Does the cold weather have your skin dry and irritated? We're here to help! An essential way to relieve dry skin and reveal your radiant glow year-round is maintaining an antioxidant-rich skincare routine! Learn more about antioxidants and how to kickstart your routine below!

What are Antioxidants?

Antioxidants are a group of naturally-occurring compounds that protect your cells from damage. Antioxidants are plentiful in fruits, veggies and yes - even coconut oil!

To understand how antioxidants work, you have to know free radicals too. Free radicals are produced in your body when you are exposed to sun, pollution, radiation, smoke. They are responsible for creating inflammation and aging the skin. They are unstable molecules missing an electron so they go around stealing electrons from molecules, damaging healthy cells in the process. Antioxidants are the opposite of free radicals - cleaning them up by donating an electron to them. It essentially deactivates free radicals and protects healthy cells. 

What are the Skin Benefits?

Calm Inflammation: Antioxidants have a soothing effect on skin, calming inflammation caused by free radicals.

Anti-Aging: Topical antioxidants help to protect from daily free radicals and give skin a more even, youthful glow. 

Protect from UV Damage: As we mentioned, exposure to sun is a free radical that causes damage to healthy cells including premature aging. Antioxidants can have a protective effect against UV damage.

How Can I Boost My Skincare Routine with Antioxidants?

There's many products out there enriched with antioxidants - from serums to cleansers - but one simple, all-natural way is adding coconut oil into your daily body care routine. Conscious Coconut Oil's organic certified, hand pressed, small batch technique maintains all the nutrients of the oil without the use of heat or machinery - resulting in 4x the antioxidants than average coconut oil.

Check out this simple antioxidant rich night routine to try tonight:

1. Dry Brush: When faced with dry skin, exfoliation is important to gently rid excess, dead skin cells to promote healthy cell growth. Before showering, grab your dry brush and gently do long repetitive strokes all over your body. Start at your feet going up your legs, hands to arms, then your upper body going tin the direction towards your heart. On your stomach area, do a clockwise motion to mimic digestion pattern. Once done, hop in the shower to wash away skin and impurities. 

2. Apply Coconut Oil: After showering, apply coconut oil head to toe. This will not only lock in hydration but also create a protective layer from free radicals thanks to its high antioxidant levels. Apply to your face as well as an anti-aging treatment. You'll wake up with radiant, hydrated skin!