DETOX YOUR SKIN CARE REGIME: Antioxidants

We believe that detoxing is not just about removing toxins from your body; just as important as what you take out of your diet is what you put back in. Over the past few weeks we have discussed potentially harmful ingredients lurking in your skin care products – namely your cleanser, toner, and moisturizer – and have given you healthy alternatives to use in place of them. But, as any product-girl knows, your supply of beauty essentials doesn’t just end there. After you’ve found your daily, core skin care products, you will get the itch to start incorporating more products into the mix. When you do, think: non-toxic, organic, and antioxidants. When incorporated into your diet and into your skin care routine, antioxidants can have a profound impact on your personal health, as well as the health and appearance of your skin.

Since we also believe that brains go hand-in-hand with beauty, here's your science lesson for the day. Take notes, you may be quizzed on this later!

So just what are the benefits of antioxidants? Along with vitamins and minerals, antioxidants are our body’s natural line of defense against free radicals, which are damaged cells within our body. Scientifically speaking, free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that have lost an electron as a result of their interaction with another molecule. Typically free radicals are formed as a result of environmental factors like sunlight, smog, radiation, cigarette smoke, and pesticides. Once a free radical is formed it goes in search of its missing electron, stealing it from the first molecule it finds and thus creating another free radical. The effect will then create a chain reaction and if the process is not halted, free radicals will continue to “attack” healthy cells, causing wrinkles, dark spots, and in severe cases, cancer.

Antioxidants like Vitamins E (primary defender against oxidation) and C (particularly powerful against free radicals caused by pollution and cigarette smoke) neutralize free radicals by donating to them one of their electrons to make them stable again. Contrary to how free radicals are formed, antioxidants remain stable even with the loss of an electron.

While your body naturally produces antioxidants, its ability to do so is affected by age, diet, and environmental factors. It is up to you to ensure that you are fueling your diet and skin with antioxidant rich foods and products to keep these pesky free radicals at bay.

How To Easily Incorporate Antioxidants Into Your Every Day Life:

• Eat more berries. Blueberries top the list of foods that pack the most antioxidant punch, but cranberries, blackberries, and strawberries are great sources, too.
• Eat more veggies. Sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, artichokes, and broccoli are all good sources of Vitamin E, but for maximum antioxidant intake, leave on the peels and keep cooking to a minimum. For all your Beta-Carotene needs, pack your diet full of carrots.
• Pick the right products. Look for skin care products that are packed with Vitamin E (listed on our labels as Tocopherols), Vitamin C (listed on our labels as Ascorbic Acid), or Resveratrol (same antioxidant found in red wine), like our Antioxidant Skin Boost, Daytime Antioxidant Serum, and Nighttime Antioxidant Serum.
• Drink up. Green Tea is an abundant source of antioxidants. Other beverages like coffee, red wine, and pomegranate juice can also boost your antioxidant levels. One of our favorite ways to feed our skin is by drinking fresh pressed juice or smoothie in the morning. We love visiting our local juice bar Dtox Juice Bar for our morning fix.

Free radicals affect us each and everyone one of us year round, so we encourage you to make antioxidants a routine part of your diet. Instead of being reactive to skin issues as they arise, increasing your intake of antioxidants is a simple way to be proactive for your health and beauty.