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By Emma Hill
The buzz
Antioxidants first caught the notice of the beauty world eleven years ago. SUVIMAX, a French scientific study on antioxidants, showed that when applied topically, they had an anti-ageing effect. On the back of this Estée Lauder, who were involved in the study, introduced the moisturiser Advanced DayWear Plus, £28 (www.esteelauder.co.uk). It became the moisturiser of choice for many a skin conscious beauty editor. Today, antioxidants play a central role in skincare, and they're one of the three fundamental ingredients recommended by a dermatologist next to sunscreen and emollients (derm speak for moisturisers).
What they are
Antioxidants are substances that stop free radicals from damaging skin cells. 'There are many types of antioxidants,' says Dr Tom Mammone, Clinique's Executive Director of Biological Research, 'and they all work differently.' Some you'll have heard of, some you won't. The best known are the vitamins A, C and E. Others include Evening Primrose Oil, Idebenone, lycopene, green and white tea extracts, beta-carotene and bioflavonoids. What they do for your skin: Antioxidants protect your skin from the pollution-ridden, UV-filled free-radical playground we live in. If you apply a moisturiser rich in antioxidants, it will mop up these rogue, free radical molecules and so stop them from getting at the collagen and elastin in your skin (these are what gives your skin bounce and stretch). Whenever you buy sunscreen or moisturiser, make sure they contain a good dose. Look at the label for any of the names I've listed above or ask your beauty consultant to advise you.
News flash
It can be difficult (even for a seasoned beauty editor) to plough through the antioxidant minefield. Every skincare company wants to tell you about theirs, and that they're better and more potent than any other. One of the latest bits of information that's caught my eye though, is from Clinique. Apparently there is more than one type of free radical, and each requires a different kind of antioxidant. So they've come up with a cocktail of antioxidants designed to, says Mammone, 'neutralise four of the most dangerous [...] to the skin's appearance: singlet oxygen, hydroxyl, superoxide and peroxide.' Most dermatologists will agree that using a blend is more effective than just one or two will give you the best results.
Best anti-oxidant for the job
US dermatologist, Dr Dennis Gross explains which antioxidant is best for the job (extracted from his book, Your Future Face (Plume, £11.99, )
Lycopene (from tomatoes, watermelon, red grape): 'excellent at fending off environmental free radicals.'
Vitamin E: 'strong in disabling the metabolic variety [those we metabolise in our bodies].'
Vitamin C: 'seems to combat both.'
Green and white tea: '[...] not only can right both types of free radicals but they also repair DNA. Damaged DNA increases ageing, reduces our defences against free radicals, diminishes our cells' regenerative ability, and can even result in skin cancer,' says Gross.
Best antioxidant Beauty Buys
New Clinique Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturiser, £28 (from Feb) - contains a blend of vitamin C, E, Rosemary and Turmeric to give you a constant supply of antioxidant protection all day long
New Prevage Eye Anti-Ageing Moisturising Treatment, £75, micro-capsules of the potent antioxidant, Idebenone means it's released to the delicate eye area more slowly, and so more gently
NV Perricone Olive Oil Face Hydrator with Hydroxytyrosol and DMAE, £52, a potent antioxidant extracted from the olive is used in this creamy moisturiser
MD Skincare Antioxidant Face Firming Serum, £62, an intensive treatment to help boost collagen, smooth fine lines and firm up the skin
Origins A Perfect World White Tea Skin Guardian, £26.50, contains Silver Tip White Tea once prized by the Chinese Emperors of the Song dynasty as a fatigue-fighting, will-strengthening tea, combined with Mimosa, Bergamot, Orange and the skin soothing plant extract, Boswellia.
Copyright © 2006 handbag.com
The buzz
Antioxidants first caught the notice of the beauty world eleven years ago. SUVIMAX, a French scientific study on antioxidants, showed that when applied topically, they had an anti-ageing effect. On the back of this Estée Lauder, who were involved in the study, introduced the moisturiser Advanced DayWear Plus, £28 (www.esteelauder.co.uk). It became the moisturiser of choice for many a skin conscious beauty editor. Today, antioxidants play a central role in skincare, and they're one of the three fundamental ingredients recommended by a dermatologist next to sunscreen and emollients (derm speak for moisturisers).
What they are
Antioxidants are substances that stop free radicals from damaging skin cells. 'There are many types of antioxidants,' says Dr Tom Mammone, Clinique's Executive Director of Biological Research, 'and they all work differently.' Some you'll have heard of, some you won't. The best known are the vitamins A, C and E. Others include Evening Primrose Oil, Idebenone, lycopene, green and white tea extracts, beta-carotene and bioflavonoids. What they do for your skin: Antioxidants protect your skin from the pollution-ridden, UV-filled free-radical playground we live in. If you apply a moisturiser rich in antioxidants, it will mop up these rogue, free radical molecules and so stop them from getting at the collagen and elastin in your skin (these are what gives your skin bounce and stretch). Whenever you buy sunscreen or moisturiser, make sure they contain a good dose. Look at the label for any of the names I've listed above or ask your beauty consultant to advise you.
News flash
It can be difficult (even for a seasoned beauty editor) to plough through the antioxidant minefield. Every skincare company wants to tell you about theirs, and that they're better and more potent than any other. One of the latest bits of information that's caught my eye though, is from Clinique. Apparently there is more than one type of free radical, and each requires a different kind of antioxidant. So they've come up with a cocktail of antioxidants designed to, says Mammone, 'neutralise four of the most dangerous [...] to the skin's appearance: singlet oxygen, hydroxyl, superoxide and peroxide.' Most dermatologists will agree that using a blend is more effective than just one or two will give you the best results.
Best anti-oxidant for the job
US dermatologist, Dr Dennis Gross explains which antioxidant is best for the job (extracted from his book, Your Future Face (Plume, £11.99, )
Lycopene (from tomatoes, watermelon, red grape): 'excellent at fending off environmental free radicals.'
Vitamin E: 'strong in disabling the metabolic variety [those we metabolise in our bodies].'
Vitamin C: 'seems to combat both.'
Green and white tea: '[...] not only can right both types of free radicals but they also repair DNA. Damaged DNA increases ageing, reduces our defences against free radicals, diminishes our cells' regenerative ability, and can even result in skin cancer,' says Gross.
Best antioxidant Beauty Buys
New Clinique Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturiser, £28 (from Feb) - contains a blend of vitamin C, E, Rosemary and Turmeric to give you a constant supply of antioxidant protection all day long
New Prevage Eye Anti-Ageing Moisturising Treatment, £75, micro-capsules of the potent antioxidant, Idebenone means it's released to the delicate eye area more slowly, and so more gently
NV Perricone Olive Oil Face Hydrator with Hydroxytyrosol and DMAE, £52, a potent antioxidant extracted from the olive is used in this creamy moisturiser
MD Skincare Antioxidant Face Firming Serum, £62, an intensive treatment to help boost collagen, smooth fine lines and firm up the skin
Origins A Perfect World White Tea Skin Guardian, £26.50, contains Silver Tip White Tea once prized by the Chinese Emperors of the Song dynasty as a fatigue-fighting, will-strengthening tea, combined with Mimosa, Bergamot, Orange and the skin soothing plant extract, Boswellia.
Copyright © 2006 handbag.com
