We all know that the sun’s UV rays can wreak havoc on our skin, but are we all aware of how damaging pollution can be too? We’re talking everything from soot, dust or smoke to even smaller specs, which cannot be seen by the naked eye!If you’ve ever suffered from dull, devitalised skin, blotchiness and breakouts, discolouration, inflammation and premature ageing even, chances are it could be the result of pollution, and if you live in an urban area like me, there is sadly no escaping it! The good news however, is you can take many measures to protect your skin from it, keep reading as we reveal them all. Smart Cleansing I’m certain when I say we all cleanse our skin daily, but cleansing your skin properly (not aggressively) each night is an essential when it comes to protecting your skin from pollution. While pollutants can be like cell munching monsters that stick to the skin like velcro, a great cleanser, used gently will help remove them and still maintain your skin’s natural barrier. And the great news is there are cleansers that have been designed specifically to target pollution. They thoroughly remove dirt, grime, makeup, pollution and impurities, but do not strip the skin like harsher cleansers can.Consider a double cleansing routine too if your wear makeup everyday, starting with an oil-based cleanser followed by Phytomer Souffle Marin Cleansing Foaming Cream. Formulated with depolluting armeria maritima, an anti-pollution marine sugar and oligomer (seawater concentrate rich in minerals and trace elements), it cleanses, purifies, and invigorates the skin with a beautifully fresh, clean feeling. Effective exfoliation Just cleansing your face is likely not enough to remove all the polluting particles once they have entered your pores which is why you need a good exfoliating cleanser too! Cue award winning product Phytomer CITYLIFE Ultra Cleansing Flash Peel. This is the first of its kind, a pollution defence deep cleanser. Power packed with a high concentration of exfoliating enzymes, it leaves the skin healthy, purified, smooth, soft and with an incredible glow. Love. Skin barrier boost Your skin has its own protective barrier, but it could use some reinforcements. Look for an added boost of hydration and antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and niacinamide, in the form of a serum or concentrate. These superheros fight off free radicals and help further repair skin damage caused by pollution.Try Phytomer Oligo 6 Marine Concentrate with Vitamins, Prebiotic Complex and Trace Elements which includes vitamins C, E, B and B3, Phytomer’s marine prebiotic complex and OLIGOMER®, to effectively help fight free radicals on the skins surface. This moisturising gel really is the perfect antidote for tired, dull complexions. You’ll love the way it rebalances, hydrates and boosts lacklustre skin (as well as protecting it of course!) Sun protection Never, ever underestimate the power of sunscreen! Sunscreen not only shields your skin from harmful UV rays but also acts as a protective barrier against pollution. Opt for a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and wear it daily, even on cloudy days! Face Mask Treat yourself to a detoxifying face mask once or twice a week. Your skin will thank you for it! Clay masks, charcoal masks and masks with activated charcoal can help draw out impurities and pollutants from your pores. The face mask we can’t recommend more highly is Phytomer Radiance Reviving Mask with Clay. It combines 100% natural red and white clays, blue microalgae, red algae and a comprehensive depolluting complex of 3 marine sugars, and instantly unclogs pores and counters the effects of pollution (dehydration, signs of fatigue, dark spots and a dull complexion!) Want your skin to look less tired and to recover its original radiance? Try this! Hydrate, inside and out When we talk about skin and hydration we aren’t just talking about moisturising, it’s about maintaining your skins natural barrier. You want to protect your skin as best you can! Remember to drink water like it’s going out of fashion and apply your moisturiser religiously as it can help in lock that much needed moisture as well as create a protective layer on your skin. Better still look for a moisturiser specifically formulated to combat the effects of pollution. We love Phytomer Citylife Face and Eye Contour Sorbet Cream. With its Citysafe complex (a trio of anti-oxidant biotech marine sugars) and Oligomer, it literally sweeps away toxic micro-particles and repairs skin damage caused by pollution! Even better, its suitable for face and eyes, re-oxygenating tired, dull and dehydrated skin. And finally, don’t skip on an antioxidant-rich diet! Weve talked about antioxidants in your skincare, but a diet rich in antioxidants can also do wonders for your skin, especially if you’re living in an urban area. Be sure to load up on colourful fruits and veggies, and add nuts and fatty fish into the equation too. These are the best foods to provide your body with the tools it needs to fight free radicals and repair skin damage!So, the long and the short of it is pollution is bad, antioxidants are good and implementing these protective measures into your daily routine can help your skin stay healthy.

