Besides retinoids and sunscreens, antioxidants are thought to be among the most important preventive ingredients in the skin care arsenal. And when it comes to antioxidants, you don’t need to pick just one.
In fact, incorporating a variety into your routine is the best approach. Research suggests that certain combinations of antioxidants—lycopene (a form of vitamin A) and vitamin E, for example—are more effective than either antioxidant would be alone.
Currently, the best-researched antioxidants, and my top recommendations, are green tea, vitamin C, and coenzyme Q10, all of which are available in skin care products and through diet and supplements. That’s not to say, though, that I don’t use and recommend others. Coffeeberry, for example, is a new antioxidant found in the skin care line Revaléskin, and idebenone is found in Prevage. So go ahead and try new arrivals on the antioxidant scene. Just be sure to keep using some of these more established options.
In addition to using a variety of antioxidants, remember that a combination of oral and topical antioxidants is the best way to strengthen and protect your skin (not to mention the rest of your body!). If you regularly incorporate antioxidants into your skin care regimen (some of my favorite products include SkinCeuticals’ C E Ferulic serum and Nivea’s Skin Firming Moisturizer with coenzyme Q10) and into your diet (I drink three cups of green tea a day and eat plenty of veggies and fruits, particularly berries), you’ll be making a wonderful investment in your skin’s health and appearance.
Supplements I take include 500mg of chewable vitamin C a day and 500 mg of coenzyme Q10 every morning by Nature Made. By the way, oral supplements that help your skin often help your arteries too, so we are talking about whole body health.
