Have you ever stopped to think about pollution affecting your body? We all know the harmful effects it has around us, but have you ever noticed what it does to your skin? Studies compared women living in different environments and found that those exposed to increased pollution had more dark spots and wrinkling. Microscopic pieces of smoke, soot, acid and other pollutants are released into the atmosphere from things such as fires, construction sites, cars and power plants. Government regulation has led to decreased emissions over the past few decades, but the air around us is still far from unspoiled. About 83 million tons of pollution was released into the air in the United States in 2012. When pollution comes into contact with your skin, it doesn't just sit on the surface. These particles' tiny size allows them to get in to deeper layers of the epidermis, causing not only inflammation and dehydration but also a cellular-level reaction that leads to lost elasticity and firmness. Luckily, this is a natural disaster you can help prevent. Simple changes to your beauty routine, such as proper cleaning and using antioxidants every day, can have a big impact on your skin. Here’s a solution in three easy steps.
CLEANSE
We all know that we should wash our face routinely, but many of us don't do it as well as we should. In the morning, wash your face in order to prep your skin for radiance-boosting products. Use a mild cleanser; only certain skin types need anything stronger. At night, go deeper to remove the top of not only potentially harmful pollutants but makeup and everyday dirt and sweat as well. The goal is to get everything off without too much scrubbing, drying or irritation, which can aggravate skin conditions like acne. You should use the same face wash from the morning, but with an electronic brush. A brush is proven to be more successful when removing impurities—especially sticky particles like soot—than using your hand. As a final step, soak a cotton pad with toner, then wipe it over your face.
NEUTRALIZE
When pollutants get into your skin, it creates highly unsteady molecules that have unpaired electrons. These molecules act like Ping-Pong balls; they bounce around in your skin on their way to steal an electron from a healthy cell, which injures it. All this damage also shows up as hyper-pigmentation and fine lines. Free radicals can amplify inflammation, which worsens acne and rosacea. That's not all; the most severe thing they can cause is DNA damage and cell mutation, which can lead to cancer. It sounds pretty bad, but there is a solution: antioxidants. These nutrients are able to donate an electron where needed, effectively neutralizing the free radical and retreating its negative effects on your skin. Research has shown that antioxidants offer one of the best treatments for preventing or reducing free-radical damage. To help protect your skin, put on a serum with antioxidants after washing your face in the morning, and do the same at night to support its repair process. Eating antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries, leafy greens and beans also play a powerful part.
CREATING A BARRIER
You probably already use sunscreen when it's sunny, but here's another reason to put it on every morning: Man-made pollution not only damages skin directly but also contributes to the wearing down of the ozone layer, which helps protect us from the sun's harmful rays. You're getting more sun exposure than before, even on cold, cloudy days. Apply an SPF 30 daily to protect yourself from harmful rays; the latest formulas contain antioxidants, which boosts their pollution-fighting. If you use sunscreen, antioxidants and proper cleaning, and you won't end up with skin that’s more worn out than you’d like—or a higher risk for skin cancer.
About the Author: Thai Morrison, superstar esthetician and founder of her very own day spa & skin care collection, understands that ideal skin is seldom attained with a “universal approach.” Thai’s 20 years as a luminary esthetician and as one Dallas’s favorite skin care professionals, has generated a “real life” answer — products & services that are geared towards each of the different, individual skin types so you get precisely what is needed to look and feel your best.
About the Spa: At Koffee Day Spa, we wish for our clients to be well-informed before enjoying any of our services. We hope your experience will be better once you know what to expect, have more realistic ideals and goals, as well as understand what we are focused on doing for you. If there are any other questions or concerns you may be having, please contact us at (214) 428-9696 I info@koffeedayspa.com I www.koffeedayspa.com I 1118 S. Akard St, Dallas, TX 75215
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