7 Ways to Smog-Proof Your Skin in Winter

23 Oct 2019

beauty Habits healthy aging

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This winter, protect your skin from losing the glow and becoming dull due to the pollution and smog.

You probably cannot wait for the temperature to drop after the sweltering October heat. However, along with delicious hot chocolate and soft woollen sweaters, winter also brings deadly pollution and smog. The latter can seriously affect your precious, delicate skin.

Moisturizer is always a must for your winter skincare routine, but when combating the effects of smog with a smog proof skin, you need more. Here, we tell you all about maintaining a healthy glow when the mercury drops.

Smog V/S Your Skin

Having flawless skin depends on your overall health and the environment around you. Harmful gases like carbon monoxide, dust particles, pollen, soot, grime, etc. enter through your pores into the deeper layers of your skin, causing extensive damage. Furthermore, these gases weaken your immune system and dull your skin. Here’s what exactly happens when you are exposed to smog and smoke.

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1. Pigmentation

Pollutants in the smog can disrupt the melanin in the skin causing hyperpigmentation (dark patches) and hypopigmentation (abnormally light patches). You could even get tiny dark spots that can be difficult to get rid of and get worse with time.

2. Wrinkles

A few of the key things about a younger-looking skin is elasticity and collagen, and smog heavily affects these two factors. You may notice wrinkles and lines or loose skin around your eyes and lips, showing signs of premature ageing in your 20s and 30s.

3. Acne

During winter, your skin becomes dry and needs regular moisturizing. Smog further aggravates the dryness causing rashes and pimples. It gets worse if you have a pollen or dust allergy as it affects your health and as a result, your face.

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4. Dullness

As the sunlight hits the smoke particles in fog, the number of free radicals in the atmosphere increases. While your skin is equipped to fight normal levels of these damaging free radicals, it cannot cope with higher levels causing dullness and lifelessness.

Show Your Skin Some Love

You need to up your skin care steps a bit more as the weather becomes progressively smoky. Add a few more steps to your daily schedule of moisturizing and getting a skin care for smog, as given here.

1. Cleansing

Use a cleanser at the start and end of the day. Opt for a gentle one in the morning to create a clean base for make-up and sunscreen. Go for a slightly stronger one to clear the dirt from the skin before going to bed.

2. Toning

Even if you pick a natural, light cleanser, it alters the pH level of the skin slightly, so you need to neutralise it. A good toner that suits your skin type will ensure you get a clear, oil-free face. Remember to use a good product, as the wrong one can cause excessive dryness and acne.

3. Moisturizing

Light and oil-free moisturizer is a necessity, especially in smoggy weather. Use generously on your face and neck. If you have oily skin, opt for a gel-based product. A good serum can also work in place of moisturizer.

Keep Your Skin Well-Protected From The Inside Out

4. Sunscreen

Sunscreen is recommended by dermatologists to protect your face and exposed skin from the damage caused by UV rays. It also acts as a protective layer between your skin and the pollutants outside.

5. Exfoliation

While a cleanser works for daily use, you need an exfoliator to deep-clean your skin as well as remove dead skin. Use a ready product or find home-recipes for exfoliation, both work well. Do not exfoliate every day, two to three times a week should do the trick.

6. Face Masks

Face masks are a great way to pamper yourself and have glowing skin in winter. A sheet mask or a face pack gets enough time to absorb all the impurities from your pores, as it is applied for long.

7. The Secret of Glutathione

Glutathione is an amazing antioxidant produced by the cells in our bodies. However, toxic environmental factors along with poor nutrition can reduce its production, leaving your skin dull and unhealthy. With an effective glutathione supplement like Setu Gluta Fizz, your skin naturally lightens and brightens. Plus, it helps detoxify the liver and improve overall health.

Elizabeth Bangera

Armed with an MSc. in Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics, Elizabeth wears many hats and is skilled in everything from weight loss to diabetes and cardiac care management.