Antioxidants are, simply, chemical compounds which are capable or slowing down or preventing the oxidation of other compounds.
With free radical damage as a major cause of aging gaining wide acceptance, antioxidants, therefore, are thought to slow the aging process.

The most abundant source of antioxidants are, yes, the humble fruits. Apples, oranges, berries, are all packed with nutritional antioxidants which are beneficial to our body.

It can be bewildering to navigate through the jungle of antioxidant containing products these days.. one day, Elizabeth Arden launches its Prevage series; another, SK II tempts one with another Pitera containing night cream.

The main problem with many products, is, again, over exaggerated manufacturers’ claims. Many products contain ingredients derived from plant sources (e.g. algae, lotus root, green tea, soya) are not entirely backed up by science. Furthermore, many of the benefits from plant extracts (such as polyphenols from green tea) degrade quickly, and it is not known if they are beneficial when packed into a cream.
Yes, antioxidants do work, but they must be present in the right concentrations, and of the correct formulation.

To throw some light into the world of antioxidants, below are few of the commonly available active ingredients which, have shown benefits with anti-aging effects:

Vitamin E

Vitamin C + Vitamin E + Ferrulic Acid

Ibedenone

Niacinamide

Lipoic Acid

Look at the fine print

So take a peep into the ingredients label next time you buy a moisturiser. Be a discerning buyer! It is always better to spend money on items which have rigorous scientific backing rather than current fads!