Protect your skin against the elements in the city and beyond with one of these hard-working moisturisers, masks and serums
If you live or work in an urban environment, there is ever more to cope with in the way of hidden airborne pollutants that, given half a chance, can damage, irritate and inflame our skin, clog our pores and worsen the effects of aging.
No-one wants that, and moving on from the SPF creams we are used to, a new breed of skincare products aims to enhance environmental protection. We need protection from urban dust, smog, smoke and exhaust fumes, as well as all the problems of sun exposure of which we are already aware. The hazards are invisible, the success of the products in terms of protection is unquantifiable, so it is best to choose the ones that succeed in their primary function, whether serum, moisturiser, primer, cleanser or mask, while hoping for the value-added protective bonus.
The ones we feature below are those that our group of testers found most effective while trying to protect their skin from encroaching pollution. A lot of brands go for a multi-pronged approach, with several complementary products that address environmental hazards, and we mention the ones we particularly liked alongside our “best in class” choices. The ones we feature below are those that our group of testers found most effective while trying to protect their skin from encroaching pollution. A lot of brands go for a multi-pronged approach, with several complementary products that address environmental hazards, and we mention the ones we particularly liked alongside our “best in class” choices.
1. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Skin Insurance SPF 30, 30ml: 30 ml £49, Space NK
This slightly tinted, light and silky liquid spreads smoothly on the face and neck, giving a good base for foundation: so good that my usual brand simply glided over some fairly serious lines and wrinkles to the extent that I could almost pretend they weren’t there. It has a reassuring smell of calamine lotion, so you feel that it must be doing you good. It is a seriously effective primer, as well as addressing some major concerns about UVA/UVB and other environmental aggressors. Quite honestly it had me at the “imperfection blurring”, the rest is a bonus.
2. Kiehl's Cilantro and Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque: £29, John Lewis
Designed to protect against the visible effects of pollution including dull and unhealthy looking skin, as well as fortifying against environmental aggressors and helping to prevent impurities from adhering to skin, this mask promises a lot. The concerns addressed are all shared by our tester, who found it a delicious minty smelling product that was easy to apply, just putting a layer on clean skin, wiping most of it off after five minutes to leave a thin layer on overnight. Using it the recommended three times a week, she felt that it made her skin feel softer, and a bit plumper in the morning after use, and as you need so little each time, the pot will last for ages too.
3. Sunday Riley C.E.O Protect and Repair Moisturiser, 50g: £60, Space NK
Cosmetic chemist Sunday Riley created her brand to combine the latest technology with botanicals for products that give rapid results. It’s a favourite among beauty editors and we can see why. While our tester found that the tangerine- scented moisturiser felt quite thick and gloopy when applied, it then absorbed surprisingly fast to leave her skin ready for her normal foundation. It didn’t add unwanted shine and in the daytime worked as a protective layer against UVB rays and other pollutants, while doubling up as a very effective night-time moisturiser as well. Accompany it with Sunday Riley Micro-Dissolve Cleansing Oil, which works really well to remove any pollution from your skin.
4. Ren Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask, 50ml: £22, Ren Skincare
This product uses minerals from clay to detoxify and purify skin facing city-living congestion, while reducing the appearance of oiliness, open pores and blackheads. Our tester had not used a mask before and certainly liked this one; her initial impression when the mask was rinsed off was that her skin felt firmer, and this continued after subsequent uses. Her skin felt fresher than before the tests, and she will continue to use the mask regularly. She used it in conjunction with Ren V-Cense Youth Vitality Day Cream Anti-Aging, which promises to combat signs of fatigue and aging and protect against free radical damage and pollution. As visible signs of fatigue and aging are what concern her most, she felt that she was getting some good results after a couple of weeks, this will also stay in her regime.
5. Shiseido Anti-Aging UV Care Urban Environment UV Protection Cream SPF 30: £31, John Lewis
This SPF 30 cream promises skin protection for face and body against UVA/UVB rays, dryness and air pollution. The latter is certainly a worry for our London-dwelling tester, with almost daily air pollution warnings at the moment. As a regular Tube user she was even keener on the idea of a barrier between her and the air around her. She found the cream light and pleasant smelling, best used under make up to avoid a shiny face, and in testing it certainly protected against sunburn. It is suitable for all skin types, and is also available in SPF 50.
