How Air Pollution Affects Your Skin…and tips to help your recover! 

It’s no secret that air pollution is not only detrimental to our environment, but also to our bodies. However, did you know that it can also play a major role with the overall health of your skin? If you’re experiencing dryness, premature aging, skin rashes, eczema or acne… this could be why.  Here we have put together some information on how air pollution affects your skin, and offer some sound advise to help you cope!

Air pollution does not create an immediate effect on our skin, which is why most of us are unaware that it can even cause damage. It’s important to know what pollution particles are, and how they can damage our skin. It’s also impossible to completely avoid all air pollution that may be around us; however, there are ways that we can protect and heal our skin from the exposure.

Air pollution contains tiny particles that can penetrate the skins barrier which is where you will run into problems like decreased moisture and elasticity, acne, dull and dry skin, eczema, skin allergies, rashes, and wrinkles. This all sounds like a formula for premature aging, and who wants that?! That’s why it’s important to be educated and aware of where these air pollution sources are stemming from. Although this is not an exhaustive (no pun intended!) list of all the air pollution sources possible, these are definitely the most common culprits:

*cigarette smoke

*dust

*smog

*car exhaust

To avoid severe damage, it is important that you:

1. Maintain a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, which will give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to properly heal itself and combat all those nasty air pollution particles (indoor and outdoor, alike!).
2. We all know it is important to keep ourselves hydrated on a daily basis… but now it’s even more crucial to ensure our skin is fresh and the body is ridding itself of all the toxicity and the drying effects of pollution. If you want to go the extra mile, look for skin products that contain elastin and collagen, these ingredients help with cellular regeneration… getting us back to the young, radiant glow we are always longing for.
3. Of course, this is all in addition to our daily face washing and moisturizing.
4. Lastly, exfoliating is a great way to get rid of all the extra grime that is deep in our pores. We also recommend the Clairisonic cleansing device, which will rid your skin of all the super tiny air pollution particles, and the stuff we can’t see.. even if we had a magnifying glass.

We know this sounds like scary stuff, but there are always solutions and preventative methods you can act upon to keep your home and body safe. Some of which we mentioned above, but there’s even more you can do. Here is a list of a few more ways you can be proactive for yourself and your home:

Healthy, Happy Home~

• Improve the ventilation in your home: open the windows and let that fresh air breeze through.
• Keep humidity levels low.
• Use products that emit lowers amounts of formaldehyde and VOC’s.
• Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter
• Vacuum regularly to clean up particles of dust that settle in carpet and other household surfaces.
• Keep air conditioner filters clean so they can trap pollutants blown indoors.
• Perform an annual diy indoor air quality checklist to help keep you in line.

Happy, Healthy Body~

• Put on sunscreen, even during the wintertime.
• Take supplements that are high in vitamin C and E
• Antioxidants, antioxidants, antioxidants!
• Maintain a diet that is rich in nutrients
• Keep your body well hydrated, so your skin can stay radiant.
• Reduce your stress, and live a balanced life!

Although this all may seem a bit overwhelming (we were definitely overwhelmed when we discovered this, too!), once you make it apart of your daily routine.. you’ll be laughing! If you provide your body with what it needs, it will do the rest of the work for you. A clean environment both externally in your home, and internally where your soul has a home, will give you beautiful skin and a long lasting life! That’s what we’re here for, to ensure you have the solutions you need to live a high quality of life!