Science

//Daily Skin Damage

THE SCIENCE

Modern life has a way of making a mark on us. (Dry and damaged skin. Dehydration leading to a loss of elasticity. Clogged pores. Disrupted cell barriers and cell repair. And a higher rate of skin ageing.) Knowing how to id the culprits helps us protect our skin and keep it young and glowing.

Here are the five factors responsible for all that damage:

//Skin Sensitisers

SKIN CONCERN:

Compromised skin barrier, reactive irritated skin, redness

SKIN REQUIREMENT:

Product, ingredient & regime assessment. Protection & nourishment.

Chemical and overly abrasive physical exfoliants, retinol and acids, fragrance plus a whole host of red flag ingredients. Not to mention overly stripping cleansers that leave skin tight and dry. When you suffer from sensitive skin it's tempting to go in guns blazing with more products. Often it's better to assess your routine, cutting out the skin-sensitising culprits, and replacing them with gentle solutions that help treat the skin, or natural alternatives that are less likely to cause reactions.

//Pollution

SKIN CONCERN:

Premature ageing, dryness, dullness, loss of elasticity

SKIN REQUIREMENT:

Detoxification, hydration, protection, antioxidant boost + cell repair

Toxic fumes, engine particulate matter, chemicals, smoke, dust and allergens. Pollution poses a nightmarish obstacle course for your skin. An abundance of free radicals leads to a depletion of your skins antioxidants, a disrupted skin barrier, increased sebum secretion and an imbalance in your skin’s natural PH.

Plant Dpt. Skincare the science of pollution on skin diagram

//Dirt & Grime

SKIN CONCERN:

Acne, irritation + infection, blemishes

SKIN REQUIREMENT:

Detoxification, cleansing, sebum control

Living in a built-up environment exposes your skin to an increase of dirt, grime and contaminating airborne particles. And once they inevitably settle on the skin, they block pores and create ideal growth conditions for the bacteria strain responsible for acne.

//Lifestyle Stress

SKIN CONCERN:

Dry, dull, damaged skin, loss of firmness + elasticity

SKIN REQUIREMENT:

Hydration, nourishment, skin barrier repair

The stress of modern life makes it hard to prioritise your health. Your diet can suffer and exercise becomes an afterthought. We consume more alcohol. More caffeine. Less water. And as a result, your skin is left depleted of the vitamins, nutrients and hydration it relies on.

Plant Dpt. Skincare the science of lifestyle stress on skin

//Light Damage

SKIN CONCERN:

Wrinkles, ageing, cell damage

SKIN REQUIREMENT:

Protection, repair of oxidative damage, cell system boost

Even on the cloudiest of days, your skin is at risk from the sun’s damaging rays. And as for being indoors, we’re all increasingly being damaged by the bluelight of our various screens and devices.