Hey!
Girls, it’s time for the ANTI-SMOG GUIDE – this problem is getting serious and the impact of air pollution on our health and beauty (of course the negative one) is growing… Let’s discuss then what we should do to shield ourselves against smog. Here are my tips.
1. Know your enemy. Are you truly aware of what smog is?
To be honest with you, I’m not an expert on smog, but I’m aware of the dangers entailed with air pollution. I think that knowing the basic stuff – like what smog is and why it’s harmful to our bodies – is crucial.
Smog – it’s an English term, or a blend – to be more precise – of smoke + fog.
It mostly appears during winter when the amount of pollution increases – there are more fumes and toxic substances floating in the air, and they for example are emitted by furnaces that keep our homes warm. If there is no wind and the humidity is high, mist appears which – unfortunately – carries numerous kinds of toxins and big- or small-size particulates (e.g. nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide or carcinogenic benzopyrene).
Sadly, year by year we expose our bodies to smog more and more often, and this exposition doesn’t do us any good. It damages our health and beauty. Not only does it accelerate ageing processes, weaken the state of our skin and hair, cause irritations and allergies but also it contributes to developing various diseases that are pretty serious.
2. Monitor the air. Where is the highest concentration of smog?
I’m afraid that smog is here for good and it’s barely possible to get rid of it. Thus, it’s a good idea to monitor the quality of air – on one day you will notice that air is cleaner so taking a walk won’t harm you, on other occasions the concentration of toxins would be so high that it’d be better for you to stay at home.
How will I know where the areas affected by smog are and how serious the danger is?
- Install a dedicated mobile app.
- Visit special web pages devoted to monitor air pollution and give you current air quality index.
- Check the info on government’s web pages.
- Or buy your own air quality monitor for PM2.5 or PM10.
3. Avoid smog. How to reduce exposition to polluted air?
Trust me, there is no better way to combat smog than avoid it. If you only can, try to stay away from smog. How to do this? It’s simple. If there’s smog in the air, resign from taking a walk and visit a gym instead of working out outdoors (while exercising our body absorbs more hazardous dust from the air). Additionally, don’t open the windows at home because while giving the rooms an airing, you let the pollution inside and contaminate the fresh air you have at home.
4. Protect yourself from air pollution. What protection is the best?
Luckily, there are numerous ways to shield yourself from the adverse effects of smog. I’ll tell you about the simplest ones which are at the same time the most effective (I use them myself).
- Anti-Pollution Mask: if you leave home often, it’s a good idea to put on an anti-pollution mask that (depending on the filter used) is able to limit inhaled dust and particulates for over 90%. Of course, make sure that a mask you want to purchase isn’t of low quality, which sadly happens often.
- Air Purifiers: invest your money in a device designed to make the air in your home clean. Having such air purifier does pay off and it’s a good thing to put it in the rooms where you sleep and spend most of the time in.
- Use Recirculation Button in a Car: while driving a car, it’s a good idea to close the air duct in the front of the vehicle. This protects us from inhaling even more pollution while travelling in a car. Of course, make sure that your cabin filter works okay – after all, it’s responsible for purifying the air in your car.
5. Food matters. What should you eat to reduce the adverse effects of smog?
In theory, our organizm knows how to deal with pollution and toxins. Still, it’s beneficial to aid your organizm in cleansing itself during the periods when the levels of air pollution are worryingly high. The aid in fighting off free radicals that formulate due to toxins is provided by consuming the right food products.
What should you eat to help your body purify itself faster and better?
- Chokeberries and fruits of the forest that have strong antioxidative effects.
- Dark chocolate that deals with cough and keeps heart in a good state.
- Green tea that offers a multitude of various antioxidants.
- Fish oil and products rich in omega-3 acids that boost our immune system.
- Coffee and red wine that increase blood flow.
- Avocado, spinach and olive that are rich in vit. E, which is able to protect us against the smog.
Trust me, it’s really important to drink plenty of fresh water because a well-hydrated organizm handles toxin removal far more efficiently.
6. Anti-pollution skincare. How to take care of your skin when the smog is everywhere?
I don’t know if you know that these hazardous particulates that smog contains penetrate our skin’s protective layer, and most of them build in, clog skin pores and irritate our dermis. Is there anything that we can do about it? Of course there is, providing that we introduce the right skin care practices.
Step 1. Cleansing
Regularly, every day, in the morning and evening, devote your time to remove all the impurities from skin thoroughly. Special attention should be paid to your face – make sure that you cleanse it correctly because this is the very body part that is exposed to the pollution the most often. In my opinion, the best products to cleanse your face with are:
- natural oils that deal with many types of impurities and condition skin at the same time;
- micellar lotions that attract and remove toxic particulates;
- washing gels that are able to remove the biggest impurities from face.
I advise you against using face scrubs often during the periods of high air pollution because such beauty products expose the delicate skin of ours by depriving it of the natural protective barrier.
Step 2. Nourishment & Protection
The healthier skin is, the less prone it is to the negative influence of smog. Therefore, you should do your best to keep it well-hydrated, nourished and regenerated. When in a good state, your face skin will be more resistant to the aggressive factors deriving from the polluted air.
The second issue to consider is the protection, which means that you should fortify the natural hydro-lipid barrier through applying the right cosmetics. Skin care is mostly prophylaxis and protection against pollution, not dealing with the aftermath of smog (which is hardly possible to fix).
Skincare products that protect you against air pollution include natural oils, face serums and creams that contain the following ingredients (antioxidants): vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10. Try to find such products and take care of your skin!
