CosBeauty Magazine #86

Pollution
solutions
Just think of a sliced apple turning brown to
visualise the urban impact of oxidisation on your
skin. Research is increasingly pointing the blame
for ageing and illness towards oxidative cell
damage caused by the environment. Here is where
antioxidants step in to defend the skin, providing it
with a fighting chance of repairing existing damage
and defending itself against future ageing.
Antioxidants are compounds that counteract the
damaging effects of free radicals on cell structures,
as well as cellular DNA. Free radicals accelerate
the ageing process and are the result of oxygen
molecules being oxidised; but they can also be
created by exposure to various environmental
factors, smoking and UV radiation. They are unstable
cells that, if left unchecked, can compromise your
health and potentially lead to cancer.
When pollution damages the skin, the cells release
superoxide free radicals and other molecules that
unleash their energy at random, like a stray bullet.
For years the leading antioxidants in topical beauty
products were Vitamins A, C and E. The list now
also includes alpha hydroxyl acids, hyaluronic acid,
peptides, coenzyme Q10, idebenone, resveratrol
and coffeeberry, many of which are found in the
latest grime-fighting products – from the cosmetic
giants to the natural and organic boutique lines.
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