Antioxidants Bring Out the Best in Your Sunscreen

It’s 2024, which means by now (we hope) you’re making sunscreen part of your daily regimen.  And now that it’s summer, the time to wear protection is ever so important.  Sun damage on the skin can lead to pesky skin issues, like fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots – but it’s possible to prevent and target them.

To start, wear your sunscreen.  And when you do, apply antioxidants prior, like a Vitamin C Serum, because antioxidants actually increase the efficacy of your SPF, making it even more effective in guarding your skin against the sun.   Let’s get into why.

The Importance of Antioxidants

So, what do antioxidants do for the skin?  In short, they combat oxidative stress, which can damage your skin’s DNA. Oxidative stressors, such as smoking, pollution and UV rays, aren’t just bad for your general health — they’re harmful to your skin, as well. 

Therefore, the skin needs proper tools to fight against the potential damage that these oxidative stressors – AKA free radicals – can cause.  That's where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals upon coming into contact with your skin, thereby preventing damage to your skin cells.

A combination of antioxidants (Vitamins C and E, specifically) with SPF has proven to protect the skin more than just sunscreen alone. According to studies, Vitamin C is capable of additive protection against acute UVB damage (sunburn cell formation) when combined with a UVB sunscreen. And when Vitamin C – or a combination of Vitamin C and E – is combined with a UVA sunscreen, greater protection has been found against phototoxic damage.

Power Protect with SPF + Antioxidants

Because the top layer of the human skin (epidermal) already contains antioxidants, the added antioxidants from a Vitamin C serum only further work to protect the skin barrier.  Reach for our Morning Cocktail Vitamin C Serum, then follow in with Skin Glow SPF 30 Primer to power protect your complexion.

Antioxidants, in combination with the usage of SPF, can also help to improve the level of skin redness caused by UV radiation, which means lowering the likelihood of a sunburn.  Ok, we’ll take two.

Niacinamide, a form of Vitamin B3, is another antioxidant that is worth implementing into your routine.  It decreases the appearance of hyperpigmentation, minimizes the appearance of pores and triggers DNA repair in our skin cells.  P.S. This magic ingredient is also found in our Skin Glow SPF 30 Primer.  Now that’s an overachiever.

The Topical Antioxidants Worth Trying

• Vitamin C: A favorite among dermatologists, vitamin C is one of the most studied antioxidants out there. As a free radical scavenger, vitamin C has many skin benefits, like boosting collagen production (which leaves skin firmer) and fading dark spots.
• Niacinamide: Also known as vitamin B3, this powerful antioxidant that improves texture and tone. It also reduces fine lines, wrinkles and hyperpigmentation.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an important antioxidant required for the proper function of many organs in the body, including the skin, and it’s widely recognized for its ability to accelerate the barrier’s healing process.
• Retinol: And if there’s one ingredient that’s proven time and time again to help turn back the clock on – it’s retinol. A derivative of vitamin A, this antioxidant is particularly effective due to its small molecular structure, which allows it to penetrate  the skin and effectively stimulate collagen production for cell renewal and repair. 

Get Your Antioxidant Dose

Serums are highly recommended as the transport of choice when it comes to delivering antioxidants to the skin. Their lightweight formula contains concentrated ingredients that absorb into the skin, which is crucial when it comes to antioxidants since they deactivate in air and light.

And now for the most important part of this discussion: When should antioxidants be applied?  When talking about the prevention of sun damage, it’s extremely important to do so first thing in the morning, and prior to your SPF.

It’s a simple addition to your morning routine that is best done while sipping espresso.  Serve your skin a dose of antioxidants, follow up with our multi-purpose primer, and your skin is ready for the day –  guarded, glowing and radiant.