You have probably heard of antioxidants somewhere, somehow. Well, antioxidants are good for your body in general, but specifically, they provide countless benefits for your skin— firmer skin, brighter complexion, lessened wrinkles and more. While we do obtain antioxidants into our system through our diets (especially ones rich in fruits and vegetables), your skin could benefit more when directly smothered with some antioxidants.
Various types of antioxidants come from different sources and offer different benefits. With that said, which antioxidant ingredient would be the best for your skin?
To answer that, we’ve broken down the most noteworthy functions of 3 popular antioxidant ingredients. Read on to learn more—
Green Tea Extract
Due to its multifaceted nature, green tea provides a variety of dermatological uses, specifically its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Thus, it is used to combat many dermatological problems such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis and oily skin.
Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant
Polyphenols (naturally occurring micronutrients in green tea) contain a powerful compound called catechin, which protects the cells from damage and helps ease inflammation. The EGCG component in green tea fights DNA damage from UV rays to prevent skin cancer and combat signs of premature aging.
Antimicrobial
Bacteria is one of the causes of acne breakouts. Polyphenols in green tea are also known for their function to damage bacterial membranes and prevent bacteria from growing in our clogged pores. In other words, it soothes bacterial inflammation to foster calmer, clearer skin.
Oil-Regulatory
Tannins (biomolecules that bind with amino acids in the body) have astringent properties. This means that green tea can directly even out the skin’s texture by shrinking pores, preventing them from clogging often.
For people struggling with oily skin, tannins also regulate sebum production. Instead of removing oils on our skin surface, green tea overcomes the root cause of oily skin by minimising oil production in skin cells.
Rosemary Extract
Similar to green tea extract, rosemary extract has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties which helps in anti-aging and reducing acne breakouts.
However, rosemary extract has stronger calming and soothing effects on the skin due to the biggest component of rosemary extract— rosmarinic acid— useful for treating many conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. With its anti-inflammatory characteristics, rosemary extract is proven to reduce swelling and puffiness of the skin effectively.
Pomegranate Extract
Did you know that a single pomegranate is stuffed with vitamins A, C and E?
Vitamin A stimulates the production of collagen, in turn, diminishing and visibly softening the appearance of wrinkles. Vitamin C helps to even out the skin tone, lighten hyperpigmentation and dark spots to enhance your skin radiance.
Vitamin E is what makes pomegranate extract the best for dry, oily and combination skin. It soothes dry, cracked and irritated skin by providing a hydration boost to the skin. For acne-prone skin, breakouts can be reduced along with minimised scarring and soothed minor irritations. Vitamin E also helps to fight off free radicals.
Generally, all vitamins are good for our skin, since we need them in our daily diet. But what about the other benefits of pomegranate extract?
Loaded with Antioxidants
Besides the aforementioned vitamins, it also contains other antioxidants such as ellagitannins and hydrolysable tannins. The combination of all these antioxidants makes pomegranate the ultimate blocker of free radicals and preventer of premature skin aging.
Improved Skin Texture
Pomegranate extract stimulates collagen and elastin synthesis, giving your face a smooth, firm and youthful skin texture.
Our verdict? There is no "best" ingredient for your skin, as each ingredient has its unique strengths. The best way to get the most out of them is by carefully weaving a formulation that magnifies the best of each ingredient into an effective regimen.
Packed with green tea, rosemary and pomegranate extract, our newly-launched Pomegranate Instant Calming Mask is formulated to soothe and moisturise your skin instantly. In just 15-20 minutes, this wash-off mask can restore your skin’s radiance after a day’s exposure to UV rays with immediate results. Use once at night daily and start your following day with a smoother, healthier skin and complexion.
Try one today and tag us @clefskincare in your results on Instagram or TikTok! We’d love to witness the fruits of your skincare efforts.