The Science Behind Fighting Skin Pollution
Fight against skin pollution with our favorite skin defense tactics and ingredients!
In this post you’ll see
Skin Pollution 101
Pollution Fighting Ingredients
Pollution Fighting Tactics
Skin Pollution 101
Did you know that skin & pollution do not mix well? More and more dermatological studies continue to prove pollution’s direct impact on skin. Now more than ever, skin needs protection from our increasingly polluted environments. The air is now full of skin-aging atmospheric stressors such as pollution, exhaust fumes, industrial smoke, ozone, extreme weather, and free radicals. Skin that is exposed to daily toxic pollution becomes prematurely aged, weakened, dull, dehydrated, and sensitized.
Recent dermatological studies show many things:
– The formation of lentigines (sunspots) increases with levels of traffic-related air pollution, ground level ozone and air pollution-associated gases
– An increase in atmospheric soot is linked with 20 percent more pigment spots (dark spots) on the forehead and cheeks
– Study subjects living in more polluted areas have significantly worse skin hydration
– Soot, particles from traffic, and background pollution are associated with a more pronounced nasolabial fold (smile lines)
– Study subjects living in more polluted areas show depleted vitamin E and squalene levels in the skin
Pollution Fighting Ingredients
These are our big three ingredients for fighting pollution:
Malachite Extract – a copper-rich pollution magnet + heavy metal scavenger; significantly inhibits the damage induced by urban dust; helps neutralize everyday skin-aging oxidative stress; gives formula its natural blue hue.
Copper PCA – a beet amino acid-derived copper salt; predominates skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF); replaces skin moisture + essential lipids robbed by pollution.
Kaolin + Bentonite Clays – clean, natural cleansing clays that work to purge away skin intoxicating pollution, sebum and makeup from the skin as they bind to and absorb excess oil and dirt.
Some other great ingredients to look for are Activated Charcoal, Algae + Kelp, Antioxidants like Vitamin C, A + E, Chinese Herbs, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf, Malachite Extract, and Sea Salt Minerals!
Pollution Fighting Tactics
Here are a few quick tips to help counter pollution’s negative effects on the skin!
Double Cleanse: Give your skin a good initial cleansing to remove surface residue such as makeup, dirt, excess oils etc. Then give your skin another good cleansing to be sure you’ve removed all surface impurities and gotten a thorough cleanse.
Scrub Often: Exfoliating your skin on a regular basis can help guard against pollution’s negative effects from buildup that gives it that dull, drab appearance. A good scrub helps to deep clean your pores and remove the dirt, oil, and excess debris.
Increase Antioxidants: You can do this in the form of ingesting or topical application! A healthy diet and by taking a multivitamin every day and using skin care products to benefit the upper layers of your skin will make a big difference.
Good Moisturizer: Moisturizers will provide your skin with antioxidant support and help hydrate your skin. Most importantly, a moisturizer will help to create a barrier between your skin and pollutants.
Avoid Rush Hour: For the sake of your skin, it’s always best to avoid being in pollution-heavy areas during rush hour. The more automobiles on the road, the more pollution you’ll be exposed to, so try to avoid it if you can.
Wear Sunscreen: There’s never a reason not to wear sunscreen when going outside! As a friendly reminder, it’s imperative to always protect your skin from damaging UV rays both indoors and outdoors.
Stay Hydrated: Water is good for your body and great for your skin. By drinking more water, you can help keep your skin hydrated. You should also load up on fresh fruits with high water content!