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This Antioxidant Works Internally & Topically To Ease Fine Lines & Wrinkles*

Author:

Hannah Frye

April 06, 2023

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

By Hannah Frye

Assistant Beauty & Health Editor

Hannah Frye is the Assistant Beauty Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism and a minor in women’s, gender, and queer studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Hannah has written across lifestyle sections including health, wellness, sustainability, personal development, and more.

Image by g-stockstudio / iStock

April 06, 2023

When it comes to skin care that supports healthy aging, there are a few superstar ingredients that fly under the radar. CoQ10 is at the top of the list. The powerful antioxidant has entered the beauty chat in a major way, becoming a workhorse ingredient in both skin care topicals and supplements. There's a long list of reasons to use CoQ10 in your daily routine, both topically and internally. If you want a deeper dive into what CoQ10 does, exactly, we already have a full guide. Otherwise, here's a quick summary of some of the main benefits.

Topical benefits of CoQ10

While ingesting CoQ10 can provide noteworthy benefits (more on that later), topical applications have their perks as well. Research shows that applying it as part of a formulation significantly improved levels found in skin cells 1 while also boosting the skin's free-radical-fighting abilities.

postbiotic body lotion

Apart from encouraging healthy skin aging (think easing crepey skin) and packing an antioxidant punch, topical CoQ10 may be beneficial for supporting a healthy inflammatory response in the skin. Take this animal study 2, which found a link between faster skin regeneration and CoQ10 application. Although more human studies are necessary, CoQ10 is also anecdotally reported to be a stellar ingredient for calming and soothing the skin; that's exactly why we included it in our bestselling postbiotic body lotion.

Internal benefits of CoQ10

CoQ10 supports energy production in our cells throughout the entire body 3—thanks to CoQ10's hustle in our mitochondria organelles specifically.* As an antioxidant, it also helps to protect the cells from oxidative stress, which encourages healthy skin aging 4 from the inside out, among other full-body benefits.*

And while CoQ10 may not be the first skin-supporting ingredient that comes to mind, it may be one of the best options. As nutrition scientist Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, previously explained to mbg, "The protective antioxidant effects of CoQ10 55 have been demonstrated in human keratinocytes and fibroblasts, major types of cells essential for skin health."* What's more, "CoQ10 supplementation 6₆ has been clinically shown to improve skin elasticity and smoothness while reducing wrinkles and fine lines,"* she shares.

cellular beauty+

While small amounts of CoQ10 can be found in foods like broccoli, peanuts, and fish, it's difficult to get enough to support your standard levels as you age because your CoQ10 levels are simultaneously decreasing—which is why supplementing is an ideal option for targeted, daily support. If you're on the hunt for an easy pick, we encourage you to check out cellular beauty+, which contains 100 milligrams of the powerful antioxidant (among other science-backed cosmeceutical ingredients).

The takeaway.

If you hadn't yet heard about CoQ10's beauty benefits, you're not alone. This underrated antioxidant can benefit your skin both through supplementation and topical applications—though the benefits slightly differ. If you want to reap all the advantages CoQ10 has to offer, you may consider investing in topical products and skin-supporting supplements.*

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.