Objectives:

Knowledge about skin aging underlying process, nowadays, is the key strategy in prevention of its main cutaneous expression. Through the study of the major mechanism responsible of cellular senescence, oxidative stress, it is reviewed the relevance of various cosmetic actives with the potential to neutralise the oxidative damaging effect.

Methods:

To carry out the review of related scientific articles we used the databases PubMed, as well as various texts about Cosmetic and Dermopharmacy.

Results:

During the course of skin aging two mechanisms overlap, an intrinsic process with disorder of the natural anti-oxidative redox system, and an extrinsic process resulting of external factors, specifically solar radiation. A serious cellular damage is the result of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and other oxidative mechanisms. The review of several antioxidant cosmetic actives reveals the efficacy of these substances in the cellular senescence development, because of its action neutralizing harmful products generated. Therefore, combination of ascorbic acid and vitamin E stands out. Others, as retinoids, carotenoids, vitamin B3 or flavonoids have beneficial effects demonstrated.

Conclusions:

In order to treat and prevent effectively skin aging, we conclude it results essential the use of antioxidant actives. The relevance of including them in anti-aging cosmetic products has reach a new height, approaching their antioxidant property to reduce to a minimum stress oxidative effect and slow down cellular death disguised by skin aging.

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