As you enter into the world of beauty and skin care, your clients will be looking to you for advice on how they can get the best anti-aging results for themselves. Most of them already know they need protection against UV radiation to prevent premature aging and skin cancer, but in recent years’ pollution has become another environmental threat to skin. The world we live in is getting increasingly dirty, which means skin-aging atmospheric stressors are everywhere. Daily exposure to atmospheric stressors like pollution, exhaust fumes, industrial smoke, ozone, extreme weather, and free radicals is aging everybody’s skin.
So – what can be done to fight the effects of pollution? The most obvious thing that can be done is to wash it off. Washing your face thoroughly every day is a critical part of reducing the stress pollution puts on your skin. In the morning all you need is a mild cleanser to give you a fresh start to the day. By the end of the day, a deeper clean is necessary to take off any makeup, dirt, and sweat. The goal is to get everything off without too much scrubbing or irritation. Some exfoliation may be needed to remove all toxic chemicals from deep in your pores.
Next, advise clients to go beyond washing their face. Pollution creates free radicals in your skin and those highly unstable molecules behave like ping-pong balls, bouncing off your skin and creating holes in the collagen. All of that destruction eventually lead to hyperpigmentation, fine lines, inflammation, DNA damage, and cell mutations which can lead to skin cancer. Antioxidants fight free radicals created by pollution, so if your client isn’t interested in using a daily serum with antioxidants, encourage them to eat a handful of blueberries or leafy greens every once in a while to help repair their skin.
Lastly, man-made pollution is not only damaging to skin, it also contributes to the erosion of the ozone layer. So even on cold, cloudy days, applying an SPF 30 every day will help your skin bounce back longer. Sunscreens nowadays even contain antioxidants to boost their pollution fighting powers.
Using sunscreen, antioxidants, and proper cleansing techniques will help your skin and (your client’s skin) look its actual age. If you are interested in pursuing a career in esthetics and skin care, contact Bella Institute to learn how to make your dreams a reality!