You've heard of them and you know they do ... something. But what, exactly? And why are they SO important we make sure they're in our body + hair oil and soon-to-launch new product? Here's the lowdown:
What?
Vitamins A, C, E and other antioxidants are skin-savers because they help fight free-radicals.
Free-radicals are the bad boys. They attach themselves to collagen, breaking it down so your skin loses elasticity, and also cause oxidative stress to your cells which depletes energy from healthy cells. You know when an apple starts to brown when it's cut? That's oxidation - free radicals damaging cells before your very eyes!
Free radicals are found in everything from UV rays to pollution and blue light (from phones and other tech devices). Says dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D., associate clinical professor at Yale University, “They come from things like air pollutants, chemicals, and cigarette smoke, and they basically suck the life out of your face.” Noice.
How?
Think of antioxidants as skin superheroes. They neutralise free radicals and protect your skin from the damage they can cause. Different antioxidants have different powers - they can brighten your skin, calm irritation, smooth fine lines, hydrate the skin and are powerfully protective.
Where?
There are specialist serums with vitamins A and C in them, and there are also a bunch of oils which are high in these antioxidants. Here's what's in our Luxury Body + Hair oil and specifically, their antioxidant components.
Coconut oil - loads of vitamin E
Rosehip oil - rich in vitamins A, C and E
Macadamia oil - packed with vitamin E
Apricot kernal oil - a powerhouse of vitamins E and K and other antioxidants like caffeic acid and catechins
Shea butter oil - crammed with vitamins A, E and catechins
Jojoba oil - full of vitamins A, E and D
Sea greens - the special algae blend in our body + hair serum oil AND in our soon-to-be-released new product act as strong vitamins. There are so many benefits of sea greens we can't list them all here, so we're doing a separate story on just how good sea greens are, and why they're such an important part of our products.
Photo: @ashleygraham Instagram