Is Your Commute Ageing Your Skin?

From pollution to travel stress, getting from A to B could be harming your skin's health.

- Becky Fletcher

We’re all familiar with the dangers of the sun and smoking when it comes to fine lines and wrinkles, but have you ever considered what your daily journey to work might be doing to your skin?

A pioneering study on skin ageing and pollution, from the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, shows that air pollution is significantly linked to skin ageing. In particular, an increase in soot and particles from traffic was associated with 20 per cent more pigment spots on the forehead and cheeks. The issue is so pertinent that beauty brands including Estée Lauder, Origins, Clarisonic, Simple and Avon, are shifting many of their products’ focus to how to combat skin problems caused by our environment. Meanwhile, market intelligence agency, Mintel, reports that consumer interest in anti-pollution products and awareness of the impact of lifestyle stresses on skin has been growing since the Sahara dust smog swept the UK last year, and it’s a concern that’s set to rise.