Vitamin C hands the antioxidant crown to hydroxytyrosol!
Let me guess: You have at least one vitamin C serum in your skincare cabinet. Maybe you also have some vitamin C creams and masks, or a toner, perhaps? Generally speaking, it’s a must-have ingredient for your beauty routine. Right? Right!
The vitamin C kingdom
We all are extremely familiar with vitamin C. When we were young, we were told to drink our freshly squeezed orange juice for precious vitamin C and to maintain a strong immune system. In our minds Vitamin C is only beneficial. When something is imprinted in our childhood memories in such a way, we don’t question it.
Vitamin C in the skincare industry
Vitamin C has many benefits for the skin: It is anti-inflammatory, provides antimicrobial protection, prevents early signs of ageing, fights free radicals, and is used to treat dark spots and skin blemishes. So far so good, there is no questioning the power of vitamin C. However, vitamin C is a very strong active ingredient, highly unstable to oxygen and light exposure, and people with sensitive skin find it difficult to use.
Most product vials (the cylindrical, glass containers) do not protect the substance from oxidation, so you will notice that a few months after opening, the product loses its colour due to oxidation. This means that vitamin C has lost its effects and there are no more benefits from using the product.
Vitamin C, as an active ingredient, is extremely strong, which is why it should not be used with retinol and other chemical peels at the same time (vitamin C should be applied in the morning and retinol at night). Many people who use it experience irritation, either from misuse and exposure of products to the sun and air or from sensitivity to ingredients as strong as vitamin C.
Ηydroxytyrosol with the not very fancy, tongue-twisting name, solves this problem. It comes from pure ingredients extracted from olive trees’ leaves, and has the same benefits as vitamin C, without the side effects that follow it.
What is hydroxytyrosol?
Hydroxytyrosol is a polyphenol, derived from the fruit and leaves of olive trees. It has a higher concentration of antioxidant properties than vitamin C. It is also a more stable substance when combined with the right stabilising agents, because it doesn’t need to be preserved in an acidic environment, like vitamin C. It is therefore suitable for sensitive skin.
The extraction of hydroxytyrosol is more difficult and costly, which is why it is not widely used. Young Carpo (having access to organically cultivated leaves from local producers in the N.Aegean) has adopted the use of hydroxytyrosol as an alternative to vitamin C in all its products!
The most important benefits of hydroxytyrosol in skincare
If you think it’s time to replace your vitamin C with a more skin-friendly antioxidant, read on for the most important benefits of hydroxytyrosol so you don’t have to think about it twice:
- It has antioxidant properties, stronger than vitamin C.
- It boosts collagen production, increasing skin elasticity, as does coenzyme Q10.
- It protects against blue radiation (HEV) from computer screens, tablets, and mobile phones. Blue radiation increases the generation of free radicals, which cause premature ageing of the skin.
- It helps cell regeneration and repairs skin tissues damaged by pollutants, as well as frequent makeup, sun, and blue radiation.
- It provides radiance like vitamin C, as it helps fight against blotches and spots, treating hyperpigmentation.
- It has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, equal to that of vitamin C.
Finally, when we introduce new active ingredients to our skin, such as retinol and vitamin C, a period of adaptation is required. That means that we start with a small amount 2-3 times a week and gradually increase. On the other hand, hydroxytyrosol is so skin-friendly that it requires no skin preparation time.
For all the reasons mentioned above, hydroxytyrosol is ideal for young skin that needs care but does not need strong ingredients. Especially if your skin has acne, vitamin C can irritate it. Check with your dermatologist too!
#hydroxytyrosol: We know you want to look it up on TikTok!
Olive leaf extract: The "star" ingredient of Young Carpo
In all Young Carpo products, we use olive leaf extract with a high concentration of hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and oleacein, highly beneficial bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.
The olive leaf extract comes from organic farming of the Kolovi olive variety of Lesvos, in the Northern Aegean supporting local producers.
Take care of your skin with products that have been created after research and study, especially designed for young skin, which are cruelty-free and vegan and based on organic ingredients. Give your skin exactly what it needs and create a simple, yet complete, skincare routine that you can follow every day, no matter how challenging and busy it may be.
Young Carpo’s team of authors consists of experienced professionals with expertise in the health and beauty field, who create content based on research related to the skincare industry.