6. This Works In Transit Skin Defence Anti-aging Daily Moisturiser and Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 45: £32, This Works
As a golfer and gardener out in all weathers our tester knows just how necessary it is to protect the skin from the sun and, more importantly in Suffolk, the wind, for which a good moisturiser and sunscreen is key. She was pleased that this product promised to combine the two, while protecting the skin from environmental damage, UVA aging and UVB burning, and keeping it nourished. While the cream did not absorb quickly (which probably had something to do with such a high protection factor) it did settle down nicely, and she felt that overall it was effective to use in conjunction with the very thorough make-up remover pads, which use a combination of plant oils, rosewater, anti-inflammatory sweet almond oil and anti-bacterial water mint to remove impurities, and hydrate while gently cleaning the skin and leaving it refreshed.
7. Zelens Intense Defence Antioxidant Serum: 30ml £125, John Lewis
Starting with the (unusually and commendably) clear and legible information and instructions on the packs, there is a lot to like about these products. Created by renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon and expert in anti-aging skin care, Dr Marko Lens, the serum is designed to help fight against three types of free radicals. It is designed to be worn under moisturiser and feels light and hydrating when you put it on, vanishing into the skin and leaving no residue. As well as its protecting role, it is intended to support natural collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Our tester was truly impressed with how good it felt to use, and a tiny amount was all she needed for good coverage of her entire face, so it will last a long time. It is a superior price - and, she felt, a superior product. She also liked the accompanying foaming cleanser, which was very kind to her sensitive skin, while getting down to some serious cleaning. Sometimes this kind of foaming cleanser can leave the skin dry, but this was not the case here, although it is impossible to know if environmental pollutants are being removed along with the make-up, as claimed.
8. Bioré Charcoal Oil Control Scrub: £4.99, Superdrug
While most of the products we considered are busy keeping the effects of pollution out of your skin, this one concentrates on fighting already congested skin caused by it getting in through the pores. A facial scrub is a great way to home in on specific problems – such as, in our tester's case, enlarged pores and greasy patches, and for a super-economical way of dealing with these issues it is hard to beat this scrub. You are recommended to use it all over your face, but she tended just to go for nose and chin, and felt that the charcoal in this was doing the trick. Certainly, after using it for a couple of weeks, her chin felt less oily, and she likes to think that her pores are a bit less like craters. Apparently, the super-absorbent charcoal draws out dirt and toxins from deep down in the pores and sweeps up dead cells, and having seen the results it is certainly doing something. It couldn’t be easier to use: just massage a small amount into your face, and rinse off.
9. Anne Sémonin Oligo Protect Cream SPF 30: £74, Cult Beauty
This offering from a Paris-based brand founded 30 years ago by the distinguished facialist to such stars as Catherine Deneuve and Grace Kelly is a pleasantly fresh-smelling product with a good, rich, covering consistency. It gave our tester a reassuring feeling of wearing something that could protect her skin from the environment during year-round hikes with the dog through rural Somerset. Having a history of sun-damage to her skin, and following advice from a dermatologist that protection factor product should always be worn next to her skin, with anything else on top, the SPF 30 UV protection here is ideal. The cream incorporates sea-sourced minerals and trace elements including potassium, which helps maintain pH balance. It is also available as SPF 15, and can be worn on its own as a protective layer for non make-up wearers.
10. La Mer SPF50 UV Protecting Fluid, 50ml: £75, John Lewis
Surprisingly for a product offering this level of protection, this seaweed-based marvel is both lightweight and easily absorbed, leaving no discernible residue on the skin. It is a great base for make-up, which sits comfortably on top of its protective barrier. It is a hard-working product, designed to hydrate and restore your skin, while defending against UVA and UVB rays, and our tester certainly felt protected from anything the elements could throw at her. This range is known for quality and innovation, and such a super-absorbent SPF50 is hard to find elsewhere. If really high protection is what you need. this would be a very good investment.
Source article : http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/fashion-beauty/skincare/best-anti-pollution-skincare-products-reviews-mask-creams-a7888916.html
If you live or work in an urban environment, there is ever more to cope with in the way of hidden airborne pollutants that, given half a chance, can damage, irritate and inflame our skin, clog our pores and worsen the effects of aging.
