Antioxidant Skincare: Do More With Less for Healthy Skin1
by Felicia Ler
In today's fast-paced world, maintaining healthy-looking, youthful skin without spending too much time on your daily routine is a top priority for many. To achieve this, you might want to consider incorporating antioxidants in your beauty regime.
Think of antioxidants as your skin’s personal bodyguard. Every day, our skin faces countless threats in the form of damaging ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun, environmental pollutants, and harmful blue light exposure from our digital screens.
Within your body, there are various internal processes that break down collagen and create inflammation, resulting in fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, dry skin, and redness over time. Some of us also struggle with sensitive skin conditions like eczema and rosacea.
As such, a strong skin barrier is your defense mechanism against external and internal skin stressors.
Antioxidants help to fortify this barrier, keeping skin troublemakers at bay. They act as a repair and renewal crew for your skin by:
● Speeding up the skin-healing process
● Reducing skin inflammation
● Strengthening your skin’s resilience against daily wear and tear
In fact, science defines antioxidants as key compounds that “protect skin cells against the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS).” If you haven’t heard, ROS is incredibly damaging on the epidermis and has been linked to skin inflammation and photodamage (aka sun damage).
Antioxidants, specifically those extracted from plants, are powerful compounds that “play an important role in preventing and repairing skin damage caused by free radicals.” For that reason alone, antioxidant skincare gives your beauty ritual an undeniable edge by doing more with less.
Are you dreaming of a flawless complexion? Keep scrolling to find out the 5 must-try antioxidant skincare ingredients for every skin type. Bonus: We share product recommendations with each ingredient so you have an easier time building a routine that works for you.
1. Astaxanthin
Did you know there’s an antioxidant skincare ingredient that’s 6,000 times more potent than vitamin C in neutralizing toxic free radical damage?
That would be astaxanthin.
It is nature’s most powerful antioxidant derived from microalgae, and has been making waves in the skincare industry due to its remarkable benefits for the skin.
For scientific proof, a small-scale study of 23 Japanese test subjects were assigned to either one of two groups for 10 weeks:
● Group 1: Supplemented with a capsule infused with 4 milligrams of astaxanthin.
● Group 2: Supplemented with a placebo.
Compared to the placebo group, the results showed that astaxanthin supplementation:
● Strengthened the skin’s resilience to ultraviolet (UV) exposure as it took a longer time for it to turn red under harsh sunlight
● Reduced moisture loss to minimize the risk of dry skin and the appearance of wrinkles
On top of that, a 2021 meta-analysis in the Journal of Nutrients also supported the fact that topically applying astaxanthin to skin “improves moisture content and elasticity and reduces wrinkles.”
Product Recommendation: Invisible Shield Defense Serum
Incorporating astaxanthin into your skincare routine, such as through the use of products like our Invisible Shield Defense Serum, can be an effective way to shield your skin from environmental aggressors and maintain its youthful appearance.
Our serum is specially designed to defend your skin against:
● Damaging infrared and blue light
● Harmful free radicals
● Noxious pollutants
In fact, clinical studies have proven that just 30 minutes of treatment with the Invisible Shield Defense Serum significantly reduced >75% of UV-induced redness! What’s more, our antioxidant-rich serum helps to fade away dullness and restore radiance all day.
If you have oily skin, you’ll be elated to hear that the Invisible Shield Defense Serum helps regulate sebum production and leaves behind a soft matte finish for a clearer, more refined complexion.
2. Ergothioneine
The new kid on the skincare block, ergothioneine is another antioxidant skincare ingredient that has gained attention in recent years.
As a naturally occurring amino acid that cannot be made in the human body, you can only get ergothioneine from specific foods like mushrooms. Because of its stable antioxidative powers, research suggests that ergothioneine “may serve as a final defense against oxidation in cells.”
Not only that, but science also highlighted that ergothioneine displays anti-inflammatory and anti-aging abilities with the power to stop melanin production. This also means ergothioneine could possibly reduce redness and brighten your skin tone for a glowier, fairer-looking complexion.
Product recommendation: Lunar Glow Illuminate Serum
It’s easy to add ergothioneine to your skincare routine with Acaderma’s Lunar Glow Illuminate Serum. As its name suggests, this serum is scientifically developed and clinically proven to target key signs of aging. Look forward to transformative skin benefits such as:
● Improved appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
● A glowier, more radiant complexion
● More hydrated skin
● Firmer, more elastic-looking skin
Think of it as your all-in-one anti-aging serum that’s clinically proven to rejuvenate your overall complexion in 4-8 weeks.
