Are you one of those people who want clear, healthy and glowing skin but afraid of wading through hundreds of chemically laden products to get that glimpse? As we age, our skin starts losing its natural glow and elasticity which in turns causes visible signs of ageing. And during these days, when pollution and UVA & UVB rays are at their peak, our skin becomes more prone to aging. However, when our skin is in a good clause, it involuntarily protects our body from the damage through its natural defense mechanism. But due to the unbalanced lifestyle, we are following, sometimes our body fails to cope up with these factors. There is a number of factors which affects our skin’s condition that how it looks and also these factors speed up the natural aging process.

These factors cause the formation of oxidative stress which in turn generates Free Radicals which are the main cause of accelerated aging.

Internal factors affecting skin

1. Genetics: Your genetic makeup determines your skin type whether you have oily, dry, normal or a skin with a combination. Genetic alterations cause the ‘Biological Aging’ which is different from ‘Premature Aging’. Premature Aging is caused by the external factors. Genetic alterations causes the decline in regeneration & renewal of skin cells, reduced secretions of sebaceous glands, less collagen & elastin production which results in the saggy skin.
2. Hormones: Hormones play a great role in the healthy body and have a significant impact on our skin. Changes in the hormone levels can hit you hard in your puberty and can trigger the acne. Even during pregnancy, hormones increase the production of melanin resulting in Melasma. When there is a low level of estrogen in the body, then there is a fast process of biological aging as estrogen helps to balance the moisture level in the skin.
3. Metabolic Process: When our body has an active metabolism, it functions efficiently and skin cells communicate well with each other resulting in the perfect structural organization of the skin. The metabolic rate of skin ensures the self-exfoliation of the cells which can result in partly repaired UV damage. When this metabolism rate is slow down, then there is degeneration of the connective tissues and skin starts losing its firmness and binding capacity resulting in visible aging signs.
4. Skin’s Micro flora: Human skin is the milieu of numerous single cell organisms and hosts approximately 500 species of micro-organisms especially bacteria. The beauty of our skin is intimately linked to the balance of the micro-organisms. There are good bacteria in the body whereas there are also bad bacteria in the body which can cause various skin problems. When the bacterial ecosystem is balanced & differentiated in the body, our skin remains healthy.

External factors affecting skin:

• UV Exposure & Photo-aging: Vitamin D is important for health but that too in moderate amount. Excess of everything is bad. Similar is the case with the sun. Excessive sun rays can harm your skin. UVB rays cause sun burn whereas UVA rays cause damage to the DNA. All UVA, UVB & High energy visible light (HEV light) causes the premature aging, hyper-pigmentation, age spots and even accelerates the aging process.
• Pollution/Industrial Exhaust: Our environment contains many pollutants that put our skin’s natural protective layer at the risk which results in visible aging signs. Some of these pollutants are so minute that they penetrate through the skin and causes breakdown of collagen levels and loss of elasticity and firmness in the skin.
• Smoking: Smoking is the major cause of wrinkles formation. Chain smoking can cause narrowing of the blood vessels which decreases the blood flow and decreased oxygen levels in the body. Smoke also damages the collagen & elastin, the structural fibers that provide the skin with its strength & elasticity.
• Diet: A balanced diet not only helps to keep the body healthy, it also keeps our skin in a firm state. If we consume a diet containing more fats & oils, there is more generation of the free radicals in the body which causes various skin problems like acne, dark spots and other aging signs.
• PCP (Personal Care Products): Our skin is mildly acidic in nature. When we use skin products which are aggressive in nature, they disrupt the body’s natural pH and causes structural damage to the epidermal layer of the skin. As a result of which our skin becomes more prone to external damage leading to faster aging.

Here comes the skin protectors- ANTIOXIDANTS. Give a protective shield of antioxidants to your skin and keep your aging signs at a bay.

What are Antioxidants?

In the world of skin care, the words ‘Antioxidants’ and ‘Free radicals’ are tossed a lot. The word antioxidant originally comes from the word anti-oxidation. Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that give protection to the skin against the damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidants in skin care products help a lot to improve the appearance of the skin. From soothing the inflamed skin to tighten & toned, antioxidants offer the great benefits from the natural sources.

How antioxidants protect skin?

Antioxidants are also known as skin saviors. Antioxidants absorb the free radicals & help to stop the negative spill of damage caused by the molecules. Antioxidants also help to ward off infections & helps to prevent acne breakouts. Antioxidants for skin care creates a protective shield that acts as a sponge and creates a goopy gel matrix to absorb the free radicals. Thus, makes the skin free from oxidative stress and you can enjoy wrinkles free, acne free clear skin.

Antioxidants for skin benefits:

• Antioxidants for skin aging help to correct the signs of aging caused by oxidative stress & free radicals.
• Antioxidants prevent the skin from sunburn. Antioxidants blunt the skin’s natural inflammatory response which provides protection against UV damage & photo-aging.
• Antioxidants stimulate the collagen production in the body which enhances the self- repair mechanism of the body.
• Antioxidants help to brighten the skin tone. Some of the antioxidants work as tyrosinase inhibitor which is the main reason for skin discoloration or dark skin.
• Antioxidants help to firm the skin by evenly moisturize it. They accelerate the process of cell renewal and regeneration which results in healthy skin.

Best Antioxidants For Skin:

There are number of antioxidants available in the cosmetic formulations which are available over the counter (OTC). Some are present in the form of vitamins and minerals while others are in the form of obscure compounds. They also contain agents that act as antioxidants for skin whitening

Foods Rich In Antioxidants:

There are number of natural sources of food which acts as best antioxidant foods for skin. These foods contain natural components that acts as best antioxidant for skin acne.