BEAUTY Antioxidants, Explained

These skincare wonders can give you brighter, smoother complexion.

- SHANNEN ZITZ

The superheroes of the beauty world are definitely the antioxidants in your creams and serums—if you're not using one already, you're missing out on some special powers. Antioxidants are there to neutralize what we call free radicals,” explains Mona Gohara, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. Free radicals are essentially pesky little chemical particles that can wreak cosmetic havoc on our skin.” Their effects can include fine lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and sagging skin.

All antioxidants help protect the skin from free radical damage, a.k.a. oxidative stress, but each has other specific skin benefits too. And while many skincare routines involve multiple antioxidants, it may be helpful to focus first on products whose primary antioxidant will help with your specific skincare goals. Here’s what’s what.

TO SMOOTH: VITAMIN A