Skin and Pollution: Consequences and What You Can Do About It

If you live in a city, then pollution is not only affecting your lungs but it also damages your skin and hair daily. Here’s everything you need to know.

Air quality has a direct relationship with the quality of our skin and small particles of toxic material and pollution can cause significant amounts of damage to it: free radical damage, oxidative stress, dryness, inflammation, hyperpigmentation and skin sensitivity. Consequences include premature aging, acne, psoriasis or eczema worsening. This is why it is fundamental to take extra good care of your skin, especially if it’s already sensitive, and invest in professional tools and products to include in your everyday skincare routine.

How pollution affects your skin

Air pollution is made up of particulate matter, so spores, pollen, dust, metals, free radicals and PHAs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons), which come from incomplete combustion (tyre dust, charcoal, exhaust). All these things can penetrate the skin quite easily and stick to it. Pollution particles are 20 to 40 times smaller than pores, this means that they can easily settle in and clog up pores, resulting in blackheads, congestion and breakouts.

Being inside doesn’t protect you from pollution: pollution travels indoors too. Gases are more concentrated in small areas rather than large areas, where they diffuse and fill the space. So once air pollution gets into your house, it’s even worse than outside, that’s why we have tools like air purifiers.

Anti pollution skincare

Use skincare products containing antioxidants. Antioxidants can help neutralize the effects of free radicals which can in turn offset the extent of damage to your skin. And yes, this includes eye creams containing antioxidants, since your thin and delicate skin around your eye area is affected by smog and pollution more than any other area of your face. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin C, peptides, vitamin E, ferulic acid and niacinamide.

Incorporate regular but gentle exfoliation. This will help remove pollution particles that are often lodged in the surface layer of the skin and stop them from penetrating more deeply. This will be especially helpful if you have acne prone skin: you can go either with a retinoid or a chemical exfoliant, or you can do both through skin cycling.

Do not skip cleansing, preferably double cleansing. Use an oil based cleanser first, which melts makeup and sunscreen, then a water based micellar gel wash to remove dirt and particles. If you’re not washing your face thoroughly (but gently) after being exposed to high levels of poor air quality, that can lead to premature skin aging.

Prefer hydrating toners, which remove pollution particles and rehydrate and strengthen the skin barrier. Use a rich and hydrating moisturizer to help your skin maintain a healthy barrier, look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides. And never ever forget sunscreen, not because it helps necessarily with air pollution but because it helps prevent your skin from going through any more free radical damage that the sun generates.

Another thing you can do is to use your makeup routine to protect your skin from pollution. Use a daily protective primer as a protective layer so that pollution won’t stick onto your face, and then use a setting spray in order to create a protective film, since makeup is really sticky. You should use a setting spray even on the days you’re not wearing any makeup (primer, sunscreen, setting spray).

Last but not least, when you’re exposed to pollution daily your lymphatic system becomes really tired and blood circulation can slow down: take a gua sha and go from underneath your chin to the back of your ear and then down the neck.