Anti-Pollution Skincare

Anti-pollution skincare is a marketing category covering products positioned to limit the effects of urban air on skin: particulate matter, traffic exhaust, ozone and cigarette smoke. It is not a regulated claim, and there is no standard test a product must pass to use the phrase.

The reasoning behind it is that airborne particles settle on the skin surface and that some pollutants are associated with oxidative stress, which is also discussed in the context of the visible signs of ageing. The routine responses are therefore familiar rather than exotic: cleansing properly at the end of the day so particles and sunscreen come off, an antioxidant in the morning, a moisturiser that keeps the skin barrier intact, and daily sunscreen, since UV and pollution overlap as sources of oxidative stress.

Treat film-forming “shield” claims with mild scepticism, and be wary of over-cleansing in the name of purity — a stripped skin barrier creates more problems than the pollution it was meant to remove.