Antioxidant cream what does it mean? (English)

Our skin care products are always on guard: creams with SPF, like bodyguards, protect against the harmful effects of sunlight, preparations with retinoids help restore your face after a party, serums with hyaluronic acid prevent the skin from dying from thirst. And only antioxidants, invisible to the eye, but well known to the ear, can do absolutely everything.

Why are antioxidants needed?

The main purpose of antioxidants is to catch and neutralize free radicals, that is, unstable oxygen molecules formed in the body under the influence of aggressive exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoke, and polluted air. They are very active and are ready to start the oxidative process anywhere. In the skin, free radicals begin to rush around chaotically, joining healthy cells and wreaking havoc around them, damaging cell membranes and interfering with established connections. On the face, their activity manifests itself in the form of wrinkles, decreased tone, elasticity and radiance of the skin. This is where our favorite cream with pomegranate, or vitamin E, or algae extract comes to our rescue. Many years of research have proven that antioxidants manage to neutralize free radicals before they can harm healthy cells.

How do they work

These miracle particles work at various levels. They primarily serve a protective function and help the skin look fresh and even, but can also help reduce inflammation (which in turn allows the tissue to produce more collagen).

The main players in the anti-aging battlefield are vitamins C, E and A, followed by retinol, retinyl palmitate, retinoic acid and even beta-carotene. On the label of creams and serums, antioxidants are usually indicated towards the end, which means only one thing - they are effective even in small doses (substances on the packaging are listed in descending order of concentration).

Today, development chemists are grappling with the question of how to deliver antioxidants to the consumer in the best form - in a jar or in a metal test tube. The fact is that antioxidants are unstable. For example, one form of vitamin C is completely destroyed when exposed to light, green tea extract can change color and turn brown, idebenone can cause irritation and rashes in some conditions, and vitamin E and coenzyme Q10 have difficulty penetrating the skin. But most scientists believe in these components and continue to explore their capabilities and improve their efficiency.

How to choose creams with antioxidants

Creams with antioxidants are in the arsenal of all serious brands without exception. To avoid making mistakes when purchasing, you need to follow simple rules.

Think about the brand. Since antioxidants in cosmetics are not regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), it is better to look for a product from a trusted manufacturer. They tend to invest heavily in research and development of formulas. The fight against free radicals is a very expensive pleasure, and only serious players in the beauty industry can afford not to skimp on them.

Content

When it comes to cosmetics, youth prolongation and skin care, the term “antioxidants” often comes up. In this article we will briefly explain what it is and what role it plays.

In the 70s, a theory emerged that reactive oxygen molecules are responsible for premature skin aging. These molecules are called “free radicals”, they are part of the group of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and are also found under the name ROS - reactive oxygen species. These molecules are necessary for cellular metabolism and are constantly present in our body, however, in addition to their benefits, when their concentration increases due to external factors, they can cause harm, which is called “oxidative stress”. Due to oxidative imbalance, wrinkles, pigmentation, psoriasis, dermatitis and even melanoma can appear.

To combat free radicals, in the process of evolution, the body has learned to extract antioxidants from food, which guard beauty and health. However, due to the increasing negative influence of the environment, poor nutrition and bad habits, the natural generation of antioxidants is insufficient, so there is a need to obtain these substances from the outside, including from cosmetic preparations.

What causes oxidative stress

In a metropolis, the skin experiences the negative effects of many aggressive factors every day. Common causes of oxidative stress: sun exposure, polluted environment, bad habits such as smoking or alcohol, stress and fatigue, poor or unbalanced diet.

Sun rays

Long exposure to the Sun without protection is the most common reason that leads to a “riot” of free radicals that cause skin aging. The formation of deep wrinkles, redness, pigmentation, dehydration is an incomplete list of what ultraviolet exposure to the skin leads to.

There are different types of ultraviolet radiation:

UVC are powerful waves of light that are scattered in the ozone layer and do not harm anything living.

UVB is active solar radiation that causes burns.

UVA is the long wavelength of light that surrounds us from sunrise to sunset, even in inclement weather. It is this radiation that causes skin photoaging and oxidative stress. Penetrating deep into the skin, they promote the intensive formation of reactive oxygen species, for example, singlet oxygen, peroxide and superoxide anions, which are free radicals.

Pollution

Unfortunately, today pollution surrounds us absolutely everywhere - on the street, at work, at home. Every day, millions of particles settle on our skin, forming a film that literally suffocates cells and disrupts all metabolic processes. As a result, the active formation of reactive oxygen species increases, collagen and elastin are destroyed, which leads to the appearance of deep wrinkles, inflammatory processes appear, etc.

Stress and bad habits

Smoking and alcohol abuse have an extremely negative effect on the condition of the skin - disruption of cellular metabolism, destruction of collagen, elastin, other proteins and a whole chain of various reactions that lead to the appearance of free radicals.

Also, bad habits that affect the condition of the skin include excessive consumption of sweets. Favorite cakes and chocolates have a high content of sugars, which contribute to oxidative processes and the formation of reactive oxygen species in large quantities.

Stress, lack of sleep and fatigue lead to increased levels of cortisol and androgens, which stimulate oxidative processes and lead to oxidative stress.

