Blog
Pollution VS Your Skin
Tuesday 7th March 2017
Recent media reports that pollution levels are at an unprecedented high, and living in the hustle and bustle of London can make it difficult to get away from pollution.
Environmental influences negatively affect your skin more than we realise. From traffic fumes to cigarette smoke, cancer causing free radicals are ever present in the air we breathe, so it's no wonder our skin takes a daily beating.
It is very easy to come home after a busy ride on the tube and want to scrub away the impurities of the day. Contrary to popular belief however, exfoliation can actually make the negative effects of pollution worse.
The skin is made up of 5 layers, with the stratum corneum being the outermost protective layer. This is the skins first line of defence against pollution and being only two hundredths of a millimetre thick is easily damaged by granular scrubs.
Environ founder Dr Des Fernandes mentions
"There is a serious and widespread misconception about the value of exfoliation. Most people believe the surface of the skin is composed of dead useless cells that prevent the skin from breathing and clog up the follicles. In reality, these dead cells are the mature functional cells of the skin and are there for a special purpose."
The best way to cleanse and exfoliate your skin is to avoid harsh scrubbing exfoliants and instead use the mildest, barely perceptible abrading products to very lightly buff the skin. Simple light alpha or beta hydroxy acid containing creams or gels will also work very effectively.
We recommend using the Environ Pre Cleansing Oil which first decongests the skin and softens sebum removing dirt, makeup and debris. This should then be combined with Environ Hydrating Exfoliant Mask which micro exfoliates and refines and refreshes the appearance of your skin. This routine can be done 2-7 times a week.
Always follow with a suitable toner, we love Environ Moisturising Toner as it contains lactic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid) to mildly exfoliate the skin, and rebalance the skins natural pH after cleansing.
