Live Life Team
Did you know that few things are worse for your skin than living in an urban environment? When they penetrate the skin, toxins stemming from urban pollution have a drying effect and accelerate the rate at which wrinkles develop by destroying collagen. This can make skin feel sore an irritable as well as creating the impression that it’s ageing faster. So what can you do about it?
Increasingly, urban women are turning to plastic surgery to answer this question, with botox being a particularly popular solution to forehead wrinkles. This isn’t the answer for everyone, however – it’s comparatively expensive, there are some risks attached and it has to be repeated every three to four months for optimum effect. If you prefer a simple anti wrinkle cream that’s designed with city life in mind, there are some out there that can get impressive results.
Decleor Prolagene Lift Lavandula Iris Lift And Firm Rich Day Cream is a potent preparation that’s ideal for dry, mature skin. It’s formulated with cupuacu butter, a rainforest-derived miracle ingredient that naturally stimulates collagen production and is rich in antioxidants. This means that it increases skin elasticity and promotes a healthy skin structure, especially if used regularly over time. Those antioxidants are a key ingredient in anti-pollution preparations because they absorb free radicals before they can interact with the skin surface, so when you wear a product like this it’s like erecting a barrier between your skin and the outside world.
Caudalie’s Glow Activating Anti-Wrinkle System uses botanical polyphenols to enhance collagen production and protect against free radicals. It also contains vitamin C from oranges, which helps with the latter, and it’s very lightweight, which means it won’t clog pores and you can use it on any skin type. One of the gentler wrinkle remover treatments on the market, it still has a visible effect and it gives skin back the natural radiance that city living can reduce.
Similarly lightweight and ideal for oily or combination skin is Bobbi Brown’s Extra Repair Nourishing Milk, which adds to its collagen-boosting effect by acting as a powerful moisturiser (much more so than you’d expect given how watery it feels on application). The secret is sodium hyaluronate, which acts like a magnet for water under the skin surface and helps to ensure a moist complexion that lasts for hours after application, effectively plumping up the skin so that wrinkles fade. Again, it’s rich in antioxidants so it acts as a shield against damage from free radicals.
One of the most enduringly popular anti wrinkle creams with a protective effect is Nivea Q10 PlusC Anti-Wrinkle + Energy Day Cream, which – as you might guess from the name – gets its power from a combination of antioxidant vitamin C and coenzyme Q10. This latter is a vitamin-like substance produced naturally by the body whose concentration decreases with age. It’s important to supplying skin cells with the energy they need for repair, so using it can remove wrinkle problems by helping skin remain as healthy as it is in youth. This cream also boosts collagen production and includes sun protection, thereby reducing another significant factor contributing to wrinkles.
If you live in a city, there’s no getting around the fact that your skin will face more day to day stress than if you lived in the country, but that’s an excuse to indulge in some of these wonderful treatments.
