By: Nuala Woulfe

We all know about the damage that UV light does to our skin. Pollution is another problem for our skin, prolonged or repetitive exposure to high levels of these air pollutants may have profound negative effects on the skin.
The newest environment aggressor is Blue light, also known as High Energy Visible Light (HEV) which is emitted by the sun all day and from mobile devices such as laptops and mobile phones! Blue light is not kind to your eyes so avoid prolonged exposure.
Scientific studies show that blue light can contribute to premature skin ageing, and irregular pigmentation. It is important that you use skincare with effective skincare ingredients on your skin to protect itself not only from UV light and pollution, and blue light.
Normal UV filters /SPFs do not protect our skin from blue light, so we need added ingredients such as high-grade antioxidants. Protect the skin with antioxidants such as vitamin C serum and mineral/physical sunscreens containing Zinc oxide and/or Titanium dioxide, and makeup as a barrier between our skin and the HEV and Infrared energies emitted by modern devices. Niacinamide – vitamin B3 is also recognised as an effective ingredient that could counteract some of the damaging effects of environmental damage.
The skin naturally contains antioxidants such as vitamin E. These antioxidants are used up when the skin is exposed to excess free radicals such as UV light, visible blue light and other environmental factors such as pollution. Applying topical antioxidants in the form of good skincare, as well as eating a diet rich in antioxidants from fresh fruit and vegetables can boost our skin’s defense against oxidative environmental damage
Blue light is not all bad. Routine exposure to blue light, preferably from daylight, helps regulate our body’s sleep-wake cycle, improves our mood, keeps us alert and can even enhance memory.
You can also use a blue light filter on your phone or change the settings on your computer to reduce blue light emissions. Not only can taking these simple steps protect your skin, but they’ll also help protect your eyes, too

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