No-one wants that, and moving on from the SPF creams we are used to, a new breed of skincare products aims to enhance environmental protection. We need protection from urban dust, smog, smoke and exhaust fumes, as well as all the problems of sun exposure of which we are already aware. The hazards are invisible, the success of the products in terms of protection is unquantifiable, so it is best to choose the ones that succeed in their primary function, whether serum, moisturiser, primer, cleanser or mask, while hoping for the value-added protective bonus.
The ones we feature below are those that our group of testers found most effective while trying to protect their skin from encroaching pollution. A lot of brands go for a multi-pronged approach, with several complementary products that address environmental hazards, and we mention the ones we particularly liked alongside our “best in class” choices. The ones we feature below are those that our group of testers found most effective while trying to protect their skin from encroaching pollution. A lot of brands go for a multi-pronged approach, with several complementary products that address environmental hazards, and we mention the ones we particularly liked alongside our “best in class” choices.
1. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Skin Insurance SPF 30, 30ml: 30 ml £49, Space NK
This slightly tinted, light and silky liquid spreads smoothly on the face and neck, giving a good base for foundation: so good that my usual brand simply glided over some fairly serious lines and wrinkles to the extent that I could almost pretend they weren’t there. It has a reassuring smell of calamine lotion, so you feel that it must be doing you good. It is a seriously effective primer, as well as addressing some major concerns about UVA/UVB and other environmental aggressors. Quite honestly it had me at the “imperfection blurring”, the rest is a bonus.
2. Kiehl's Cilantro and Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Masque: £29, John Lewis
Designed to protect against the visible effects of pollution including dull and unhealthy looking skin, as well as fortifying against environmental aggressors and helping to prevent impurities from adhering to skin, this mask promises a lot. The concerns addressed are all shared by our tester, who found it a delicious minty smelling product that was easy to apply, just putting a layer on clean skin, wiping most of it off after five minutes to leave a thin layer on overnight. Using it the recommended three times a week, she felt that it made her skin feel softer, and a bit plumper in the morning after use, and as you need so little each time, the pot will last for ages too.
3. Sunday Riley C.E.O Protect and Repair Moisturiser, 50g: £60, Space NK
Cosmetic chemist Sunday Riley created her brand to combine the latest technology with botanicals for products that give rapid results. It’s a favourite among beauty editors and we can see why. While our tester found that the tangerine- scented moisturiser felt quite thick and gloopy when applied, it then absorbed surprisingly fast to leave her skin ready for her normal foundation. It didn’t add unwanted shine and in the daytime worked as a protective layer against UVB rays and other pollutants, while doubling up as a very effective night-time moisturiser as well. Accompany it with Sunday Riley Micro-Dissolve Cleansing Oil, which works really well to remove any pollution from your skin.
4. Ren Clarimatte Invisible Pores Detox Mask, 50ml: £22, Ren Skincare
This product uses minerals from clay to detoxify and purify skin facing city-living congestion, while reducing the appearance of oiliness, open pores and blackheads. Our tester had not used a mask before and certainly liked this one; her initial impression when the mask was rinsed off was that her skin felt firmer, and this continued after subsequent uses. Her skin felt fresher than before the tests, and she will continue to use the mask regularly. She used it in conjunction with Ren V-Cense Youth Vitality Day Cream Anti-Aging, which promises to combat signs of fatigue and aging and protect against free radical damage and pollution. As visible signs of fatigue and aging are what concern her most, she felt that she was getting some good results after a couple of weeks, this will also stay in her regime.
5. Shiseido Anti-Aging UV Care Urban Environment UV Protection Cream SPF 30: £31, John Lewis
This SPF 30 cream promises skin protection for face and body against UVA/UVB rays, dryness and air pollution. The latter is certainly a worry for our London-dwelling tester, with almost daily air pollution warnings at the moment. As a regular Tube user she was even keener on the idea of a barrier between her and the air around her. She found the cream light and pleasant smelling, best used under make up to avoid a shiny face, and in testing it certainly protected against sunburn. It is suitable for all skin types, and is also available in SPF 50.
