Vitamin C: The Strongest Free Radical Fighter
Did you know that the skin is the body’s largest organ?
You may have heard all of the hype surrounding protecting your skin from the sun and free radical damage, but if you haven’t, it should be something you consider and I’m here to tell you why!
WHAT IS FREE RADICAL DAMAGE?
Free radical damage or oxidative stressors are what scientists say are the biggest aggressors to harm your skin. This harm can show up like fine lines/wrinkles, brown spots, premature aging, rosacea and general skin inflammation. According to scientists, one of the primary reasons we age is because unstable electrons in molecules (free radicals) attack healthy cells and change their composition, thus creating dull or textured skin, acne, or general signs of aging.
The three categories of free radical damage include:
1. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
2. Reactive Carbonyl Species (RCS)
3. Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS)
Let’s dive into these three free radicals and how damaging each can be on the skin.
1. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
ROS’ are the most damaging of the three free radicals, as we are exposed to these daily from the environment that we live in. Essentially, they are environmental stressors for the skin. Environmental stressors include oxygen, smoke, UV sunlight, stress, etc. ROS causes oxidative stress by attacking all areas of cells, mutating DNA, and destroying the skin's natural skin barrier. ROS also damages the dermis layer of the skin, causing inflammation. This results in harming not only our extrinsic aging process, but our intrinsic aging as well.
2. Reactive Carbonyl Species (RCS)
RCS’ is a carbon-based free radical, just like the name “carbonyl” derives from. These free radicals come from alcohol consumption and eating simple carbs like sugar, white flour, white rice, and pasta. Eating these certain foods and liquids creates glycation, where a sugar-like coating forms over the skin’s proteins. In turn, this makes these proteins hard and inflexible, resulting in sagging, deep wrinkles, and fine lines. Therefore, healthy skin is not just about the products we topically use on your face, but the food we put into our bodies as well.
3. Reactive Nitrogen Species (RNS)
RNS’ is a nitrogen-based (just as it says in the name) free radical found mainly in parks, woods, farmlands, and gardens. RNS is given off by nitrogen-rich soil like fertilizers, car exhaust, etc. These free radicals change proteins in our skin, which then results in healthy skin proteins becoming inflamed. General healthy cell death occurs, and this can result in cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other numerous skin diseases.
WHY YOU SHOULD INCORPORATE VITAMIN C
I gave this brief science lesson because I really want this community to understand how the skin works. By understanding this, and by providing you with information to give you as much knowledge as possible, it will allow you to understand why quality products or treatments can be priced higher than some others. I want you to be able to make reasonable and self-compassionate goals to accomplish. Keep in mind, we are always aiming for healthy skin, not perfect skin.
So how can you start protecting your skin from all these free radical environmental stressors?
Vitamin c, vitamin c, and more vitamin c!
Vitamin C is one of the strongest products you can use in your daily morning routine to mitigate damaging free radical activity. Alone, Vitamin C is quite unstable, so most skincare products need to pair Vitamin C with Vitamin E, and Ferulic Acid to stabilize and prevent oxidation when applied topically on the skin. Each Vitamin C that I have listed below is formulated under the Duke Antioxidant Patent, which formulates using pure L-Ascorbic Acid, an acidic pH within 2.0-3.5% pH range, and a concentration between 10-20%.
Antioxidant recommendations:
· CE Ferulic
An antioxidant great for oily, normal and combination skin types. If you are experiencing visible signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, light sun damage and texture.
· Phloretin CF
An antioxidant suited for oily, normal and combination skin types. Combating against discolouration, even one and improving overall skin brightness.
· Silymarin CF
An antioxidant suited for oily or acne prone skin types. This product aids in preventing oil oxidation that can further lead to breakouts, along with reducing pigmentation and shrinking the appearance of pores.
· Serum 10
An antioxidant for first time Vitamin C users. A great introductory as it contains 10% active Vitamin C, and is best suited for sensitive, inflamed or reactive skin types.
Antioxidant for around the eye:
· AOX + Eye Gel
An antioxidant for the eyes, and to be used in the mornings. Combats and improves fine lines, puffiness and under eye darkness caused by general fatigue.
To view all of these products, click here.
I have religiously recommended these SkinCeutical antioxidants for the last 5 years, and I will never stop. They hold a high-grade standard in which most of their profits go towards scientific research and studies. With over 30 years of Vitamin C research, they have proven numerous times to neutralize skin-damaging free radicals. They’re not only providing the most high-grade products to their consumers, but they are changing the industry by consistent frequent studies and tests on how these products work on various skin types and concerns.
To sum this up, even the best broad spectrum sunscreen may only block up to 55% of damaging free radicals. The patented antioxidants have been proven to neutralize free radicals caused by atmospheric aggressors, on all skin types. What more could anyone ask for?
After learning all of this, will you incorporate Vitamin C into your routine?
Or, if you already have, what has been the biggest change you’ve noticed?
“Beautiful skin requires commitment, not a miracle”
Erno Lazlo