Examples of Antioxidants

Vitamin C

The most common and well-studied antioxidant is vitamin C. Vitamin C can be presented in different forms, the most common being ascorbic acid. In skin care products it can be found in the form of magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, L-ascorbic acid, tetraexidecyl ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, and ascorbyl glucosamine. In any form, vitamin C has a powerful antioxidant effect, protecting against environmental stress, has an anti-inflammatory effect, and is also the basis for the construction of collagen and elastin.

LibreDerm cosmetics are the result of the work of Russian specialists and are included in the category of skin care products. The products of this company appeared relatively recently on store shelves, but have already won the favor and sympathy of many women.

Despite its youth, the company has already released several series of cosmetics with various effects. Today we will talk about the collection with vitamin E.

Cosmetics enriched with this vitamin help accelerate regenerative processes, slow down the natural aging process, saturate the skin with useful substances and retain moisture inside the cells.

Peculiarities

LibreDerm creams and other products with vitamin E improve the overall condition of the skin, give the face a more well-groomed appearance, saturating the cells with oxygen. In addition, it has been proven that creams in this series are excellent antioxidants. This cosmetics has an anti-inflammatory and soothing effect, and also acts as a protective barrier against the negative effects of ultraviolet rays.

Some users of this company's products have noted the effectiveness of face creams in the series with vitamin E: they eliminate excessive pigmentation, help reduce, and with prolonged use, the complete disappearance of freckles.

For face

This series contains several products with different effects and purposes. There are creams not only for the face, but also for the body, care for hands and for sensitive skin around the eyes. Let's look at each of them in more detail:

Antioxidant cream for face LibreDerm has a wound-healing effect and helps restore damaged skin at the cellular level. It is quickly absorbed without leaving excessive greasy shine or a film effect, allowing cells to breathe.

The product is an excellent base for subsequent makeup and maintains normal water balance. Thanks to a well-chosen composition, the product is universal, does not contain fragrances or other components that cause allergies, and is suitable for any skin type. The hyaluronic acid it contains is known for its rejuvenating effect.

Many consumers observe the effect after the first application, however, for a more lasting result, the instructions recommend using cream "Vitamin Care" with pronounced properties for several weeks.

Around eyes

Antioxidant cream LibreDerm for special care around the eyes can get rid of dark circles around the eyes. It is very economical and even with daily use, one package lasts for a long time.

The texture is very light and absorbs well. After several uses, many women noted a noticeable reduction in the depth of facial wrinkles and so-called “crow’s feet”, which betray age. The skin of the eyelids tightens and becomes more elastic. The product has a moisturizing effect and perfectly softens the epidermis. Despite the fact that the instructions state that the cream can significantly slow down natural aging and renew cells, the product is still more suitable for younger representatives of the fair sex.

It quickly copes with various irritations, relieves swelling and swelling.

For hands

Antioxidant hand cream when applied, it forms an invisible film on the hands, protecting them from the harmful effects of various substances. Relieves irritation, has a wound-healing effect, moisturizes and cares. Due to the absence of parabens, various dyes, and silicone in its composition, the product is completely safe for use and does not cause allergies. And the convenient mini format packaging will fit even in a small ladies handbag.

This product is intended primarily for dry, rough and irritated skin. The composition of the described hand product includes floral compositions developed by leading European experts.

The range of hand products is quite diverse. The names alone can make your head spin. For those who love rich oriental spicy scents, you may like "Arabian jasmine and amber" Lovers of sweet scents will surely love it "Seychelles coconut and sandalwood." And those who love floral motifs will be able to enjoy the scents "Tangerine flower and white rose". For lovers of freshness, manufacturers offer "Cinchona and cucumber."

For body

LibreDerm body cream very effective when used in the cold season, when the air becomes dry from heaters and radiators, and the skin stops breathing under numerous layers of clothing. Despite the rather impressive volume of 200 ml, the tube is quite compact and lightweight. You can put it in your gym bag for use after the gym or pool. For ease of application, there is a special dispenser that allows you to use the product economically.

This cream contains natural ingredients.

Compound

Wheat germ oil actively moisturizes the skin, relieves flaking and has a general caring effect. In addition to vitamin E, wheat germ oil contains vitamins A, B and F. The oil promotes the breakdown of fat cells, so it is often added to massage products. It also strengthens the walls of capillary vessels.
Peach oil relieves signs of fatigue, saturates cells with moisture and various vitamins, relieves irritation, peeling and rejuvenates the skin. Perfectly moisturizes the skin layers and gives them smoothness.
The product contains allantoin. In its natural form, it is obtained from sprouted beans, comfrey root or rice husks. It can also be extracted chemically. It has been established that the composition and properties of allantonin do not change depending on the method of its production. It removes upper keratinized particles and has a softening effect. Accelerates the processes of healing various skin lesions and tissue restoration. User reviews confirm this effect.

Despite the oils included in its composition, the consistency of this cosmetic product is not greasy and is absorbed quickly enough, leaving behind a barely perceptible pleasant subtle aroma. At the same time, there are no traces left on clothes after its use.

The peculiarity of this product is that it does not have a cumulative effect, unlike face and eyelid creams. Therefore, you need to use it constantly every time after water procedures.