6. This Works In Transit Skin Defence Anti-aging Daily Moisturiser and Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 45: £32, This Works
As a golfer and gardener out in all weathers our tester knows just how necessary it is to protect the skin from the sun and, more importantly in Suffolk, the wind, for which a good moisturiser and sunscreen is key. She was pleased that this product promised to combine the two, while protecting the skin from environmental damage, UVA aging and UVB burning, and keeping it nourished. While the cream did not absorb quickly (which probably had something to do with such a high protection factor) it did settle down nicely, and she felt that overall it was effective to use in conjunction with the very thorough make-up remover pads, which use a combination of plant oils, rosewater, anti-inflammatory sweet almond oil and anti-bacterial water mint to remove impurities, and hydrate while gently cleaning the skin and leaving it refreshed.
7. Zelens Intense Defence Antioxidant Serum: 30ml £125, John Lewis
Starting with the (unusually and commendably) clear and legible information and instructions on the packs, there is a lot to like about these products. Created by renowned plastic and reconstructive surgeon and expert in anti-aging skin care, Dr Marko Lens, the serum is designed to help fight against three types of free radicals. It is designed to be worn under moisturiser and feels light and hydrating when you put it on, vanishing into the skin and leaving no residue. As well as its protecting role, it is intended to support natural collagen production and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Our tester was truly impressed with how good it felt to use, and a tiny amount was all she needed for good coverage of her entire face, so it will last a long time. It is a superior price - and, she felt, a superior product. She also liked the accompanying foaming cleanser, which was very kind to her sensitive skin, while getting down to some serious cleaning. Sometimes this kind of foaming cleanser can leave the skin dry, but this was not the case here, although it is impossible to know if environmental pollutants are being removed along with the make-up, as claimed.
8. Bioré Charcoal Oil Control Scrub: £4.99, Superdrug
While most of the products we considered are busy keeping the effects of pollution out of your skin, this one concentrates on fighting already congested skin caused by it getting in through the pores. A facial scrub is a great way to home in on specific problems – such as, in our tester's case, enlarged pores and greasy patches, and for a super-economical way of dealing with these issues it is hard to beat this scrub. You are recommended to use it all over your face, but she tended just to go for nose and chin, and felt that the charcoal in this was doing the trick. Certainly, after using it for a couple of weeks, her chin felt less oily, and she likes to think that her pores are a bit less like craters. Apparently, the super-absorbent charcoal draws out dirt and toxins from deep down in the pores and sweeps up dead cells, and having seen the results it is certainly doing something. It couldn’t be easier to use: just massage a small amount into your face, and rinse off.
9. Anne Sémonin Oligo Protect Cream SPF 30: £74, Cult Beauty
This offering from a Paris-based brand founded 30 years ago by the distinguished facialist to such stars as Catherine Deneuve and Grace Kelly is a pleasantly fresh-smelling product with a good, rich, covering consistency. It gave our tester a reassuring feeling of wearing something that could protect her skin from the environment during year-round hikes with the dog through rural Somerset. Having a history of sun-damage to her skin, and following advice from a dermatologist that protection factor product should always be worn next to her skin, with anything else on top, the SPF 30 UV protection here is ideal. The cream incorporates sea-sourced minerals and trace elements including potassium, which helps maintain pH balance. It is also available as SPF 15, and can be worn on its own as a protective layer for non make-up wearers.
10. La Mer SPF50 UV Protecting Fluid, 50ml: £75, John Lewis
Surprisingly for a product offering this level of protection, this seaweed-based marvel is both lightweight and easily absorbed, leaving no discernible residue on the skin. It is a great base for make-up, which sits comfortably on top of its protective barrier. It is a hard-working product, designed to hydrate and restore your skin, while defending against UVA and UVB rays, and our tester certainly felt protected from anything the elements could throw at her. This range is known for quality and innovation, and such a super-absorbent SPF50 is hard to find elsewhere. If really high protection is what you need. this would be a very good investment.
The Verdict: Anti-pollution skincare
In a collection of great products the top picks have to be Sarah Chapman for a brilliant primer, Zelens for the science bit and Ren for a sensible and straightforward team of products.Source article : http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/fashion-beauty/skincare/best-anti-pollution-skincare-products-reviews-mask-creams-a7888916.html
