Cosmetics are commercially available products that are used to improve the appearance
of the skin. Since the late 1980s, consumer demand for more effective products that
more substantively beautify the appearance has resulted in increased basic science
research and product development in the cosmetics industry. The result has been more
ingredients that may actually improve not just the appearance of the skin, but the
health of the skin as well. We now have products that renew, restore, and rejuvenate—not
just cleanse, protect, and moisturize. There is probably no greater focus of interest
currently than the incorporation of vitamins and antioxidants in skin care products.
There are considerable data to suggest the benefits of such ingredients in cosmetics.
This article reviews the published data that support the usefulness of vitamins and
antioxidants in cosmetics. Our job as dermatologists is to digest and assess the data
so we can give knowledgeable recommendations to our patients.
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