expert advice

the anti-pollution beauty routine for city living

We get the lowdown on how to protect your skin and hair from the elements.

expert advice

The anti-pollution beauty routine for city living 

We get the lowdown on how to protect your skin from the elements.

What’s the big deal?

With environmental concerns high on our agenda, it might feel like there’s very little we don’t know about the impact of pollution on our health, but there are two silent sufferers: your skin and hair. Skincare expert Dr Barbara Sturm explains, “The World Health Organisation asserts that as much as 90 per cent of the world’s population now lives in areas with highly polluted air.” So there’s no better time to introduce an anti-pollution product into your beauty routine.

 

Why do you need it?  

Dirty air and clouds of smoke aren’t the only things to watch out for when it comes to protecting your skin against the environment – digital pollution, in the form of blue light emitted from our phones and laptops, also produces free radicals. What on earth are free radicals, you ask? These are unstable, microscopic molecules that break down our skin’s barrier and dig deep into our pores, causing dehydration, dullness, pigmentation and inflammation that can lead to acne and other skin disorders.

The ageing effects of pollution are second only to UV, so, just like you wouldn’t leave your house without SPF every day, adding an anti-pollution step to your routine is more than logical. While the effects are less well known for hair, studies suggest pollution can cause dullness, scalp imbalance and slowed hair growth.



In general, pollution weakens your skin. Antioxidants, along with peptides and vitamins, help strengthen the skin and neutralise the primary triggers of skin ageing.

– Sally Penfold, Education Manager at Dermalogica

How to look after your skin

Antioxidants are your best friend ­here ­– these clever substances neutralise free radicals, which helps protect the skin and accelerate healing. They say prevention is better than cure, but when fighting the effects of pollution, combining the two is the most efficient solution. Enter: Dr Barbara Sturm’s Anti-Pollution Drops. Sturm puts their effectiveness down to “marine microorganisms that strengthen the skin’s defence against pollution”, while “cocoa seed extract builds a shield, like a film on the skin, so that blue light can’t penetrate through”. To apply? Dispense a full pipette into the palm of your hand and massage into the face and neck.

It’s also worth introducing an exfoliant to ensure you’re ridding your pores of as much dirt as possible. Dermalogica’s Daily Superfoliant is one of the best in the business. Sally Penfold, Education Manager at Dermalogica, explains: “The advanced powder formula activates upon contact with water, releasing powerful enzymes, skin-smoothing alpha hydroxy acids and anti-pollution technology. Activated Binchotan Charcoal purifies the skin, helping to absorb toxins from deep within the pores.” Use daily, morning or night, and you’ll reap the rewards.

How to look after your hair

A mask is a great way to promote a healthy scalp and truly clean your hair – Christophe Robin’s Cleansing Mask with lemon will cleanse your scalp and keep it healthy while giving your hair a boost in just 20 minutes. Alternatively, using Bumble and Bumble’s Sunday Shampoo just once a week (the clue is in the name) should do the trick. It contains Panax ginseng root extract, which gently rids the hair and scalp of product residue, built-up pollutants and excess oil, leaving your hair feeling fresh and healthy.

THE ANTI-POLLUTION CHEAT SHEET:

Antioxidants:

Your number-one buzzword when checking skincare for anti-pollution properties, antioxidants protect your skin’s barrier (reducing the nasty stuff from getting in) and counteract free radicals.

 

Blue light:

You know the light emitted from your phone, tablet and laptop screens? It’s known as blue light, and it’s no friend of your skin as it emits free radicals and UV.

 

Free radicals:

Free radicals are microscopic particles that burrow deep inside your pores to cause lots of unwanted skin issues such as ageing, redness, irritation and acne.

 

 

SPF:

Your best skincare friend! UV is the number-one cause of ageing, so it’s important to wear an SPF every single day (yes, even in the best of British weather).

 

UV:

When people talk about sun damage, that’s caused by UV rays emitted by the sun.

 

Vitamin C:

Think more super skincare ingredient, less a glass of OJ. Vitamin C is one of the most popular antioxidants and does a wonderful job of protecting, hydrating and plumping skin.