3. Kinkeliba
Kinkeliba, derived from the popular kinkeliba plant that’s native to West Africa, is an antioxidant-rich ingredient that offers a unique set of benefits for your skin.
Based on a 2023 study conducted by our co-founder, Dr. Shuting Hu, and her team of scientists, they discovered that kinkeliba:
● Reduced skin redness by 22.4%
● Lowered transepidermal water loss by 59.8%
● Minimized collagen degradation and wrinkle formation
For these reasons, kinkeliba shows strong scientific evidence in stopping inflammation in its tracks for healthier-looking skin. And that’s why it is Acaderma’s star ingredient in our range of skincare products.
Product Recommendation: The Oasis Barrier Booster Serum
Enriched with Seh-Haw EX®, a ground-breaking concentrate derived from kinkeliba, our Oasis Barrier Booster Serum is the perfect addition to your beauty ritual, especially if you often struggle with skin dryness or irritation.
In case you didn’t know, kinkeliba is 20% more effective than resveratrol, an already well-known antioxidant for calming skin inflammation. Plus, kinkeliba possesses higher antioxidant levels than green tea itself.
Look forward to less redness, pigmentation, and firmer skin when you religiously use the Oasis Barrier Booster Serum.
4. Niacinamide
Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a versatile antioxidant that has become a staple in most skincare routines.
Here are nine reasons why niacinamide is beloved by all skin types:
1. Smooth out the appearance of uneven skin texture
2. Ideal for acne-prone skin
3. Stimulate ceramide synthesis in the skin
4. Possess anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties
5. Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
6. Improve uneven skin tone by lightening and brightening skin
7. Enhance skin elasticity
8. Promote healthier, more hydrated skin with long-term use
9. Treat most skin disorders like psoriasis, dermatitis, and melasma
Based on this list of accomplishments, it’s no wonder niacinamide earns its reputation as one of the most versatile antioxidant skincare ingredients.
Product Recommendation: Star Light Spot Corrector Serum
Best for oily and combination skin types, our Star Light Spot Corrector Serum shines a spotlight on the powerful skincare benefits that niacinamide has to offer, alongside a powerful blend of proprietary ingredients you can’t find anywhere else.
Working within the skin to address internal mechanisms contributing to hyperpigmentation problems, this serum is specially designed to tackle:
● Dark spots
● Skin roughness
● Post-acne marks
For scientific proof that it works to promote a clearer complexion from within, clinical studies showed positive results within 2-8 weeks of consistent usage. Thanks to its light, silky emulsion texture, the Star Light Spot Corrector Serum also works well with oily and combination skin types.
5. Retinol
Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, is a powerhouse antioxidant that has long been recognized for its skin-transforming properties:
● Alleviate acne
● Promote collagen production
● Manages skin conditions like psoriasis
Further research reveals that retinol “improves the skin texture, dyspigmentation, dryness, and fine lines.”
While retinol is an incredibly powerful antioxidant skincare ingredient, it does have a common side effect manifesting as skin irritation.
Product recommendation: Chrono Warp Restoring Essence
If you’d like to reap the skincare benefits of retinol without overly sensitizing your skin, try Acaderma’s Chrono Warp Restoring Essence.
It helps to lift and firm your skin while lessening the appearance of unwanted fine lines and wrinkles. Rest assured that it’s infused with a moisturizing ceramide complex to calm any skin irritation in the process.
Antioxidant Skincare Helps You Do More With Less
Antioxidant skincare ingredients are the key players to help your beauty regime go the extra mile without requiring more dedication or effort on your part. With so much scientific backing for antioxidant skincare, there’s really no reason to partake in their dermatological benefits.
To help you have an easier time shopping for products suited to your unique skin needs, we hope the 5 antioxidant skincare ingredients we’ve highlighted above will give you a good starting point. Because quality trumps quantity when it comes to the epidermis, at Acaderma, we firmly believe in using exceptional, expert-crafted ingredients to give your skin the best based on the latest scientific insights.
Remember, skin knowledge is skin power, and we’re here to help you achieve the best version of your skin.
