Living in the big city certainly has its advantages, but it can also wreak havoc on your complexion. Here are 5 unique skin care tips for 30+ year olds living in the city that can keep your skin healthy and young looking.
1. Lunch Outside?
Feeding your skin oil will actually make it LESS oily. When stripped of oil through over-washing or other external factors, your skin will respond by producing more oil to compensate. Skin problems such as acne and clogged pores are often exacerbated due to a deficiency of essential fatty acids. When applied to skin, these essential fatty acids are rapidly absorbed and assist in the expulsion of pore build up, resulting in a healthy, glowing complexion; not an oily one.
What to do: A quick look at the local weather report will alert you as to whether you should limit your time outdoors. Apply a protective layer to shield from these environmental hazards by using a daily moisturizer loaded with botanical antioxidants.
2. Urban Exposure
Published by the the Environmental Protection Agency, the UV Index provides a daily forecast of the expected risk of overexposure to the sun on a scale from 0 (low) to 11 or more (extremely high). The UV Index takes into account clouds and other local conditions that affect the amount of UV radiation reaching the ground.
What to do: On days with high UV levels, try staying out of the sun and take extra precautions if you must go out. Using sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection is integral to maintaining healthy skin, even in an urban setting. Apply a light layer of sunscreen before leaving the house.
3. Smoke Signals
While many cities have enacted wide public smoking bans, surprisingly there are many cities that have not. Even with smoking bans, many cities allow smoking in various locations such as casinos, beaches and other public areas. With this in mind, all should be extra vigilant about their exposure to secondhand smoke. The over 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes damage skin cells in a way that inhibits cells from repairing DNA and connective fibers, which in turn leads to wrinkles, lines, and skin discoloration.
What to do: If you’re in a no smoking area, don’t be shy about (politely) asking a smoker to put a cigarette out. Also, a layer of protection provided by a daily nourishing oil goes a long way in keeping pollutants from your skin, while at the same time strengthening your skin’s defense mechanism.
4. White is the New Tan
Though the allure of a year-round, sun-kissed complexion might seem enticing, should you find yourself considering visiting a tanning salon, consider this: The American Academy of Dermatology has stated that the risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent for people who have been exposed to ultraviolet radiation from indoor tanning.
What to do: Do we really need to spell it out?
5. Humidity for Humanity
While there are few things worse than getting on a hot sticky subway in your work clothes, there are redeeming qualities to a humid climate. The added moisture in the air keeps your skin hydrated (think of how dry and irritated your skin becomes in cold winter days). The trade off is that perspiration can lead to breakouts.
What to do: Try keeping your hair away from your forehead and wash you face as soon as you get home. The longer perspiration rests on you face, the more likely it is to cause irritation and breakout.
