Sorry to spoil the fun but this can save you all a lot of money and help you choose the most important and best studied topical antioxidant. There´s an endless amount of antioxidants that can be used in skincare and sunscreen is still the best topical "antioxidant" there is. It can prevent dermal and epidermal oxidation better than any other antioxidant. But because of the massive marketing of anti-wrinkle products most people seem to believe that a cream with exotic antioxidants in it will somehow prevent skin aging better than a cheap photostable sunscreen from Neutrogena, Loreal or Aveeno for example.
Which is not true. A sunscreen is more important, more effective and cheaper than topical antioxidants. C + E + ferulic acid can give you an SPF 8 at most and it´s the best studied topical formula to date.
So no antioxidant have yet shown to be more protective against photoaging than a SPF 8 sunscreen = what you will get in real life if you use a SPF 50+ in the normal amount that you would apply a cream. But using a topical antioxidant under your sunscreen and supplementing with some of them can add to the basic protection against UV-induced skin aging from your sunscreen.
I think TOPICAL VITAMIN C is the first antioxidant to get since it´s been thoroughly studied, it´s naturally found in skin and gets depleted in daylight. If you don´t use topical C you will have less than optimal amounts in your skin. Oral supplementation can only increase skins C to a certain limit. Topical C can increase the amount 20-fold. Vitamin C have been chosen by evolution as the main protector of the watery portions of your body. It´s the only antioxidant that directly can stimulate fibroblasts to synthesize new collagen and it brightens skin by moderating epidermal melanin. Pairing it with vitamin E equals greater protection (SPF 4). Adding polyphenols from olive extract or ferulic acid can double that to an SPF 8.
VITAMIN E also gets depleted by UV, as is Q10. Beiersdorf (Nivea, Eucerin, Juvena, La Prairie) did the original studies on topical Q10 so using their formulas is a safe bet. Topical Q10 will only accumulate in sebum though, so you may also want to also take it orally. Adding a green tea cream can possibly help with UV related inflammation.
I don´t want to quench this post, just give you my perspective on the importance (and lack there of) of topical antioxidants. Please post your lists of antioxidants as Victor asked for.
My list of topical antioxidants I think worth going for first (naturally found in skin, chosen by millions of years of evolution to protect skin and depleted by daylight):
1. ascorbic acid
2. tocopherol
4. Q10
5. possibly a intracellular glutathione stimulator (Pro-cysteine for example)
I posted a mini review of 14 antioxidants with some research behind them here:
http://www.imminst.o...&...st&p=270355And in the Cosmeceutical critique collection you can find many more:
http://skinandallerg...euticalcritique
Edited by Fredrik, 04 December 2008 - 02:26 PM.
