective measure, but a corrective one as well!