Skincare if full of buzzwords that are thrown around often be rarely explained. One of the most common of those words is “free radicals”. We hear about them on commercials, websites and from our doctors but does anyone actually know what a free radical is?
Today we’re going to break down what free radicals are, how they affect your skin, and how to avoid them to create healthy, youthful and grime-free skin!
What Are Free Radicals?
Free radicals are an unstable molecule that exists both in your body and in the air around us. Factors like pollution, sun exposure, and poor diet all contribute to the production of free radicals, and they’re slowly destroying your skin.
Because they’re an unstable molecule, they are living inside your body looking for a healthy molecule to attach to. Free radicals work like a magnet to attract the healthy molecule and attack it for survival. Once it finds one, it begins slowing killing off healthy molecules in your body to stabilize itself.
What Kind of Damage Do Free Radicals Cause?
Think about an apple left out on the counter for a week. What was once a shiny, red apple will slowly turn brown and begin to wither, and rot. That’s kind of like how a free radical works on your skin too.
Because they are naked to the human eye, it’s impossible to see the damage free radicals cause before it’s too late. Like the apple, your skin will experience more unwanted effects the longer it sits unprotected on the counter.
Free radicals contribute to wrinkles, lines, dark spots, and dullness. All of those side effects are some of the most difficult to reverse on your skin if you’re not properly caring for your face with a proper antioxidant routine.
How Can I Prevent Damage From Free Radicals?
The best news we can tell you about free radical damage is that it’s completely manageable. Almost every person on earth battles some form of free radical daily and simple changes to your routine can help control and reverse signs of aging.
The most important part of removing free radicals is cleansing. Your skin is exposed all day and night so it’s important to cleanse at least twice a day. In addition, you want to defend yourself against free radicals with the use of high-quality, antioxidant ingredients.
Although your body naturally produces antioxidants, applying them topically has been proven to speed up the reversal of wrinkles and protect skin. Using a moisturizing cream like our Repair & Release cream that is packed with antioxidants, like green tea and Vitamin E, can help keep free radicals under control and take years off the look of your skin!
How do you avoid free radical damage in your skincare routine? Share it with us in the comments below!
