Medically Reviewed by: Corey L. Hartman MD Board-Certified Dermatologist
Updated on: 8/19/2024
Antioxidants are molecules that help your body, including your skin, fight off damaging, pro-aging compounds. Think of antioxidants as cell protectors. They deal with the threats we cannot see so our body can operate in a healthy manner.
Our body can produce some antioxidants, like glutathione and alpha lipoic acid, on its own, however, it also relies on us for an ongoing supply of the integral antioxidants the body cannot produce, like vitamins C and E. We usually satisfy this through ingesting antioxidant-rich foods, like fruits and vegetables.
Many antioxidants occur naturally, however, there are an increasing number of safe, synthetic antioxidants, too.
Antioxidants work to neutralize free radicals, unstable molecules within the body that are a byproduct of environmental stressors which can cause damage. Top common environmental stressors include pollution and UV rays.
If left unchecked, on skin this damage can result in health issues, skin cancer and the familiar signs of visible skin-aging we all know: wrinkles, fine lines, sun damage, dark spots and laxity.
Essentially, we need antioxidants to protect us from external aggressors and to keep us, and our cells, happy and healthy.
Antioxidants serve as a guardian for skin, shielding it from aggressive environmental attackers, fighting on its behalf and helping to restore its health. They can also assist skin in returning to a healthier state. But to be clear, they cannot take skin 100% back to where it was prior to being damaged.
Decades of research prove these benefits, showing that not only are antioxidants valuable for overall health when they’re ingested, but they have remarkable effects when included in skin care products that you apply daily. Topical antioxidants are proven, truly essential components in any anti-aging skin care routine, playing preventive and reparative roles.
Let’s get into the most noteworthy benefits that antioxidants provide skin.
Antioxidants benefit skin in many ways through their unique ability to help protect and defend skin cells. Top benefits of antioxidants for skin include:
Antioxidants are a large group of ingredients, some with far more research and proven benefits behind them than others. Antioxidants can range in origin (plant-derived or synthetic), potency and benefits.
The best antioxidants for skin include:
This star-studded vitamin and antioxidant (also known as ascorbic acid) and its derivatives (including tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate and 3-O ethyl ascorbic acid) are particularly effective in diminishing the look of fine lines, wrinkles, dullness and uneven skin tone.
Think of vitamin C as the “most popular” antioxidant in its graduating class— it's everywhere, but for good reason! Beyond what we mentioned above, vitamin C preserves skin’s resiliency and helps skin create firmness-inducing substances, so it takes on a firmer feeling and smoother appearance. Fun fact: vitamin C is the most abundant antioxidant in skin, but with age and environmental damage, skin becomes less able to keep up its own supply.
Retinoids, including retinol, have a long-established reputation as one of the most extraordinary, transformative, researched ingredients for skin. If vitamin C wins the popularity contest, retinoids win the "most likely to succeed” category. They're both skin-restoring ingredients and antioxidants.
Retinoid skin care products provide multiple benefits for almost every skin care concern imaginable, from uneven skin tone, bumps and enlarged pores, to rough surface texture and fine lines and wrinkles. It can also improve skin luminosity. Due to its anti-aging ability, retinol and its derivatives are key ingredients to look for if you want to minimize visible signs of aging. As an added benefit, certain retinoids can also unclog congested pores and soften the appearance of dark spots.
Retinoids are a great bet and an even better ingredient option. “There is no more studied active ingredient than retinoids in all of skin care,” says Dr. Hartman.
Niacinamide, AKA vitamin B3, specializes in normalizing the appearance of enlarged pores, tackling oil overproduction, softening the appearance of dark spots and assisting in reducing visible signs of aging. It’s for these reasons that niacinamide is a favorite for oily/combination skin types.
Like all other antioxidants, it also works to curb the damage that environmental aggressors tend to impart. Think of this B vitamin as your over-achieving friend who works behind the scenes to get your skin to greatness.
Vitamin E would consistently win the “best supporting ingredient” award at a skin care-style award ceremony. This tried-and-true antioxidant helps protects skin from environmental damage and helps promote hydration, but most importantly, it’s a great boosting antioxidant, often used alongside other hard-hitting antioxidants, like vitamin C. Certain forms of vitamin E also help soothe!
Naturally present in the body as a fat-soluble antioxidant, vitamin E depletes as we age. Topical application helps combat this decline.
