Skin Series: what on earth are free radicals?

free radicals

In our weekly column, Skin Series, we check out the science behind beauty buzzwords – so you don’t have to. This week: free radicals

If there’s one alarming phrase in skincare, it’s free radicals. And not just because it sounds like an 80s rock tribute act. What are they? Do we need to be scared of them, and ultimately how can we repair any damage caused by them? (By actual free radicals, not the band.) See, it’s alarming.

Free radicals are molecules that are everywhere: in the air, in our bodies, and in the materials around us. External factors such as pollution, sunlight and smoking also trigger the production of new free radicals. They cause the deterioration of plastics, the fading of paint, the degradation of works of art and – for the skin – visible aging.

Abigail James, the facialist and general skin brain-box, gives us the low-down. “Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron, which makes them unstable. I like to view these as crazy over-active cells desperate to find an electron from another cell to calm themselves down and rebalance. How they do this is by attaching themselves to the nearest healthy cell to steal an electron to balance themselves.

“However, this doesn’t have the desired effect, as it turns the unsuspecting healthy cell into another free radical, so you now have two crazy cells wanting to balance themselves from other healthy cells, and the process goes on. Transferring cells from calm and balanced into unstable free radicals a little bit like a domino effect, causing damage to other cells around them and resulting in damaged tissues.”

Protecting your skin from the sun and pollution is a great preventative method in the production of free radicals, but for the extra help we all need, there’s antioxidants. Antioxidants are like calm meditator cells: they are stable cells with the ability to donate a calming electron to the unstable crazy free radicals. They’re a bit like a chill pill to rebalance and calm down the unstable free radicals while also maintaining their own composure and balance. Boy, do we love antioxidants.

Although your body naturally produces antioxidants, nutrition and skincare ingredients high in antioxidants are vital in supporting cells and preventing cell damage, premature aging and restoring health and balance.

So will using a antioxidant serum make us look younger? Well, says the American skin expert Paula Begoun, it will – but with time. “Although we know that topical application of antioxidants helps to reduce free-radical damage on the skin, the results aren’t going to make you look 20 years younger.

"There is research showing antioxidants can improve cell function, increase collagen production, improve elasticity, create healthier, younger skin cells and reduce sun damage, but the improvement takes time, it isn’t going to be overnight. And just like a healthy diet, the more potent antioxidants you use, the healthier and younger you will be.”

We’re convinced. Here are our three favourite antioxidant serums that we can truly vouch for:

1. CE Tetra by Medik8, from £44

A potent blend of stable vitamin C and regenerating vitamin E, this easy-to-use serum works into the skin easily. We really rate this brand, too, for its high-performance products at good prices.

2. Prevage Anti-Aging Daily Serum by Elizabeth Arden, £165

Pricey, but this does the job well. Containing the powerful antioxidant idebenone, this serum helps to improve the skin’s appearance over time, and also a little goes a long way.

3. Phloretin CF by Skincueticals, £150

Containing a mix of the antioxidants phloretin, vitamin C, and ferulic acid, this acts like a shield on the skin. It’s very watery and sinks into the skin immediately – so just a few drops will do.