Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays damage the fibers in our skin called elastin, causing our skin to sag and stretch without the capacity to bounce back into place, causing wrinkles and fine lines.
UV rays accounted for a huge 80% of skin ageing, including wrinkles, in a study of almost 300 women. The study also found that a two per cent increase in skin damage ages a face by three years.
Within the skin’s epidermal (outer) layer are cells that contain the pigment melanin. Melanin protects skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which can burn the skin, and over time, reduce its elasticity and cause a person to age prematurely. Suntanning occurs because exposure to sunlight causes the skin to produce more melanin and to darken. The tan fades as these cells move toward the surface and are sloughed off.
Antioxidants eliminate free radicals and reduce cancer risk.
Specific antioxidants have proven to be protective of the skin, acting just like a sunscreen. Our skin is so intelligently designed that when the sun’s UV rays hit it, the antioxidants that are in the body move upwards and form a protective shield that acts just like sunscreen.
Sunscreen allows people to stay in the sun longer, but doesn’t stop the sun from penetrating the lower layers of the skin where they create more free radicals that would have occurred without lathering on the cream. Sunscreen protects for the first 20 minutes. Melanin, however, absorbs the harmful UV-radiation and transforms that energy into harmless heat via a chemical reaction called ultrafast internal conversion.
Foods high in antioxidants:
- Fish oil
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Spinach
- Brightly coloured fruits
- Vegetables
- Onions
- Garlic
- Blackberries
- Red grapes
- Coconut oil
Sunscreen helps to prevent UV absorption and antioxidants help to prevent and repair any UV damage.
Our summer skin superhero of the moment, Phoridium Extract, found in Mask Supreme 7-in-1, is scientifically proven to slow biological skin (which is happening to all of us right now) ageing by 64%, protect skin cell damage and reduce cell death as a result of exposure to UV by 72% and prevent sunburn cells from forming by 98%. Discover more here.