Fed up with looking at your tired, dull skin in the mirror every morning? Miss that radiant complexion you once had and wonder if it’s possible you’ll ever get it back? Well, you can wonder no more as the answer is yes, and we are here to tell you how! Keep reading as we give you the lowdown on why your complexion is looking so lacklustre and 5 ways you can brighten skin naturally!Firstly though, what exactly is dull skin?Dull skin is skin that lacks radiance. It can appear lacklustre, dry, patchy and even a little rough to touch at times. Dullness can also be accompanied by an uneven skin texture because its less able to reflect light uniformly.Why is your skin looking dull and 6 simple solutions to brighten it Dead skin cells Dull skin is often the result of dead skin cell build up on the skin’s surface. It can happen at any age but is more common as we get older and our body’s ability to naturally shed dead skin cells and replace with new ones decreases!SOLUTION: Exfoliate skin weekly. Twice if your skin tends to be on the oily/combination side.Exfoliation is an essential step to any skincare routine because it’s the most effective way of removing dull, dead skin cells from the skin’s surface, making way for the new cells to come through and pores to remain unclogged. To learn more about exfoliation and the best exfoliators for your skin type click here. Fatigue If you’re feeling fatigued your skin will visibly reflect it by looking pale, dull and devitalized, often accompanied with dark, puffy peepers and exacerbated fine lines too! This is because when we are tired the blood in our body is not flowing efficiently which normally results in a lack of oxygen in the blood.SOLUTION: Use an oxygenating serumPhytomer’s Souffle Marin Energizing Oxygenating Serum is a beautifully lightweight serum that literally coats the skin in pure oxygen, providing the cells with the vivid rejuvenation they need. Formulated with marine extracts, the invigorating, moisturising blend, ensures fresher, more youthful skin with an overall increase in visible radiance. Free radical damage Free radicals (from pollution) can really take its toll on our skin. It damages collagen and stimulates pigment production causing our complexion to look tired and drab.SOLUTION: Introduce Vitamin C into your skincare routineIt can totally transform your skin! Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and THE go-to ingredient to dramatically brighten skin.For more information on Vitamin C and its multitude of benefits click here. Lack of sleep While you sleep, your skin is active. It’s the time your skin renews and repairs itself. Lack of sufficient sleep means your skin is not able to do this which in turn can dramatically affect its appearance from dull skin to dehydration, blemishes and premature ageing!SOLUTION: Use relaxation enhancing products before bed and try to get more sleep!If you find it hard to relax and fall asleep use products that will not only benefit your skin but calm your mind and senses too!Try Pevonia’s Vitaminic Concentrate. The radical treatment oil for skin lacking lustre, combats dullness and dehydration with a burst of vitamins A and E and Mandarin Essential Oil, so your complexion will look beautifully brighter and rejuvenated by morning. What’s more it has the most amazing aroma which alone helps calm the senses, and even though it’s an oil, it’s fast absorbing so you know it’s doing great stuff to your skin! Lack of water When you don’t drink enough water a day, the amount of water in your skin's surface dramatically declines leaving you with skin that looks deflated and dull instead of visibly plumped.SOLUTION: Replenish dull, dehydrated skin cells with hydration hero Hyaluronic AcidThanks to its sponge like effect, this super skincare ingredient has the ability to hold 1,000 times its weight in moisture, in other words, one gram of hyaluronic acid is able to hold up to six litres of water! Crazy right? And now, thanks to its molecular structure Hyaluronic acid has the ability to deeply penetrate to instantly deliver supple, dewy skin in a matter of seconds! In fact, it literally binds moisture to skin cells to keep skin smooth, firm, plump, and undeniably radiant!We are literally in LOVE with Pevonia’s New Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Mist! It feels a-mazing when spritzed all over the face and literally binds moisture to