It is impossible to talk about skin care without eventually discussing antioxidants and free-radicals. But what are they? The air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink - even our body's normal use of Oxygen -- create toxic molecules called free-radicals. Free-radicals are highly unstable, reactive compounds that react with other molecules in our body which can damage cell's protective membrane. Unless neutralized, the "oxidative" reactions create still more free-radicals. Antioxidants are an important part of the cell's protection system. This is because they can neutralize free radicals. If antioxidants are in short supply, free-radicals in the blood plasma can approach the cells of the body. So what do antioxidants actually do? They patrol the bloodstream for free-radicals and when they find them they stop free-radicals before they damage the cell walls on the skin's surface. On the skin's surface, free radical damage can become a visible testimony to the dangers of environmental exposure. One of the reason why we need antioxidants in skin care preparations.