The idea of antioxidants promoting bodily health is nothing new. It’s the primary reason parents tell their children to eat their vegetables. But a more recent discovery is that antioxidants can do really great things for the condition of your skin due to their ability to prevent free radical damage. Free radicals are unstable cells that naturally seek to bond with healthy, stable cells thus causing damage. This process is what causes skin to look excessively aged, wrinkled, and generally unhealthy and it happens to everyone to some degree.

Antioxidants stop the process by stabilizing free radical cells BEFORE they are able to bond with healthy cells and cause damage. So since antioxidants are so great for the skin, as well as the body as a whole, skin vitamin supplements that contain high amounts of antioxidant rich compounds can have an amazing effect of the look of your skin.

There are several compounds that have recently been found to contain high amounts of antioxidant rich nutrients and are starting to be added to higher end skin care vitamin supplements.

Acai Berry
Acai berry, also called Amazonian palm berry, is one of the most antioxidant rich fruits available. One study found that it has the highest ORAC antioxidant value of anything you can eat, and as a result it’s being added to everything from soda to anti wrinkle cream.
Acai berry extract is particularly great for skin as it contains phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals that make skin healthier, smoother, and younger looking. And acai also has astringent properties that keep the skin taunt and prevent sagging.

Grape Seed Extract
Typically taken from red grape seeds, the extract contains a very high concentration of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs). These OPCs are found in a wide array of fruits and vegetables and are packed with antioxidants.
Grape seed extract has such potent anitoxidant properties that it has been implicated in the treatment of numerous health issues from heart disease to cancer. In short, grape seed extract is very good at protecting healthy skin cells from free radical damage. Read the rest of this entry »