skin cells, instantly delivering supple, dewy skin in a matter of seconds!And if you need a nourishing cream, you can’t go wrong with Pevonia’s Power Repair Age Correction Marine Collagen Cream. This global best-seller is in fact abundant in Hyaluronic acid and Collagen, and acts like a moisture magnet, plumping and firming the skin immediately. Not removing your makeup before bed I’m sure we’ve ALL been guilty of this once or many a time! Especially when we are exhausted after the daily juggle, or perhaps have had one too many and ooh how that bed looks so inviting but removing the days makeup and grime off your face is a must! In fact not cleansing before bed means your skin is unable to regenerate effectively while you sleep, pores clog, and fatigue (ageing!) signs start to appear.SOLUTION: Use a cleanser you’ll LOVEFor a fantastic makeup remover which effectively melts away makeup and grime with minimum effort try Phytomer’s Doux Contour Eye and Lip Waterproof Makeup Remover. Combining the effectiveness of an oil (a trio of oils in fact) and the gentleness of a lotion, this ultra-hydrating makeup remover, eradicates even the most stubborn of lips and eye makeup fast! And my absolute favourite cleanser at the moment is Pevonia’s new CleanRefresh Foaming Oil Cleanser. Its oil formulation transforms into a luscious foamy cleanser on application when mixed with water and it leaves skin feeling fantastically refreshed and beautifully clean without the drying effects that other cleansers can leave. Plus, its subtle scent is just heavenly.

We all know about the importance of protecting our skin against the sun, hey I preach about it enough! But for those of us who live in urban areas, what about protecting our skin against pollution? That’s right, as well the adverse effect pollution has on both our environment and long-term health, it can also damage our skin! There are however measures we can take to reduce the impact of city living on our skin and we are here to tell you want they are so keep reading…Firstly, exactly how does pollution affect our skin?Pollution – anything from exhaust fumes to smoke to dust and more, can not only leave your skin feeling irritated, oily and grimy but it can also seep into pores weakening the skin’s delicate barrier. It can break down collagen (the protein that keeps our skin healthy and supple!) and oxidize the lipid layer in the skin, damaging skin-barrier function, resulting in dehydration, sensitivity, uneven skin tone, dullness, acne, and premature aging! Eek! What can we do to protect our skin against pollution? Invest in a skincare program specially designed to improve the impact of pollution on our skin. Until we find a way to remove these nasties from our environment, it’s essential to maintain a good skincare regime that protects our skin from chemicals in the air and prevents them harming your health. Urban living will always be full of things to stress you out, but, thankfully, damaged skin doesn’t have to be one of them!The great news is French marine skincare brand Phytomer have created an outstanding awards-winning collection of products designed to repair and revive urban skin syndrome called CITYLIFE.All three products in the collection effectively re-oxygenate and diffuse mineral water into dull, devitalized and dehydrated skin. CITYLIFE Face and Eye Contour Sorbet CreamYes! An outstanding moisturiser for both face and eyes, it’s formulated in a refreshing sorbet texture and is just what you need to reoxygenate tired skin. A combination of three marine sugars creates the active ingredient, CITYSAFE®, to depollute, cleanse and oxygenate the skin. CITYSAFE®, along with blue and red algae’s and Phytomer’s patented seawater concentrate – Oligomer®, reset skin repairing damage caused by signs of fatigue, dark spots and a dull complexion. CITYLIFE not only sweeps away toxic micro particles but provides an ultra-moisturising facial experience too!CITYLIFE Ultra Cleansing Flash PeelThis is the first of its kind, a pollution defence deep cleanser power packed with a high concentration of exfoliating enzymes, it leaves the skin healthy, purified and with an incredible glow.CITYLIFE Radiance Reviving MaskThis unique cream-mousse mask instantly counters all the effects of pollution - dehydration, signs of fatigue, dark spots and dull complexion. Combining 100% natural red and white clays, blue microalgae, red