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Actually, steroids have nothing to do with it.

The antioxidants I’m talking about are similar to the antioxidants you might find in something like a pomegranate or a cup of green tea except they are 10-15 times as potent.

I just recently started looking into antioxidant boosters on SkinStore.com and was surprised to find that liquid antioxidant boosters are really not that expensive or a big deal to drink. All that’s required is one dropper full in a glass of water or juice every day.

My favorite is the Dr Brandt Antioxidant Water Booster Blueberry. After two weeks I have more energy, but I am still patiently waiting for my melasma to improve, but then again we know how that goes.

Seems that a lot of things help my melasma a little and very few things help a lot.

Either way, I don’t think you can go wrong with an antioxidant booster. In addition to protecting your skin from the elements, antioxidants strengthen your immune system and help prevent awful diseases like cancer.

Are you wondering why I just don’t take a multi-vitamin like every one else? Well, I do that too. However, lately I’ve been turning to liquid vitamins for just about everything because your body absorbs liquid vitamins better. There aren’t all those fillers getting in the way.

Yeah, liquid vitamins are a bit more expensive, but I think its worth the cost. I mean, it is my beauty we’re talking about here.

I came across some information about oxybenzone, an active ingredient in different varieties of sun block. While oxybenzone is deemed safe by the Skin Cancer Foundation, a few studies have shown that there may be a correlation with hormone disruption.

The body misinterprets the chemical to be a hormone. Its even possible that the body could think the chemical is estrogen, which is not good for melasma. Estrogen is one of the reasons why we have melasma in the first place.

So what does this mean for us melasma sufferers who are emphatic about wearing sun block and serious about keeping our estrogen levels down? Unfortunately, its not real clear.

But to me, it’s not worth taking any risks so I won’t be using sun block containing oxybenzone any time soon. Here are a few sun blocks that do not contain oxybenzone, including my favorite tried and true, DDF Organic Sun Protection.

You may remember my recent post about drinking herbal teas to clear up acne where I mentioned that turmeric is one of many acne-clarifying herbs and spices. Well, it turns out turmeric is great for treating melasma too.

Turmeric has antioxidant properties, and it has been found to slow down melanin production. So, in addition to drinking tea spiced with turmeric, try applying a turmeric paste directly to your skin to treat pigmentation problems, such as melasma.

Traditionally, turmeric is used a spice in different Indian dishes. It is yellow in color and is soft and powdery to the touch. When choosing to apply it to your skin, add a sprinkling of lemon juice and water to create a paste. Cleanse the skin, pat dry, and then apply the mixture to the areas of your face you want treated. Let it sit for 10 minutes, rinse, and moisturize.

Like with any new skin care regimen, test a small area of your skin first and see how your skin reacts. If within a day or two you have no adverse reaction to the treatment (i.e., no redness, no bumps, no itchiness), then apply it to your face. Start out using the mixture once every three days for a week, then once every two days for a week, and then once every day for one week.

Be sure to take pictures of your skin as you go through this process. Before committing yourself to the regimen long term, you need to be sure it is actually working.

There are professional products that will give you more bang (and more buck too, of course). One of my favorites is  Juara Skincare Turmeric Antioxidant Facial Mask. While I’ve only used it on a few occasions, I do like the way it makes my skin feel, and I have noticed some of my smaller spots fading. With persistence and my own do-it-yourself turmeric treatment, I’m confident I’ll see more results, but I’ll keep you posted.