Extrinsic Factors
Extrinsic Factors
We are all too familiar with the cautionary tale of "Wear sunscreen, or you will age fast!". Don't get me wrong, I love basking in the rays just as much as anyone else. But let me tell you, there is some actual scientific truth to this tale.
In a nut shell, the process works like this. The sun sends down some rays, also known as solar radiation aka no fun for your skin, and once the ray hits the surface of your skin it causes a tiny fraction of radiation damage also known as sunburn. While it is true, that the burn 'goes away' or in other words heals, over the long term, this damage can be seen by the naked eye. Have you ever seen one of those pictures of a long time truck driver, with one side of their face significantly much older than the other? I was trying to find the photo to insert, but my stock free search skills betrayed me. Anyway, look it up. It's madness. However, In the short term, it's just a sunburn - am I right? You know and I know it, we don't wear enough antioxidant protection and sun screen on our skin to really be safe. I'm working on this one! Let me know if you are the journalling type, I'm thinking of adding a skincare journal to this shop.
Before you ask, how much more off track can this girl get, let me get back to it. Extrinsic factors don't just include sun rays, they also come from other sources in your daily environment. We are talking about a whole array of things that cause oxidative stress: air you breathe, pollution, pesticides on your veggies and chemicals in our daily cleaners , you name it!
By now you probably guessed - oxidative stress causes your skin to age. Dun, dun, duuuuuuun!
Discuss the power of extrinsic / instricsic ageing and how both can be combated with powerful ingredients
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Why do I need antioxidants in my skincare routine?
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are molecules that inhibit any type of oxidative stress in your body. Without antioxidants our bodies would deteriorate at a much higher pace, that's why it is so important to not only consume antioxidant rich foods like berries, coffee, green tea, fish, but also incorporate some of those ingredients into your skincare routine. I eat at least a cup full of berries once daily to help my skin maintain a healthy barrier against oxidative damage.
How do they work?
When an antioxidant comes into contact with a free radical, for example, sun radiation or pollution, it takes on the the job of neutralizing free radicals. A free radical is a chemical compound that exists with one or more missing electrons. The missing electron then is drawn to anything that is exposed to oxygen. Once attached to a surface that is exposed to oxygen, the missing electron in the free radical tries to take an electron from the surface it attaches to, thus damaging it's surface. This same principle applies to your skin barrier. When antioxidants are present in skincare, they exchange their own electrons with free radicals seeking a replacement, instead of the electron coming from your skin and causing damage, like hyperpigmentation, loss of collagen, elasticity and so much more.
When an antioxidant exchanges an electron with a free radical, it provides you with essential protection to ensure your skin stays radiant, blemish free, and plump.
How to incorporate antioxidants into your skincare?
When choosing antioxidants to add to your skincare routine, it's important to understand how to read your product labels. There are many different types of antioxidants that exist naturally in food, but the most important ones in skincare are Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin E (tocopherol), Vitamin A (often synthesized as Retinol, but can be found in natural sources as well), Vitamin B3, Polyphenols (found in green tea)