algae and a comprehensive depolluting complex of 3 marine sugars, it reveals luminosity, radiance and refined pores after just one application! No more tired, lacklustre skin. What’s more day after day, pores are visibly tightened too! As always, sunscreen is essential Always be prepared with your daily dose of sunscreen! Just like the sun, pollution is always there so opt for a sunscreen that’s affective at protecting against both!Phytomer Algodefence SPF 20 Multi-Protective Wrinkle Cream is a clever sun protection and wrinkle corrector in one! and is formulated with anti-aging and marine ingredients to provide a complete action against pollution, free radicals and UV rays! Genius. Diet and lifestyle are also powerful ways to address the effects of pollution on our skin. Easier said than done I know but reducing stress in your everyday life as well as getting enough shut eye can really help. Upping the intake of antioxidant rich food such as green leafy veggies, blueberries, cherries, tomatoes and nuts are a must, as these help fight free radicals from within.Also cutting down on alcohol, processed meats, sugar, fried foods, and refined flour will make a difference.

It’s a reality. And if you thought that hormones were a nightmare to contend with now the air we breathe every day is causing our skin to prematurely age, erupt in breakouts and might even be the cause of annoying skin conditions such as eczema. Pollution is a real problem, so real that the World Health Organisation now considers it a major skin health issue.Sadly, even if you are a beacon of good living: eat a healthy diet, drink your bucket of water each day and exercise like a boss, yet your skin isn’t glowing like an Instagram selfie, you are most likely suffering the effects of toxicity from urban living.Know your enemyOur skin is our largest and most exposed organ and it struggles to cope with the constant onslaught of chemicals in the atmosphere. The end result is skin that becomes sensitive, hyper-pigmented, acne-prone and unbalanced and of course, prematurely aged.So why is pollution your enemy? You’ve no doubt heard of free radicals, these are atoms or molecules that contain unpaired electrons making them unstable and are considered to be associated with a wide range of illness and disease. They can evolve from natural reactions in the body (in food and drink). You can also find them in the air we breathe, the exhaust we inhale, in smoke, industrial waste, pesticides and many other processes in every day life.And sadly free radicals don’t like to be alone, these “Billy no mates” are always on the lookout for friends, they break through cell barriers and steal an electron from our healthy cells. This oxidization process creates another free radical and does untold damage to your skin at a cellular level.Ultimately the result of all this destruction is unhealthy skin cells and unhealthy cells lead to loss of elasticity due to collagen breakdown, unbalanced oil levels and overall dullness that no amount of exfoliating and massage will overcome.Thankfully, as we learn more about free radical damage we are also learning ways to prevent it! One the easiest way is to pack your diet and skin care routine with anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants neutralise free radicals by generously donating a spare electron (friend) before it can steal one from your skin.But there’s more you can do…Firstly, cleansing your skin properly (not aggressively) each night. While pollutants can be like cell munching monsters that stick to the skin like Velcro a great cleanser, used gently will help remove them and still maintain your skin’s natural barriers.While all anti-oxidant ingredients have benefits, research has shown that there are some other ingredient discoveries that used in combination with anti-oxidants yield even better results! Cue PHYTOMERMore than 15 years ago, PHYTOMER discovered the powerful anti-pollution action of Armeria maritima, the only seaside plant that survived the Erika oil tanker disaster, capable of filtering and depolluting the contaminated water. PHYTOMER then launched its first anti-pollution product, Souffle Marin.Since then PHYTOMER researchers have created an advanced solution that comes in the form of an amazing sorbet cream, CITYLIFE Face and Eye Contour Sorbet Cream. CITYLIFE sweeps away toxic micro-particles and repairs skin damage caused by