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With every day that goes by the skin care industry seems to have a new catch phrase to add to its list. We all know that manufacturers are interested in selling their products, so they try using appealing words and ingredients to catch our eye. However, not all of the hype is true.

By all means, antioxidant skin care products have quickly become one of the newest catch phrases out there. But, is there any truth behind it? In this case, there is.

Antioxidants and Skin Care

The aging process, UV radiation, smoking and pollution can all lead to the production of free radicals. If you're not sure what the word free radicals it's quite simple. Free radicals are molecules that are missing one electron or simply have an odd number of electrons. The problem with this scenario is that electrons exist in pairs and will steal electrons from other molecules to stabilize themselves.

This process begins a chain reaction which ends up damaging and even destroying molecules and, subsequently, cells. If enough cells are destroyed, the damage will appear on your skin. This also means that your skin is no longer performing the way it should be.

So what do antioxidants have to do with free radicals? Antioxidants are substances that freely sacrifice one of their electrons to neutralize the effect of free radicals. Antioxidants are usually derived from fruits and vegetables and may even be found in a antioxidant skin cream that is made with one or more of the following ingredients.

Vitamin A (carotenoids)

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Flavonoids or polyphenols

Vitamin A helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and helps deal with pigmentation problems. Vitamin C, on the other hand, has the ability to reduce age spots and combat the effects of smoking. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that has anti inflammatory properties.

The Sources of Vitamin A, C and E

Vitamin A can be found in fruits and vegetables that are red, orange, or yellow. These foods will usually include carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupes, peaches and apricots. You can also attain Vitamin A from broccoli, kale and collard greens.

Vitamin C can be obtained from all kinds of citrus fruits. Spinach and lettuce are also good sources of Vitamin C, along with, strawberries and tomatoes.

Rich sources of Vitamin E are nuts, seeds, and whole grains. You can also attain if from different oils such as vegetable oil and liver oil. Once again big, leafy vegetables also contain Vitamin E.

Sources of Flavonoids and Polyphenols

Both flavonoids and polyphenols can be obtained through grapes, red wine, pomegranates, cranberries and any type of tea.

Remember that antioxidants aren't just obtained through dietary intake but also through the use of topical products that contain antioxidants.