If you’ve ever experienced that unpleasant feeling of clogged greasy skin after a day in a big city or had to blow your nose during a trip on the Tube due to pollution, then you should know that pollution is starting to become a growing skincare problem.
This beauty trend was started by the Chinese, and similar to how the Japanese import ramen noodles, they have also brought specialised skincare to the rest of Asia. Several brands have launched anti-pollution skincare products to tackle air pollution’s damaging, skin-ageing effects in the past few years. These products help keep the skin hydrated and improve several skin conditions like acne, hyperpigmentation and dermatitis.
Awareness of pollution has increased. Studies show that 8 out of 10 people in the UK are aware of lifestyle stresses on the skin. After the Sahara dust smog plagued the UK in 2014 and created record pollution levels in London and south England, interest in anti-pollution foundations and moisturisers continues to rise.
What Pollution Does To The Skin…!
Pollution doesn’t just sit on your skin, like a thick coating of dust. It burrows and gets deep down into your skin, speeding up the deterioration of cells. Pollution is one of the most significant factors in premature ageing. The pollution particulate cause chronic inflammation in the skin, giving it pigmentation. This overwhelms the natural defences and corrupts the DNA system, resulting in lines, wrinkles and sagging. Pollution can also cause dehydration and aggravate existing skin conditions, like eczema.
How Anti-Pollution Skincare Protects The Skin…!
Anti-pollution skincare protects the skin from harm, including environmental pollutants. They work in one of a few following ways;
1. Antioxidants
Results may vary with the skin type, but antioxidants are usually very effective against skin damage. They can even help skin recover from a number of illnesses and disorders, including pollution damage. In fact, almost all skincare products, let alone anti-pollutions ones, use a dash of antioxidants. Their benefits are not just limited to removing pollutants but also slow down the ageing effect. Antioxidants help prevent wrinkles, sagging and lines in the skin.
2. Moisturisers
Pollution based contaminants make the skin dry. As a result, they penetrate vulnerable skin cells, causing them severe damage. Anti-pollution skincare uses moisturising agents as an essential component. Moisturising agents are crucial to maintaining healthy skin. They act as a barrier for the air pollutants and keep your skin healthy, glowing and beautiful.
3. UV Blockers
Our sun is extremely hot. In addition to light and heat, it also releases harmful ultraviolet radiation into the earth’s atmosphere. While the ozone layer provides an ample shield against UV, it cannot stop their penetration completely. Exposure to UV can cause leathery skin, wrinkles, sagginess, lines and many more medical disorders. In extreme cases, it may even contribute to skin cancer. Anti-pollution skincare contains special mineral sunscreen agents that do not allow UV radiation to do any harm. They create a physical barrier separating UV radiation and pollutants.
4. Protective Bacteria
Pollution increases skin oiliness and sabotages the skin’s ability to protect itself from damage and disease. There is a thin layer of microorganisms on the skin that form a protective barrier. These tiny little soldiers protect the skin from countless diseases. Unfortunately, pollutants throw their balance out of whack. Anti-pollution skincare comes with a helping of protective bacteria that help boost this biome and restore it to its natural state.
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