Have you considered what your skin is exposed to on your daily commute and what you can do to defend it against environmental damage? Read on for some top tips to commute proof your skin!
When commuting on public transport or in our cars, or even walking or cycling through our towns and cities, we are often exposed to high levels of toxic pollution. We know the toxic gases and tiny pollution particles, known as Particulate Matter are hazardous to our overall health as we breathe them in daily but more and more research links air pollution to skin damage as a result of these tiny particles entering skin through our pores.
And don’t be mis-led in thinking anti-pollution skin care is only relevant to city dwellers. No matter where we live, we are all exposed to pollutants from car exhausts, factories, power plants and even the agricultural industry, so country folk are affected too!
pollution and skin
For every Particulate Matter (PM) particle you can see, there are 1 million invisible particles that are small enough to enter your pores! The result? Inflammation. Environmental pollutants cause damage to your skin’s protective barrier, increasing water loss and sensitivity. Natural vitamins are also depleted, reducing the skin’s self-repair mechanism.
This prolonged inflammation in the skin can result in premature ageing symptoms but the visible effects of pollution on the skin also include increased sensitivity, dehydration, breakouts and uneven skin tone. So what can we do to combat this?
Daily skin detox
Introduce the Dermalogica Double Cleanse to your at-home regimen! Start your skin detox with PreCleanse, an oil-based cleanser that melts through dirt, make-up and pollution, leaving zero residue or irritation. Follow with a Dermalogica cleanser suited to your skin condition to remove any final traces of build-up and ensure a deep cleanse into the pores.
Include regular exfoliation with Daily Superfoliant, an anti-pollution powder resurfacer. Activated Binchotan Charcoal adsorbs pollutants and impurities from the skin and the unique Anti-Adherence Complex of Tara Fruit and Red Algae forms a non-occlusive mesh that inhibits penetration and adherence of environmental pollutants.
pollution protection
To combat the onslaught of skin damaging pollutants be sure to include an anti-oxidant protective shield in your at-home regimen. Start by misting over with Antioxidant Hydra Mist, to hydrate, firm and boost skins defences. Next apply a few drops of antioxidant rich BioLumin-C Serum to increase your skin’s natural defences and strengthen the skins barrier protection. Follow with Prisma Protect SPF30 to seal in moisture. This moisturiser blocks 85% of particulate pollutants whilst defending skin from the damaging effects of UV light.
Check out pollution levels where you live at www.skinpollution.com Levels fluctuate throughout the day and at different times of the year so be sure to check in regularly.
For an anti-pollution regimen personalised to your skin challenges, use our online digital face mapping or visit a Dermalogica Skin Therapist for more advice and a tailored Skin Fitness Plan. Find your local Professional Skin Therapist here or click here to chat live now.