Make Mine a Double: How Antioxidants Make Sunscreens Work Better (Guest Post from Ritual Beauty)

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We all know the importance of wearing sunscreen.  Obviously, you need to wear it when you are going to be outside but it is also important to wear it every day under makeup to help prevent the damage caused by incidental sun exposure.  But did you know that by adding antioxidants to your skin care routine, you can pump up the effectiveness of your sunscreen?  Even though sunscreen protects against harmful ultraviolet rays, free radicals can still get past your sunscreen and cause damage speeding up the aging process.  When antioxidants are applied underneath a sunscreen, you create two layers of protection against UV rays and free radicals.

Am I telling you to add another product to your skin care routine?  Well, yes and no.  More and more companies are adding antioxidants to their products so there is a good chance, you may already be using them.  If not, either add or switch your current moisturizer or treatment product for one that does contain antioxidants.  

There are a number of great antioxidants available in skin care products today.  Below are some to look for that not only fight free radicals but have other positive benefits to the skin (did someone say multitasker?).  Look for products that include a blend of antioxidants because when it comes to these powerhouse ingredients, more is better.

Vitamin A’s two most common forms are retinols and carotenoids.  While retinols have been used for years in skin care products to treat wrinkles, research has shown that carotenoids may play a role in preventing UV-induced collagen breakdown.

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid and comes from citrus fruit.  Besides being a potent antioxidant, Vitamin C helps promote collagen production and plays a role in immune function.

Vitamin E may be listed as tocopherol and helps improve circulation and repair tissue.  It works even better when paired with Vitamin C.

Coffee Berry or Coffea Arabica is considered to be one of the strongest antioxidants available, has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used by those with sensitive skin.

Green Tea has antibacterial, anti fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and research has found that the active ingredient in green tea may help slow down the aging process.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is actually an antioxidant enzyme.  Research has shown that this enzyme can penetrate the skin and reduce wrinkles.

As I said before, you can’t overdo it when it comes to antioxidants.  Most of the antioxidants listed above come from foods such as carrots, citrus and avocados.  Make sure you incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables to your diet every day to fight free radicals from the inside out.

Dawn is the founder and president of skin care company Ritual Beauty to help women Look.Feel.Be.™ their best.  Even though she loves all things beauty, Dawn recognized at an early age that makeup could only do so much.  This has led to a lifelong pursuit of healthy skin.   Her blog covers skin care tips and advice, product reviews, beauty news and trends.