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

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. 

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 cells1 while also boosting the skin's free-radical-fighting abilities. 

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 study2, 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.

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 CoQ1055 have been demonstrated in human keratinocytes and fibroblasts, major types of cells essential for skin health."* What's more, "CoQ10 supplementation6₆ has been clinically shown to improve skin elasticity and smoothness while reducing wrinkles and fine lines,"* she shares.

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.*