pollution. Its prowess comes not only from its sorbet texture, in perfect affinity with the skin, but also from its high-tech formulation composed of: CITYSAFE complex, a trio of anti-pollution biotech marine sugars. OLIGOMER®, an emblematic ingredient of the brand, providing true mineral replenishment for the skin. And what is great about it, is it’s also, suitable for the eye contour, CITYLIFE re-oxygenates tired eyes while it diffuses mineral water into dehydrated skin.Fast forward to 2018 when they launched another award winning product: CITYLIFE Ultra Cleansing Flash Peel. This is the first of its kind, a pollution defense deep cleanser. Power packed with a high concentration of exfoliating enzymes, it leaves the skin healthy, purified and with an incredible glow.So, the long and the short of it is: pollution bad, antioxidants good. Until we find a way to remove these nasties from our environment, it’s essential to maintain a good skincare regime that protects your skin from chemicals in the air and prevents them harming your health. Urban living will always be full of things to stress you out, but, thankfully, damaged skin doesn’t have to be one of them.Now, where did I put that glass of red?

We all know about ‘light rays’ such as UVA and UVB and how damaging they can be, but very few are aware of another harmful ‘light’ taking centre stage! A light that is not only emitted from sunlight but scarily also from all our devices - now labelled the silent anti-agers of our generation! This light is known as ‘blue light’.Research has shown that blue light can damage our skin, accelerate the visible signs of ageing and even cause dark under eye circles. Eek! And with the amount of time we spend on our phones, computers, tablets…we really should be doing something about it and we are here to tell you what! How exactly does blue light affect our skin?We are all guilty of staring, bleary-eyed at our screens (hell I’m doing it now as I type!), having that last minute flick through facebook or late night scroll on instagram, in fact with the amount of time we spend on our devices, we are now getting significantly more blue light exposure than we get from the sun alone! Blue light also has the ability to penetrate deeper into the skin compared with both UVA and UVB light - it can penetrate all the way to our dermis where our collagen and elastin live! Terrifying!Not only does that extra 10 minutes watching our favourite Netflix show eat into our precious zen time, it can also disrupt our natural circadian rhythm (our handy internal body clock which tells us when it’s time to be sleepy as well as time to wake up!) Our circadian rhythm is actually very important when it comes to many aspects of our well-being, ranging from metabolism to immune system function to most importantly good quality sleep!Sleeping is our body’s time to recharge as well as repair skin cells, however this blue light is known to be impacting the natural repair process overnight leading to an accumulation of skin damage – premature ageing, discolouration, inflammation, weakening of the skin’s surface, as well as dark under eye circles. How can we prevent blue light from damaging our skin?While we aren’t likely to give up our evening Netflix binge, switch off our mobile phones or give Facebook the heave-ho, we can do many a thing to reduce our exposure and in turn the effect of blue light on our skin; Switch your mobile to ‘night shift’ mode every evening Avoid devices as much as possible an hour before bedtime (read a good old fashioned book instead!) Instead of holding your mobile to your ear opt for hands-free every time. Purchase blue light filters for your devices Make sure you have a well-rounded diet with plenty of anti-oxidant and fatty-acid rich food to reduce or protect against inflammation. Try using makeup containing iron oxide, this can help neutralize and repair blue light damage Use targeted skincare products religiously. Antioxidant-rich creams and serums are really important to battle off cell-disrupting free radicals and inflammation generated by light pollution. We are obsessed with Phytomer’s Souffle Marine Energizing Oxygenating Serum – specifically formulated to protect against environmental pollution and free radical damage Scared? You should be! No, on a serious note, first port of call, if you're not using targeted products to protect yourself you need to start, ASAP.