Anti-Pollution Beauty Finds — Learn More About The Pollution-Fighting Products Featured on KXAN’s “Studio 512”
Pollution is unfortunately a part of modern life — from car exhaust fumes to cigarette smoke, wind-blown dust, and infrared rays, we are constantly being exposed to environmental aggressors that can affect the health of our skin and hair. The latest batch of beauty products, then, seeks to alleviate the effects of pollution. In a segment for KXAN’s “Studio 512” that aired yesterday, I detailed some beauty products designed to protect us against environmental aggressors. Read on for more details on the products featured and check out the video above!
NEXXUS CITY SHIELD COLLECTION
Humidity can be a nuisance for hair since it can lead to frizz, but it’s also problematic in that humid air is better able to hold onto pollutants. When it’s humid outside, then, your hair can be exposed to toxins that could lead to dryness and damage. The Nexxus City Shield collection, then, is designed to defend the hair from humidity, UV rays, and pollution. All the products feature a phyto-protein complex that contains hydrolyzed wheat protein and Indian Lotus flower extract that create a shield, blocking humidity out and keeping strands smooth and frizz-free. The products also make hair more resilient and help it adapt to changing environments, you can transition from a stroll outdoors in the summer heat to your air conditioned car or office — all without it taking a toll on your strands.
I love the Damage Defense Crème or DD Creme, a leave-in styling product that offers frizz protection. It comes in an airless pump tube, so it’s great for tossing in your summer handbag (and you won’t need to worry about any unwanted spills!). Since you can apply it to damp or dry hair, I keep it handy at all times for on-the-go touch-ups.
Nexxus City Shield Shampoo, $12; Nexxus City Shield Conditioner, $16; and Nexuss DD Creme, $22. Visit Nexxus.com
MURAD CITY SKIN AGE DEFENSE BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 50
Protection is key when tackling pollution. The Murad City Skin Age Defense Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($65 at Murad.com) is a 100% mineral sunscreen that protects the skin against UVA and UVB rays, but it goes way beyond solar protection. It features a polymer matrix that creates a barrier against those tiny carbon and sulfur dioxide particles that are lingering in the air and which can, in turn, make the skin look dull and lifeless and, even more alarmingly, can damage collagen and lead to fine lines and wrinkles. The sunscreen also contains lutein and iron oxides that defend the skin against blue light from electronic devices and from infrared radiation, which is emitted by microwaves and charcoal grills.
MURAD CITY SKIN OVERNIGHT DETOX MOISTURIZER
The latest addition to the Murad City Skin collection, the Murad City Skin Overnight Detox Moisturizer ($70 at Murad.com) helps to prevent the formation of free radicals. It features antioxidants from Marrubium plant stem cells that neutralize any toxins to which the skin was exposed throughout the day (think smog, car exhaust fumes, and cigarette smoke) and strengthen the skin’s natural repair and defense system.
The moisturizer also contains sunflower, cucumber and barley extracts that reinforce the skin’s moisture barrier and reverse any dehydration triggered by pollution. A healthy dose of vitamin C, meanwhile, helps to brighten the skin and yield a more uniform skin tone.
LA ROCHE-POSAY TOLERIANE DOUBLE REPAIR COLLECTION
Sometimes the best offense is a good defense, and that’s what the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair collection offers us. Now, you may think bacteria is the last thing you want on your skin, but you’d be wrong! Just like with our digestive system, our skin needs good bacteria in order to thrive. La Roche-Posay’s Toleriane Double Repair collection, the result fo five years of intensive research, contains the brand’s mineral-rich thermal water which, in turn, contains prebiotics that help to promote healthy bacteria within the skin microbiome. If there’s good bacterial diversity within the skin microbiome, then there’s a greater likeliness of having a strong and health skin barrier. By examining this correlation, then, La Roche-Posay created a line that fortifies both the skin microbiome and the skin barrier.
In addition to prebiotic thermal water, the products in the Toleriane Double Repair collection contain niacinamide, which improves the skin’s epidermal barrier function, and ceramides, which are the lipids that act as the “glue” that hold skin cells together along the epidermis.
The collection features two cleansers, the Toleriane Double Repair Purifying Foaming Cleanser ($14.99 for LaRoche-Posay.us) for normal to oily skin, and the Toleriane Double Repair Hydrating Gentle Cleanser ($14.99 for LaRoche-Posay.us) for normal to dry skin. To complete the regimen, the collection includes the Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer ($19.99 for LaRoche-Posay.us) and the Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer UV ($19.99 for LaRoche-Posay.us), which offers SPF 30 protection.
ALBA BOTANICA HAWAIIAN DETOX COLLECTION
While it’s not realistic to think we can ever fully protect the skin from pollution, we can mitigate its effects by adopting a very thorough detox facial care regimen. I love the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Detox collection, which is comprised of products that contain mineral-rich volcanic clay, which draws out dirt, oil, and other impurities from deep inside pores. The volcanic clay also has a very unique texture that gently polishes off dead surface skin cells so that skin looks more radiant.
The facial care collection includes the Hawaiian Detox Cleanser ($11.99 at Whole Foods Market, natural food stores, and grocery stores), a daily cleanser that washes off impurities; the Hawaiian Detox Scrub ($11.99 at Whole Foods Market, natural food stores, and grocery stores), a black lathering scrub that gently exfoliates the complexion; the Hawaiian Detox Sheet Mask ($3.49 per mask at Whole Foods Market, natural food stores, and grocery stores), which provides for a more intense and thorough detox; and the Hawaiian Detox Facial Towelettes ($5.99/pack at Whole Foods Market, natural food stores, and grocery stores), which remove makeup, dirt, and grime, while toning the skin.
The collection also includes three body care products: the Hawaiian Detox Body Wash, the Hawaiian Detox Frothy Scrub; and the Hawaiian Detox Renewing Body Lotion.
With this collection, then, you can enjoy toxin-free skin from head to toe!
REN FLASH DEFENSE ANTI-POLLUTION MIST
The Flash Defence Anti-Pollution Mist ($38 at Renskincare.com, Sephora, and Nordstrom stores) is a fine facial mist acts like a shield against pollutants that could cause oxidative stress, lead to premature aging signs, and trigger the “urban grey” complexion (the sallow tone that results from dead surface skin cells).
The mist offers four lines of defense to keep the skin guarded at all times. First, it contains biosaccharide gum, derived from yeast and sugar, which forms an invisible protective barrier that acts like a second skin, shielding the face from major pollutants and functioning as the first line of defense. Next, for the second line of defense, the mist contains zinc and manganese amino acids that act as free radical scavengers, minimizing any potential damage to skin cells. The third layer of defense is quercetin, which boosts skin cells’ antioxidant capacity and hence stimulates skin repair. The final layer of protection is alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, a prebiotic that helps to detoxify the skin, removing altered cell components and increasing cell longevity.
