What are Free Radicals, and How Do They Affect the Skin?
Your skin is exposed to a number of external stressors every day. And, if you’ve ever reached for a niacinamide or vitamin C serum to target your skin concerns, you’ve probably come across terms like ‘free radicals’ and ‘antioxidants’.
They crop up a lot in skincare – especially when we talk about visible ageing concerns like fine lines, sagging skin, dark spots, and uneven skin tone.
So, what are free radicals? In this 101 guide, we’ll explain free radicals, unpack what free radical damage looks like, and explore how to safeguard your skin with antioxidant-rich skincare and sun protection.
What are free radicals in the body?
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause tissue and cell damage in the body.
Without getting too deep into the chemistry of it all, a free radical is considered ‘unstable’ because it has one or more unpaired electrons. Electrons need to be in pairs, so a free radical will try to correct this instability by ‘stealing’ an electron from another molecule in the body – but in doing so, it can cause damage to other cells1.
What causes free radicals in the body?
Your body’s internal processes – like your metabolism, normal ageing, stress, and even exercise – are responsible for some of the free radicals in your body.
However, free radicals on skin are also caused by external aggressors, including:
- Air and water pollution
- UV rays
- Cigarette smoke
- Alcohol
- Excessive consumption of overly processed foods2
While you have little control over the natural formation of free radicals in your body from internal processes, you can reduce your exposure to these external stressors.
What is free radical damage?
Your body has a natural number of free radicals and antioxidants. But when free radicals form and they outnumber the antioxidants in the skin, this can trigger ‘oxidative stress’ – a type of free radical damage that impacts your skin’s proteins, lipids and DNA. As a result, it’s one of the major causes of premature ageing.
Free radical damage can look like:
- Dark spots and other hyperpigmentation
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- A loss of skin elasticity
- Dullness and uneven skin tone
- Possible redness and broken blood vessels
What do antioxidants do in the body?
The chief role of antioxidants is to combat oxidative stress – so, all those visible skin concerns we listed above. In skincare, antioxidants replace that ‘stolen’ electron to stabilise free radicals that form from exposure to daily skin stressors. This effectively neutralises free radicals on the skin.
Adding antioxidants to your skincare routine can produce some serious benefits. It can:
- Help even skin tone
- Brighten dull skin
- Reduce the appearance of visible fine lines and wrinkles
- Comfort skin that’s prone to redness
- Target hyperpigmentation and help get rid of dark spots
- Encourage the skin’s natural renewal process
Common antioxidants in skincare
Now that we’ve defined free radicals – and explored how antioxidants can defuse their skin-damaging qualities – let’s take a look at some of the common antioxidants formulated in skincare products. These include:
- Vitamin C: Heralded as one of the most effective ingredients to combat free radicals on skin, you can use vitamin C for hyperpigmentation concerns, along with brightening and unifying skin tone.
- Niacinamide: There are many benefits of niacinamide in skincare: including improving fine lines, discolouration, and redness. Niacinamide also supports the skin moisture barrier to maintain hydration at the skin surface.
- Vitamin A (retinol): While this ingredient needs little introduction, you may not know that retinol also helps neutralise free radicals – making it instrumental in anti-ageing skincare routines for mature skin.
- Vitamin E: A powerhouse antioxidant, vitamin E combats free radical damage while promoting moisture retention. Vitamin E is also highly compatible with dry and sensitive skin types.
Some of these antioxidants might already have a starring role in your skincare ritual, but if you need further tips on how to reap the benefits of antioxidants in skincare, read on.
How to safeguard against free radicals on skin
You can effectively target free radicals on skin with a combination of SPF and antioxidants in your skincare routine. Below, we’ve formulated a sample skincare regime to keep your skin bright, hydrated, and protected.
- Double cleanse: We know that external pollution often explains free radical production on the skin, so you’ll want to cleanse twice to remove impurities. You can also harness the brightening prowess of vitamin C with the Skin Active Vitamin C* Brightening Foam Wash.
- Apply a targeted serum: Follow up your cleanser with a serum that’s formulated for your skin concerns. The Vitamin C Brightening Serum is enriched with two hero antioxidants (vitamin C and niacinamide) to improve radiance and reduce dark spots. Apply onto dry, clean skin.
- Moisturise: Hydration is the bedrock of most skincare routines, but if you want to also take advantage of an antioxidant-rich moisturiser, we suggest the Skin Active Vitamin C* Brightening Glow Jelly Moisturiser.
- Protect with SPF: In the mornings, sunscreen is a non-negotiable – it will protect your skin from free radical-causing stressors like UV rays. But if you’re someone who prefers a bit of coverage with your sunscreen, you’ll love the Vitamin C* Daily Tinted Even Tone Fluid with SPF50+. This sunscreen-tint hybrid safeguards the skin while delivering an instant, day-ready glow.
If you love using vitamin C for managing free radicals on your skin, find out how to layer vitamin C with other skincare products next.
1https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-antioxidants
2https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3614697/
