Choosing a men’s anti-pollution skincare product: Your Qs answered
From free radicals explained to the products you need, James + Jake give you the facts on taking care of your skin when you live or work in an urban area
So many of us live or work in cities and built up areas these days, where skyscrapers generate masses of harmful carbon emissions, traffic blocks up our streets all day long and air quality stagnates indoors. The result is an increase in our exposure to pollution, dirt, train fumes and smog, all of which takes its toll on our skin and overall health. There are other less obvious pollutants attacking your skin, too. Did you know for example that artificial lights above you or even the light from your computer screens can all lead to stress for your skin?
The good news is there are plenty of products on the market tailored to help you fight back. And although you might have thought it’s a fleeting trend, anti-pollution skincare should now be an essential part of your skincare routine. So if you live or work in an urban area and want to start taking better care of your skin’s health, here are some answers from James + Jake to our customer’s commonly asked anti-pollution skincare-related questions.
What happens to the skin when it’s exposed to pollution?
Our skin ages continuously from birth as we grow and get older. This is due to the process of oxidation, where air (oxygen) and light (both from the natural environment and artificial lighting) cause the deterioration of our skin’s cells slowly. External factors are widely considered to cause the most damage to our skin and the reason we may notice more fine lines, dark spots and wrinkles from one birthday to the next. Pollution contributes to this ageing process and can come in the form of dirt, light, smoke, traffic funs, sun exposure, artificial air conditioning and even your computer screens. All of these fall under the category known as free radicals, which harm the structure, elasticity and health of your skin. The effects range from dehydration, dullness, fine lines and even - over longer periods of time - ageing and wrinkles.
Are pollutants and free radicals the same thing?
Free radical is the name given to tiny (actually, miniscule) particles that float through the air. In theory, they’re nothing to worry about and have existed since the dawn of time, but they are prevalent within polluted forms like cigarette smoke, cleaning chemicals and traffic fumes. So yeah, they’re kind of connected. If you want to understand a bit more about the technical structure, these little nano-particles are chemically unstable, and they need other electrons (found in our skin cells) in order to get stronger. So they basically raid our derma layers, which isn’t great news for our skin health or appearance.
What types of pollution should I worry about?
When it comes to the skin, all types of pollution will have an impact on your health. Chemicals in our cleaning products, air conditioning in our offices and light from above us are all considered polluting to the skin. Having said that, there are types of pollution that can have double the effect if they contain unhygienic elements. As an example, being exposed to light pollution delivers a dose of free radicals to your skin, which leads to ageing. But city smog, from the underground or cars for example, not only drives polluting electrons straight to your face, it also adds dirt and grime that does us no good at all. So while the answer is to steer clear of as much free-radical-packed pollution as you can, it’s the traditional ‘dirty’ pollution that you’re more likely to see or smell that really delivers a double whammy.
Are you safe from pollution and free radicals if you live in the countryside?
There is no question that living in urban, traffic-heavy areas like London equates to high levels of pollution. In fact it’s the reason we named our Anti-Pollution Mask ‘City Recovery’. But are you safe from all kinds of pollution and damaging free radicals in rural parts of the country? Nope! Pollutants no matter how small and insignificant are a part of everyday life. And although you might escape a lot of artificially generated pollutants, such as A/C or traffic smog, you can never avoid them 100 per cent. Even the most remote parts of the country will still have industries such as agriculture that generates pollutants. And you are also still exposed to light, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. The good news is you’ll be less exposed to city smog and can therefore relax (a little) when it comes to the all-important cleansing stage of your skincare routine. But not completely, of course.
Why do I need anti-pollution skincare?
Anti-pollution skincare usually falls into two categories; protecting and repairing. As the name suggests, the former will help to build a resistance to free radicals that can penetrate deep into the lower layers of your skin. Skincare products that will help you to protect your skin from these pollutants include anything rich in antioxidants - the free radical fighters. Antioxidants can be consumed in your daily diet and are often found in vitamin-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables and nuts. But you can - and should - also add them to your skincare routine regularly to help combat oxidative stress. If you want to protect your skin in advance from exposure to free radicals and pollution, try finding an antioxidant packed face moisturiser. The Major Hydrator by James + Jake is a great all-rounder because it contains a serious dose of vitamin E, camellia oil and pomegranate extract - all of which help to protect the skin’s cells. If you work in a heavily polluted environment like London or any built up area, taking care of your skin to help it repair is important. While you can increase your antioxidants for protection, you may also want to address issues such as free radical exposure, sun damage and dehydration after they have reached your skin. The first and most important step for this would be to cleanse your skin, removing the dirt and bacteria you’ve collected throughout the day. Then you might want to consider a reviving, resurfacing face exfoliator. These are great for removing dead skin layers to reveal fresher, brighter, healthier skin. But what many people don’t tell you is that they are also great for digging out the unwanted debris (albeit in small molecules) of grime that sits on the skin after a day in the big smoke. Finish with an antioxidant rich mask that not only repairs but rehydrates - we recommend the City Recovery Mineral Mask.
What should I look for in an anti-pollution skincare product?
Antioxidants. Rehydrating. Repairing. These three provide a pretty good baseline for anti-pollution skincare products, most of which are likely to be clearly labelled with their pollution-fighting benefits. They can come in the form of a moisturiser, mask, oil or serum, so it might take a little trial and error for you to decide what works best for your skin and your schedule. Also, don’t forget as we mentioned above, cleansing is a really important step in combating the effect on your skin of city dirt and traffic smog, but it might not always be clear on the packaging. Just ensure you incorporate an effective cleanser into the routine. And if you’re doing this at the end of the day, make sure you use your cleanser before you apply any other products.
Why is anti-pollution skincare a good idea for men?
Anti-pollution skincare is important for everyone, especially those who live or work in busy, built up urban areas. One reason why it’s beneficial for men to consider fighting the free radicals caused by pollution is that we tend to wear less makeup on our faces, although that is now changing with some great new products on the market for guys. Makeup acts as a barrier for many people, preventing free radical particles from passing the top layer of our skin. Therefore, many of us guys are more exposed to the elements that lead to a build up of pollutants.
Is it only my face that is affected by pollution?
Pollution particles are everywhere and they are affecting our skin everywhere on the body, all day every day. Even when you’re fully clothed the air in the atmosphere is still having a small effect on your skin’s health and the unstoppable oxidation / ageing process. Depending on where you live (g’day to our readers in the southern hemisphere!), your face is probably more likely to be exposed to pollution and therefore needs a bit more TLC. In the UK, for example, we’re often covered by jeans, shirts and sweaters up to our necks for most of the year. This means it’s our faces we need to protect from free radical damage. In the summer months, however, other areas, such as our arms and legs are also exposed so the same rules apply - protection and repair are key. And looking out for antioxidant rich products that help to fight the free radicals that cause dehydration, dark spots and fine lines over your whole body is still important. Give the Skin Saviour Replenishing Body Moisturiser a try. It was designed to replenish the skin’s hydration level and deliver a dose of 100% natural antioxidant, vitamin-rich ingredients like jojoba and grapefruit extract.