Astaxanthin for skin – Complete Guide

Astaxanthin is an underrated ingredient that not many companies use mainly because pure astaxanthin is very expensive and it is tedious to manufacture. It is derived from the microalgae called Haematococcus Pluvialis.

• Antioxidant: an in-vitro study found that astaxanthin can help with UV-induced skin damage by preventing melanin formation. It increased skin elasticity, reduced fine lines and wrinkles, improved the moisture level in the skin.

• Helps with wound healing.

• Helps with fine lines and wrinkles: one study showed astaxanthin showed improvements in reducing wrinkles, skin elasticity, and skin texture.

• Astaxanthin can be taken as a supplement or used topically. (consult a doctor if you want to take supplements)

Astaxanthin can be used for all skin types including sensitive skin and skin of colour, but still do make sure to conduct a patch test.

Astaxanthin just like any other antioxidant is unstable, so make sure to use it with other antioxidants to increase its effectiveness. You can also choose a product containing other antioxidants along with astaxanthin.

You can use Astaxanthin as a supplement or apply it topically. Astaxanthin can be applied with retinol or vitamin C, this can increase the antioxidant effects.

It’s better to consult a dermatologist about this ingredient as the research on this ingredient is really less.

Astaxanthin can be found in salmon, trout, krill, shrimp and crayfish.

Research has shown that astaxanthin is better than Vitamin C and provides better protection from free radicals, but there is not much evidence. You can combine astaxanthin with Vitamin C and increase the antioxidant effects of both ingredients.

Research has shown that the antioxidant levels of astaxanthin were 100 times higher than in Vitamin E.