A to Z of Skincare
A IS FOR ANTIOXIDANTS
Found in fruit and veg, these compounds are vital for protecting cells against free radicals, which may play a role in disease if levels become too high. Antioxidants also help protect your skin. “Aside from wearing SPF, using an antioxidant-laced serum is the most important thing you can do for skin health,” says cosmetic doctor Dr Ewoma Ukeleghe. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, idebenone, polyphenols and resveratrol prevent and reduce damage to skin cells by neutralising external free radicals (atoms found in pollution and UV rays that have lost an electron, making them unstable and able to damage skin cells). “They work by giving these free radicals an electron, which then disables and renders them harmless,” adds Ukeleghe. Youth To The People 15% Vitamin C + Clean Caffeine Energy Serum, $104, and Dr. Lewinn’s Line Smoothing Complex Triple Action Defence, $74.95, are akin to armour for your face.
B IS FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY
Biotechnology focuses on extracting clinically active compounds (such as rose and black tea) from the natural world then generating more using DNA editing and organisms like algae, yeast or bacteria to create fermented cells. Clever, eh?
