The benefits of astaxanthin on the skin.

Thanks to its antioxidant property, astaxanthin is a skin ally. It is a major nutrient that combats premature skin ageing by fighting free radicals. These free radicals damage molecular structures, including DNA, proteins, lipids, etc. Free radicals are promoted by certain external factors such as stress, the environment, or sunlight.

Indeed, exposure to the sun triggers the activity of a series of enzymes that notably cause the degradation of collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for the elasticity and firmness of the skin. As a result, reinforced by these free radicals, the enzymatic activity leads to the appearance of the first signs of ageing. Due to its antioxidant action, astaxanthin has the ability to capture free radicals and prevent their overproduction, which is the cause of oxidative stress.

It should be noted that astaxanthin protects the skin from sun exposure, but it does not replace sun protection care.

Astaxanthin is a favoured active ingredient in skincare for combating free radicals. Indeed, the accumulation of free radicals accelerates the process of skin ageing. Thanks to its 13 conjugated polyunsaturated double bonds, it can eliminate high-energy electrons. Its amphipathic structure gives it an affinity for both water and lipids, allowing it to insert itself into the bilayers of cell membranes and limit the damage caused by lipid peroxidation. Indeed, lipid peroxidation is responsible for tissue damage due to the formation of free radicals. By capturing these free radicals, astaxanthin protects the skin from tissue ageing and reduces the appearance of wrinkles.

The potent and unique antioxidant power of astaxanthin rests on its ability to cross the cell membrane. Indeed, it possesses both lipophilic and hydrophilic properties. It can combine with the cell membrane from both the inside and the outside. Due to its chemical structure, its polar groups overlap the polar regions of the cell membrane, while the central non-polar area of the molecule inserts itself into the internal non-polar region of the membrane.

Thus, astaxanthin can take a transmembrane alignment in biological membranes, helping to maintain membrane structure and reduce membrane fluidity. This property allows it to act as a cellular shield to combat free radicals.This feature thus protects the entire cell against skin ageing.