Meet One of Our Star Ingredients! CoQ10, a Powerful Antioxidant & Skincare Superhero

 We at Skincare Junkie love skincare. Our approach to skincare combines nature and science, and we love to geek out about skin. Today, we want to shine a spotlight on Coenzyme Q10, often referred to as CoQ10, a powerful antioxidant that is a star ingredient in our Megadose Super Antioxidant Face Moisturizer. 

The Coenzyme Q10 Origin Story

CoQ10 was discovered in the 1940s. In the 1950s, scientists at Merck believed that CoQ10 had enormous potential as a cardiovascular drug. Merck executives were not interested and sold the patent rights to a Japanese company. 

It took Japanese scientists another ten years to figure out how to produce CoQ10 in commercial quantities. CoQ10 was used in clinical trials to treat patients with heart failure and eventually it was approved as a drug to treat cardiovascular disease in the 1970s. 

In 1978, British biochemist Peter Mitchell was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering the key role coenzyme Q10 plays in the generation of cellular energy. CoQ10 became a worldwide star. 

What Is the Role of Coenzyme Q10? 

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is a naturally produced enzyme that is found in every cell of our bodies, including our skin. Our bodies can synthesize it and we also get it from our diet (from foods like oily fish, liver, and whole grains). It plays a crucial role in the production of energy within cells—by turning nutrients and oxygen into valuable energy.

CoQ10 is also a powerful topical antioxidant that protects skin cells from free radical oxidative damage that we face on a daily basis and that causes skin aging and skin cancer. Free radicals, such as UV radiation and pollution, can damage crucial skin proteins—collagen and elastin. By neutralizing free radicals, CoQ10 minimizes damage to skin—reducing signs of skin aging including fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and laxity. 

CoQ10 can also enhance immune function, providing a boost to the immune system boost like vitamin C and vitamin D. 

Production of CoQ10 in our bodies peaks in our late teens and starts to decline after age 20. Western diet, stress and exposure to free radicals, like UV rays, leads to further CoQ10 depletion. The decrease in CoQ10 affects our energy levels and our skin health. 

Our topical CoQ10 has excellent bioavailability in the skin meaning it truly penetrates the skin surface to really go to work. Our CoQ10 study results are highly impressive, demonstrating just how powerful this one ingredient is! It is not surprising that CoQ10 is one of our star ingredients! 

Skin Benefits of Coenzyme Q10 

What are the benefits of this superhero ingredient in skincare? Applying CoQ10 topically provides a number of benefits for our skin—protection against the free radicals damage and anti-aging, sun damage protection, skin brightening, and promotion of collagen production. 

1. Anti-aging. By neutralizing free radicals, CoQ10 helps protect collagen and elastin, the proteins that keep skin firm. This reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. 
2. Sun damage protection. CoQ10 amplifies protective effects of sunscreen, shielding skin from UV rays.
3. Skin brightening. By reducing oxidative damage, which contributes to hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone, CoQ10 promotes a more even and radiant complexion. 
4. Skin elasticity. CoQ10 stimulates collagen production, enhancing skin elasticity and reducing the appearance of sagging skin.

How to Use Coenzyme Q10 for Skin

If not already, CoQ10 can be incorporated into your skincare routine in two ways:

1. Apply topically. CoQ10 is available in the Skincare Junkie Megadose Super Antioxidant Face Moisturizer. By delivering CoQ10 directly to the skin, it can work its antioxidant and anti-aging magic.
2. Take supplements. While topical CoQ10 directly targets the skin, oral supplements provide a boost of CoQ10 from inside, benefiting the whole body. Scientists have found that coenzyme Q10 supplements may help prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and even cancer. 

How to Effectively Apply CoQ10 

CoQ10 is generally safe for most people to use and can be a part of morning or night skincare routine. For best results, apply your CoQ10 product after cleansing and before applying any moisturizers. Or better yet, apply a moisturizer that has CoQ10 in it! 

1. Talk to a dermatologist. As a dermatologist created brand, our advice is to always consult with a dermatologist if you have any skin concerns, medical conditions or are taking medications. A dermatologist can advise on the safest and most effective way to incorporate CoQ10 into your skincare routine. 
2. Choose stable CoQ10. CoQ10 exists in two forms—ubiquinone and ubiquinol. Look for products that use ubiquinone, a more stable form of CoQ10, to ensure optimal absorption and efficacy. If you want to test your detective skills, see which form of CoQ10 you can spot in the ingredient list of Skincare Junkie Megadose Super Antioxidant Face Moisturizer. 
3. Combine with other antioxidants. CoQ10 is a superhero ingredient on its own, but, when combined with other antioxidants, it can provide even greater protection against free radicals. And guess what the first-to-market, dermatologist-created face moisturizer that combines 10 of the most powerful, clinically proven topical antioxidants is called? This is why we have Mega and Super in our moisturizer’s name! 

Superhero Ingredient in a Super Product 

What do you get if you combine a deeply hydrating, non-comedogenic moisturizer and a powerful serum packed with 10 antioxidants? The Megadose Super Antioxidant Facial Moisturizer of course, an innovative formula created by Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose that combines anti-pollution, antioxidant, and anti-aging benefits. 

The Skincare Junkie formulation gives the soothing hydration of a non-comedogenic moisturizer with the clinically-proven combination of super potent bioavailable antioxidants, including coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, vitamin C and green tea, which prevent signs of skin aging and create a brighter complexion. 

All of our products are always hypoallergenic, pregnancy-safe, and vegan. Skincare Junkie Megadose Super Antioxidant Face Moisturizer has made it into People’s Best Beauty Products list! Super product indeed.