When your skin is healthy, it’s naturally balanced on the inside and glowing on the outside.
But every day this natural balance is challenged by environmental and internal stressors. In fact, factors inherent to an urban lifestyle (pollution, stress, lack of sleep, demanding jobs, exposure to blue light, and poor diet) can lead to skin problems like pigmentation, dullness, premature aging, eczema, and acne. Let’s break it down…
The main causes of skin distress:
Environmental
Sun, wind, dirt, humidity, air pollution, pollen, smog, dryness, cold, changing weather
Lifestyle
Lack of sleep, exercise air conditioning, central heating, alcohol, drugs, smoking, stress, diet, busy
How do environmental factors affect your skin?
Pollution
Due to its small size (20 times smaller than a pore) pollution molecules can easily penetrate the skin. Air pollution is directly in contact with our skin and contributes daily to premature aging, fine lines and wrinkles, discolorations, dryness, acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and even skin cancer.
Stress
Chronicle mental stress causes an increase in the presence of glucocorticoids . These hormones inhibit the differentiation in skin cells, which disrupts the skin barrier function. This results in infections and impaired healing ability. Also, with the increase in cortisol levels affects the lipid balance in our skin often resulting in acne, inflammation and rashes
Blue Light
Studies have shown that long term exposure to blue light has the potential to have a significant negative impact on our skin and mental well-being. Blue wavelengths in electronic screens inhibit melatonin generation, increase stress hormone levels and excite nerves, which can disturb sleeping patterns and circadian rhythm. Blue light generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the skin, which cause oxidative damage (i.e. skin aging) and can induce both immediate and persistent pigmentation, which can still be present after three months.
In a study conducted in 2019, about 70% of the adult population spends more than 5 hours a day with screens. I don’t even want to think about how many hours we spend on our digital devices today. Reportedly, 5 working days on a phone or laptop can have the same impact on the skin as spending 25 minutes in midday sun without any protection!
The same report says that 30 hours of blue light from a smartphone or laptop screen can increase inflammation levels in skin cells by 40%.
What do these factors have in common?
Inflammation.
When we are exposed to skin stressors, our skin’s natural immune process triggers inflammation, a chain of events that initiates the healing response. This is our skin’s natural defense against pathogens and other harmful factors. However, these immune triggers can become overstimulated resulting in excessive free radicals, disrupting the natural equilibrium of your skin and induce skin aging.
When acute inflammation becomes chronic, the body’s defense system becomes exhausted and over time, leaving our skin more susceptible to infection and rapid aging. We can’t always see this process happening, but as our skin loses its ability to repair itself, your skin starts to lose its glow. This increases with age and life’s challenges. The eventual breakdown of our skin’s barrier and eroding of our skin’s structure, healthy cells, elastin, and collagen can lead to wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and loss of elasticity.
Luckily, there are ways we can combat chronic inflammation in the skin, strengthen our skin’s barrier and activate the repair process. High performance skincare like Crystal Alchemy contain cosmeceuticals that have been scientifically proven to change and influence the biology and health of the skin. Of course it doesn’t take the place of a nutrient rich diet and clean lifestyle. But when used as a party of a healthy daily routine, it can improve texture, tone and radiance while also firming and helping prevent and reduce wrinkling.
Crystal Alchemy ingredients are formulated to calm immune triggers, reduce the cycle of damage and activate the repair process, boosting the skin's natural ability to restore collagen, elastin and healthy skin cells. With regular use, the equilibrium of your skin is returned as Crystal Alchemy ingredients continue to protect and restore your skin.
The result is balanced glowing skin from within.
Check out our shop for the best serums for you!