Are you protecting your skin from premature aging by religiously applying sunscreen each day? Yes? Good for you. But sunscreen alone isn’t enough for maximum anti-aging benefits. Antioxidants have a lot to offer your get-gorgeous routine. Acting as free radical scavengers, antioxidants neutralize threats to your health and appearance.
Antioxidant Power!
Antioxidants are a vital part of any skincare regimen because of their ability to prevent and repair skin damage and premature aging. Experts believe that 90% of premature skin aging is due to UV radiation exposure. UV radiation–from plain ol’ sunlight–can cause thickening/thinning of the skin, a breakdown of collagen followed by the formation of wrinkles, and uneven pigmentation. So why isn’t daily sunscreen enough? Numerous studies have shown that most FDA-approved sunscreen agents unleash free radicals in the presence of UV radiation. Besides, antioxidant-fortified skin behaves more favorably to UV exposure even when no topical sunscreen is present. So while broad-spectrum sunscreen is crucial, it should go hand-in-hand with free radical damage protection.
Various foods, supplements, and topical skin products harness the beautifying power of antioxidants. One of my favorite topical antioxidant products, the Sea Algae Serum by Evan Healy, is full of antioxidant OOMPH, plus it works beautifully under daytime makeup without added weight or grease. It’s not a rapid miracle worker, but after using this non-irritating product for several weeks my skin absolutely looked healthier.
Inside the Ingredients
Ingredients: water, organic aloe leaf juice, organic lavender floral water, organic sea buckthorn oil, sodium hyaluronate, lactobacillus/kelp ferment filtrate, organic cetearyl olivate and sorbitan olivate, hydrolyzed lupine protein, organic gotu kola extract, organic kelp extract, organic seaweed extract, raspberry leaf extract, organic green tea extract, squalane, organic sodium benzoate and gluconolactone, rosemary leaf extract, xanthan gum, algae extract and pullulan, tocopherols (vitamin E), coenzyme Q10, organic essential oil of lavender, organic oil of tea tree leaf, organic essential oil of clary, organic essential oil of rose geranium.
| Extremely Safe | Reasonably Safe | Proceed with Caution | Insufficient Data |
This ingredient list is brimming with certified organic and safe ingredients. Raspberry leaf, CO Q10, and bio-fermented algae are all impressive ingredients. And the use of natural liposomes to enhance the penetration of the product make it even more effective. But before my excitement turns this into a rambling multi-page post, let’s do just one more ingredient investigation: sodium hyaluronate.
Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid, which makes skin look hydrated and plump. Young skin is abundant in hyaluronic acid, but as skin ages, less and less is naturally present. Hyaluronic acid is not able to easily penetrate into the skin due to its large molecular size, but sodium hyaluronate is small enough to be absorbed. That’s why sodium hyaluronate is a popular ingredient in anti-aging products.
Where to Purchase
The Sea Algae Serum by Evan Healy is $37 for a 0.5oz glass pump bottle. Find it here.
Highly Recommended
This product is part of my popular guide to natural skin care, Natural Skin Care: 99 Amazing Products to Transform Your Skin.
*This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own. **Products get makeovers too. Be sure to check if this product has been recently re-formulated before using it yourself.