Cleansing your skin with antioxidants: what you need to know
Antioxidants and cleansing should both included in your skin care routine. Antioxidants can help protect and beautify your skin in a number of ways; they can shield your skin from outside influences, brighten your skin’s appearance and revitalize skin. Cleansers formulated with antioxidants are the perfect way to remove excess oil, dead skin cells and sebum from skin’s surface to reveal a brighter complexion. Read our guide on antioxidants and cleansers to find out how they can be the foundation for glowing skin.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules that can prevent the oxidation of another molecule. You are probably familiar with the concept of oxidation from your every day life. Have you ever watched an apple turn brown? That’s oxidation. Particles called free radicals can have a similar effect on your skin, breaking it down and causing it to age faster.
Antioxidants neutralize free radicals so that they can’t destroy healthy cells. While your body produces some antioxidants it’s also a good idea to incorporate products formulated with them as part of your skin care routine to reap the maximum benefits in the fight against aging.
Antioxidants In Skin Care
We’re giving you an overview of the benefits antioxidants can have when applied to your skin.
Vitamin C is the rock star of antioxidant skin care as it helps in increasing skin brightening and smoothing. It’s ideal for improving the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots and skin dullness. To reap the full benefits of Vitamin C in creams, serums or gels, use it once a day to protect from free radicals and to get glowing skin.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that protects cell membranes from oxidative and UV sunlight damage. It’s the perfect complement to Vitamin C and together the two are the ingredients you should be looking for in moisturizing skin care products.
Vitamin A is also known as retinol in skin care and it’s considered a superpower in the fight against aging. Retinol is exfoliating and can increase surface skin cell production. It can make your skin firmer with enhanced barrier protection. It can also help with the appearance of breakouts and dark spots. Retinol can be found in a multitude of products — make sure you have it in your moisturizer or serum.
Selenium is integral when it comes to preserving your skin’s elasticity and protecting it from the sun. Use a cream with selenium on a daily basis to prevent aging and skin damage.
How to Cleanse With Antioxidants
Cleansers formulated with antioxidants are very effective at cleansing and removing potentially damaging free radicals from skin’s surface. Make sure to follow each cleanser with an antioxidant formulated moisturizer to reap the full benefits of an antioxidant complex on your skin.
Normal Skin
Normal skin features balanced oil levels (it’s not too oily nor is it too dry) and skin that is free of any major blemishes. A great way to maintain the health and beauty of normal skin is by using cleansers formulated with antioxidants restore and maintain your youthful looking skin. Try Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+ Invigorating Daily Scrub formulated with gentle exfoliating Jojoba beads that deeply cleanse and polish to refine the appearance of pores. The cleanser is infused with peppermint and instantly energizes skin for a healthy look.
Combination Skin
Combination skin features an oily T-zone and drier cheeks and forehead. Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+ Balancing Gel Exfoliator targets the T-Zone to deeply cleanse away oil and impurities. The formula infused with grapefruit and pomegranate softens dry areas to balance skin.
Oily Skin
Products formulated with charcoal extracts are great for oily skin. Charcoal can help absorb excess oil and impurities and clarify your skin’s appearance. Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+ Pore Purifying 2-in-1 Clay Cleanser/Mask has a clay-based formula infused with charcoal extracts and antioxidant citric acid to lift impurities and brighten your skin. The cleanser helps purify your pores and makes your skin glow. It also softens and hydrates your skin so that it looks revitalized. After using this cleanser, follow with an oil-regulating moisturizer to ensure your skin is clean and balanced after your morning or nightly skin care ritual.
Dry Skin
Dry skin needs extra hydration so you should stay away from harsh cleansers that can dry out your skin even more. A gentle, fragrance-free cleanser is perfect for your skin type. Garnier SkinActive’s Clean+ Makeup Removing Lotion Cleanser is infused with antioxidant moringa plant extract and refreshes, softens and cleanses your skin while lifting make up, dirt and sweat off of your face. To use, apply the product onto a cotton pad and wipe to remove any makeup, oil or sweat from your face by gently gliding the cotton pad across your face.
Cleansing and incorporating antioxidants into your daily skin care routine can create a healthy foundation for your skin to fight free radicals and other negative environmental influences. Make sure to have antioxidant formulated cleansers and moisturizers as part of your skin care arsenal so that your skin can look youthful longer.
