Damage Control

Meet the microfighters that shield skin from a daily bombardment of smog and chemicals, and learn how to maximise their power. Your win: that healthy, youthful glow.

- Beth Janes

You can’t see it, but your skin is constantly under attack by free radicals—damaging molecules that come from light, pollution, cigarette smoke, and more. What makes them so dangerous—bear with the chemistry lesson— is that each one is missing an electron, causing them to go on a search-and-destroy mission within the deeper layers of your skin to make themselves whole again. If you plug that electron slot right away, you render them (mostly) harmless. That’s essentially what antioxidants do: “They donate electrons, which neutralise free radicals,” says Leslie Baumann, M.D., a dermatologist in Miami. “Unchecked, those free radicals are bouncing around, damaging collagen and spurring hyper pigmentation. Stopping them ensures that your skin stays firm, even, and smooth.” Doctors, and possibly you, have known for a while that antioxidants work this way, and derms recommend applying antioxidant products daily. But what experts are finding now is that there’s more to them than the ability to lend electrons. “Research shows that antioxidants can reverse dark marks, accelerate healing, and keep your complexion acne-free,” Dr. Baumann says. Take full advantage with this key info.

Combos work best