What do antioxidants do in skincare?
Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, the unstable molecules that sun and pollution generate in skin. In skincare, the strongest evidence is for vitamin C and vitamin E used together, as an add-on to sunscreen. They aren't sunscreen, and for many antioxidants on labels, including glutathione and fullerenes, there's little good evidence of what they do on real skin.
What free radicals have to do with skin
UV light creates reactive molecules in your skin that can damage cells, fats and proteins, including collagen. Skin has its own antioxidant defences, and the idea behind antioxidant skincare is to add to them. A critical review in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology looks at this and concludes the benefit is mainly as an extra layer of protection beyond sunscreen.
Vitamin C
This is the best studied, and some of the clearest writing on it comes from New Zealand, in a review from the University of Otago. It makes several points that the marketing skips:
- Vitamin C doesn't get into skin easily. Because it's water-soluble and charged, the outer layer repels it, and it only begins to get through when it's in an acidic form below pH 4.
- More stable derivatives exist, but how well they convert to active vitamin C in skin is often unknown.
- If your body already has plenty, topical vitamin C may not add much to what's in your skin.
- It does appear to help reduce UV injury, particularly when used with vitamin E, because vitamin C helps regenerate vitamin E.
The authors conclude that delivering vitamin C through the skin remains challenging. That's worth remembering next time a product promises a lot.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E appears on labels as tocopherol. A 2016 review says it's popular for its antioxidant properties, but that there's a shortage of controlled clinical studies, and studies on scars have been disappointing. It can, rarely, cause contact dermatitis.
The rest of the list
Our Hyaluronic Acid label includes glutathione and fullerenes. We looked for strong human evidence on what these do on skin in a mask and didn't find any we'd stand behind, so we won't make claims beyond what the shop page says: they help skin look fresher.
Antioxidants don't replace sunscreen
This is the part that matters. Antioxidants are not a sunscreen, so keep wearing yours. They may support it. Nothing here takes its place, especially at New Zealand's UV levels.
Antioxidants in our jars
Hyaluronic Acid lists Glutathione, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Fullerenes and Ascorbyl Glucoside, a more stable form of vitamin C. We can't tell you what strength any of them reaches in a 15-minute mask, or how well vitamin C in a mask gets through the skin's outer layer, and we don't think anyone else can say with confidence either. What you'll notice is how your skin feels and looks straight after, which is what we describe on each formula's page.
How to get the most from antioxidants if you want them
- Daily sunscreen first.
- If you add a vitamin C serum, use it in the morning under sunscreen, and watch for stinging.
- Look for vitamin C and E together.
- Store products as directed. These ingredients tend to break down with light and air, so a darkened or strong-smelling serum may be past it.
Questions
Do antioxidants protect your skin from the sun?
They may add some extra protection when used with sunscreen, but they aren't a replacement for it. They don't provide an SPF.
Is vitamin C the best antioxidant for skin?
It's the best studied, especially when paired with vitamin E, but it's hard to get through the skin's outer layer. Whether it suits you depends on how your skin tolerates it.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you're worried about your skin, see your GP or a skin specialist.
Sources
- The role of antioxidants in photoprotection: a critical review, Chen, Hu and Wang, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2012
- The roles of vitamin C in skin health, Pullar, Carr and Vissers (University of Otago, Christchurch), Nutrients, 2017
- Vitamin E in dermatology, Keen and Hassan, Indian Dermatology Online Journal, 2016