Why you need to add anti-pollution skincare to your routine

Thursday 10 May 2018 17:28 BST

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Modern life can be tough on our skin but while we slather our faces with SPF daily to protect it from the sun we might not realise that there’s another silent skin assassin to be cautious of: pollution.

From urban dust, smog, smoke and exhaust fumes, the impact of pollution on our health is well documented but the effect it has on our skin has been relatively overlooked – after all, you can’t see it and you can’t feel it, so it’s easy to forget that pollution is there.

But, you better believe the effect it’s having on your skin is very real.

So, what harm does it really do?

Packed with DNA-damaging free radicals, pollution can impact your skin’s protective barrier with repetitive exposure having a negative effect.

In the short term this can lead to redness, sensitivity and inflammation, while long-term impacts can involve dullness, hyper-pigmentation, fine lines and a gradual decrease in elasticity.

Shiseido, Urban Environment UV Protection Cream Plus SPF50, £32, John Lewis

It seems inevitable then that the beauty industry should rise to the occasion and launch anti-pollution skincare.

A trend that emerged a couple of years ago, brands started by launching a few targeted products but now there are more on offer than ever before.

Oskia, Citylife I-Zone Lip & Eye Balm, £55, Net-a-Porter

From cleansers to moisturisers and antioxidant serums, these formulas work by forming an invisible shield between your skin and the air’s smog, which can in turn help prevent premature signs of ageing.

Even better, thanks to the sheer number of brands finally seeking to stop the effects of pollution, these kind of products are super-easy to get hold of.