Life in a big city can be exciting and full of opportunities, but it can also take a toll on our skin. Air pollution, stress, lack of sleep and poor nutrition can lead to such skin problems as dryness, acne or wrinkles. However, by taking proper care of your skin, you can minimize the impact of these factors, making it healthy and glowing. Let’s look at a few key steps in skincare that will help to fight the negative effects of city life.
Skin Cleansing and Exfoliation
The first and the most important skincare step is cleansing. Why is it so important? Cleansing helps not only to get rid of excess sebum and makeup, but also from the environmental pollutants, the level of which is very high in a big city.
Cleansing and exfoliating aid in prevention of skin problems and prepare it for other steps in skincare. When the face is cleansed of impurities, it better absorbs active ingredients of moisturizing and nourishing products.
It is very important to choose the right cleanser. It should:
- effectively cleanse
- not dry out the skin
- not cause irritation
- contain natural ingredients (aloe vera, green tea extract, etc.)
You should cleanse your skin twice a day: in the morning and evening. At the beginning of the day it helps to remove the excess sebum and dead skin cells, which cause acne and skin dullness. Evening cleansing removes makeup and impurities accumulated on the skin during the day.
In addition to daily routine, it is necessary to exfoliate 1-2 times a week. This procedure helps to cleanse the pores and brighten any pigmentation.
Moisturizing
Polluted air, temperature changes, UV rays and stress - all this can affect our skin condition. Therefore moisturizing becomes essential in everyday skincare. It helps to keep the skin healthy and radiant, maintaining the moisture within the cells, enhancing its elasticity and firmness. Moreover proper moisturizing reduces wrinkles and prevents new ones.
Choose products that suit your skin type. They should contain active ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin and retain moisture. Hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, shea butter and avocado oil are extremely useful for skin moisturizing. The skin around the eyes is extremely sensitive.
Never forget about the evening skincare. A Night cream or mask will help to restore skin moisture while you sleep.
Antioxidant food
Proper diet also plays a key role in maintaining our skin’s health. It should include antioxidants. What is so important about them? The fact is that antioxidants protect us from free radicals - substances that cause oxidative stress and destroy skin cells, which leads to premature aging and wrinkles.
Antioxidants are able to neutralize these unstable molecules and protect from the negative impact on the skin. Therefore, including foods containing antioxidants into your diet plays a key role in skin care in a big city.
What are these foods? First of all, colorful fruits and vegetables, berries, citrus, carrots, cabbage and spinach. They contain vitamin C, vitamin E and carotenoids.
It is also worth paying attention to foods rich in polyphenols - another important class of antioxidants. These are green and black tea, coffee, dark chocolate, and nuts.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also important antioxidants for the skin. They are found in large quantities in fish, nuts, avocados, and flax seeds.
Thus, to prevent the negative impact of the urban environment on the skin, it is necessary to pay attention to skin cleansing, exfoliation, moisturizing, and proper nutrition.