Is City Life Ruining Your Skin? What You Can Do Now
Living in the city has many advantages. Everything is close by, you can walk or bike to work, and there’s always something fun to do, like trying out that new restaurant or checking out a show. But here’s the thing: city living can really wear on your skin.
Why? Namely because of air pollution, but also for other reasons which we’ll cover below. Don’t despair though! You don’t need to cart all your belongings into a rental car and move to the country. With the right skincare routine, you can control the effects of city living on your skin. Read on to learn why city life might be ruining your skin, and what you can do about it today.
How city life ruins your skin
Air pollution
Air pollution is a cause for concern around all areas of our health, especially heart and lung health. And as if that wasn’t enough, it’s also seriously messing with your complexion. Suspended particles in the air, from car exhaust, ozone, and cigarette smoke to name a few, stick to our skin and accumulate over time. Free radicals created through this constant exposure actually damage DNA in skin cells (scary!). Cue the inflammation, oxidative stress, and premature aging.
Tap Water
You read everywhere that you should drink a couple liters of water daily to moisturize your skin and get your glow on. But if you’re guzzling down unfiltered tap water in the city, you might actually be defeating your goal.
How, you ask? By loading up on skin sabotaging tap water chemicals – like chlorine. Chlorine is commonly used in water treatment to destroy bacteria. But what does it do to your skin? Chlorine is a known skin irritant that strips the skin of its natural oils, causes dryness, and speeds up the aging process.
And there’s more to tap water than just chlorine: add pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers residue, heavy metals… And now you’ve got a serious complexion-busting mix on your hands. When you’re both drinking tap water and using it to shower and bathe, you can expect to feel the effects on your skin.
Stress
Living in the city is fun, but let’s be real: it can also be a source of stress. Traffic jams, noise levels, sensory overload, and a sense of always being in a rush can cast a shadow over your busy city life. The effects of stress on your skin are literally a slippery slope you’ll wish you hadn’t stepped on.
Stress can affect your sleep, and you need your beauty sleep for a dewy complexion. What’s more, cortisol (the stress hormone) encourages glycation, which damages skin collagen, and increases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
How you can save your skin now
Fight inflammation
Fight skin inflammation with anti-inflammatory compounds found in medicinal herbs and seaweeds. Try our Potent Seaweed Serum for your face for a boost of anti-inflammatory rosehip oil and witch hazel. For your body, try our Wild Sea Kelp Body Lotion, loaded with inflammation fighting Aloe Vera, chamomile, and essential fatty acids from seaweeds.
Lower oxidative stress
Load up on antioxidants to fight oxidative stress. Try our Sea Kelp Softening Facial Moisturizer with added Co-enzyme Q10, a powerful antioxidant that reduces signs of irritation and aging.
Detoxify
Reduce your toxic load with detoxifying skincare. Try our Detoxifying Fucus Body Wash with chlorophyll and alfalfa to cleanse and remove toxins. Follow with our Wild Rockweed Exfoliant to accelerate blood circulation and regenerate cells.
Boost nutrient absorption
Help your skin assimilate nutrients optimally with vitamin and mineral rich formulations. Try our Seaweed Body Gel, rich in beta-carotene, protein, trace minerals, and essential fatty acids, a perfect combo for fully nourished skin.
Enhance collagen
Collagen and elastin are the essential compounds behind youthful, dewy skin. In order for your skin to produce optimal levels of collagen, your skincare has to supply specific nutrients: amino acids, vitamin C, and zinc are a few examples. Try our powerhouse Sea Therapy Intensive Restorative Treatment to boost collagen and elastin production naturally and offset damage from pollution, chemical exposure, stress, and premature aging.
Read more about enhancing collagen naturally here.
Don’t let city living ruin your skin. With the right skincare products and daily skin regimen, you can nourish your skin with the powerful nutrients it needs to thrive and glow.
