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The Best Anti-Pollution Skincare
We all know that UV rays can cause sun damage and that pollutants can wreak havoc with our blemishes and breakouts. That's why we lather up with sunscreen before we leave the house, even if it isn't particularly sunny (right???). But did you know that blue light from your devices can also take its toll on your complexion?
While we already knew blue light was terrible for our sleep, we weren’t too fussed about wearing broad spectrum face SPF protection while indoors. However, during lockdowns and the rise of working from home, anti-pollution and anti-blue light (which can be classed as a type of indoor pollution) skincare became super popular.
However, it's not just a trendy buzzword, and it looks like it’s time we take extra special care even when we're inside all day. We're here to tell you that our phones, computer screens and TVs can all cause pesky problems for our skin. They contain blue light, otherwise known as High Energy Visible (HEV) light which can penetrate our skin deeper than UV rays. Prolonged and continued exposure to this type of stressor can cause issues like hyperpigmentation, photo-ageing, inflammation and loss of elasticity. Yikes!
If you've got a desk job or are working from home then of course it's pretty much impossible to cut down on the screen time – and we're certainly guilty of more than a few hours dedicated to our phones outside of work! So, that’s why we’ve delved into the best anti-pollution skin care. If we can protect ourselves from blue light while still continuously scrolling Instagram, then we’re onto a winner, right?
Find your new favourite blue light skincare formulas here at Cosmetify.
ANTI BLUE LIGHT CLEANSERS
Get protected from the get-go with cleansers that contain anti-pollution properties. They can be great in the mornings to strengthen your skin against the effects of blue light and other pollution, or in the evenings for removing traces of pollution from the day.
Clarins Velvet Cleansing Milk
£16.01 £25.00 (36% off)One of the leaders in anti-pollution skincare, Clarins brings you this milky cleanser, which soothes the skin with organic yellow gentian and lemon balm extracts and removes pollution particles with detoxifying moringa.
GUERLAIN Abeille Royale Anti-Pollution Cleansing Oil
£38.38 £52.00 (27% off)This luxurious cleansing oil also removes pollutants from the skin. The honey-scented oil transforms into a milky emulsion on contact with water, giving you a pleasurable cleansing experience without leaving a greasy film behind.
ANTI BLUE LIGHT TONERS/FACE MISTS
Follow your blue light cleanser with a toner or face mist that includes anti-pollution ingredients to start building up layers of protection. The great thing about choosing a face mist is that you can also spritz it on throughout the day to top up your pollution protection and generally refresh your skin and makeup. Here are a few of our favourites.
HydroPeptide Somnifera Root Mist Indoor Light Pollution Shield
£39.00Designed especially for protecting your skin from blue light whilst indoors, but also offering atmospheric pollution protection whilst outside, this hydrating mist from HydroPeptide is made of somnifera root extract as well as HydrO18™ Activated Water™ to replenish your skin's moisture levels.
Paula's Choice Skin Recovery Enriched Calming Toner
£25.62This milky toner is a lifesaver for dry and/or sensitive skin, but of course it also protects from UV and blue light damage thanks to antioxidant-rich vitamin E. There's also evening primrose oil to simultaneously sooth your skin and panthenol to retain moisture.
Institut Esthederm Cellular Water Mist
£10.45Another face mist that's great for sensitive skin and can be spritzed on throughout the day, this cellular water mist uses a hydra booster and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin super nourished (and of course, protected from free radicals and all kinds of pollution with its antioxidants).
ANTI BLUE LIGHT SERUMS
We love serums of all types, as their purpose is to deliver potent ingredients in a concentrated form. For an extra boost of blue light protection, add one of these serums to your routine between your toner and moisturiser. They're almost always multi-tasking too, so your skin will get plenty of other benefits from these powerful little potions.
Wildsmith Skin 4d Protection Serum
£60.00 £80.00 (25% off)This powerful serum comes with four different pollution filters to prevent free radicals and other types of pollution from penetrating the skin, plus protecting your skin from oxidation and degradation (Blue light and other pollution can also accelerate the production of free radicals, so this an important benefit). There's also multi-molecular hyaluronic acid for hydration at multiple layers of your skin.
Q+A Vitamin C Brightening Serum
£9.50 £10.13 (7% off)If you're looking for an affordable blue light serum, we love this one from Q+A. In addition to containing vitamin C, which has antioxidants for protecting from environmental damage like pollution, there's also volcanic soil and hyaluronic acid to revive lacklustre, ageing skin.
ANTI BLUE LIGHT MOISTURISERS AND SPF
Like we said in the beginning, you should definitely be wearing an SPF before going outside, no matter the weather, as UV rays penetrate clouds. Mineral SPFs and any products with zinc oxide are also great for shielding your skin from blue light. But why not play it safe and layer a blue light moisturiser beneath your SPF or choose a 2-in-1 product?
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF 50
£15.59 £17.27 (10% off)This 2-in-1 moisturiser and SPF is an effective and affordable choice, giving you long-lasting hydration and protection. Niacinamide will help combat sunlight and blue light, calm inflammation and improve uneven texture. Plus, the non-comedogenic formula won't clog up your pores or cause breakouts!
Dermalogica Invisible Physical Defence SPF 30
£40.90 £49.00 (17% off)Implement this handy sun protection into your morning routine for the ultimate protection. It contains broad spectrum SPF 30, which helps protect the skin against indoor and outdoor pollution. The weightless texture blends effortlessly across the skin and also helps moisturise dry patches. Rich in antioxidants, non-nano zinc oxide and a bio-active mushroom complex, this formula also smooths the skin and reduces any redness.
Institut Esthederm Cellular Water Anti-Pollution Face Gel Moisturiser
£36.75 £37.17 (2% off)All skin types (but especially combination skin) will love the revitalising feeling of this quick-absorbing gel moisturiser. It'll plump and smooth your skin as it provides antioxidant protection against pollution.
ELEMIS Dynamic Resurfacing Night Cream
£61.11 £110.00 (45% off)There's not much point in wearing an SPF at night, but you can still protect from late-night scrolling and restore your skin from the day's exposure to environmental aggressors, including blue light, with a night cream like this resurfacing moisturiser from ELEMIS. It helps with cell renewal for smooth, refined skin, boasting skin-loving ingredients like rice hull, samphire, amino acids and polysaccharide-rich white truffle. And if you fall in love, you can pair with ELEMIS' matching day cream.
Avant Profusion Algae Regenerative & Tightening Anti-Pollution Night Treatment
£90.00 £100.00 (10% off)Another lovely anti-blue light night cream? This gentle and soothing moisturiser from Avant, which calms skin irritated by aggressors like pollution, rebalancing your skin so it's less reactive. In addition to hydrating hyaluronic acid, it contains euglena gracilis to tone and firm the skin and propanediol to help the product absorb deep into the skin.
Add these products into your daily routine to keep looking fresh, healthy and youthful even after hours of scrolling on the ‘gram. But you don't need to (and shouldn't) just rely on anti-pollution-specific products; you'll want to take good care of your skin in other ways.
Check out our best anti-pollution skin care tips for more information. Then read up on the best reef-safe sunscreens to keep your skin and our coral reefs protected!
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Written by Rebecca Jenkinson
Rebecca is a content writer with over three years’ experience and a keen interest in cosmetics. Cosmetify allows her to combine her blogging skills with her passion for beauty.
Written by Gabriella Buckner
Gabriella is a junior content writer with a background in creative writing, content marketing and journalism. She’s passionate about all things makeup and skincare, but especially vegan and cruelty-free beauty that is effective and inexpensive.
