Anyone who has ever worked in a city will know exactly what is meant when somebody mentions the “city glaze” that covers the face after a day spent in a thriving metropolis. The London Underground is a huge contributor to this feeling, and it is an extremely dirty environment – especially on the deeper subterranean lines. Symptoms of “city glaze” include tight pores, an excessively oily face and the feeling of a layer of dirt covering your face by the end of the day. With the lack of a good skincare routine and a reliable moisturiser, your skin could be suffering more than you thought.
Unfortunately, if you are one of the millions of people who have an office job that requires a commute into the city each day, there is little you can do to avoid the aforementioned symptoms. Your skin is not lucky enough to soak up the fresh air of the country counties and that is that. You can however treat your skin well enough to avoid the outbreaks and dry patches that occur in the harsh, polluted environment.
The first thing you can do is address your sleeping patterns. More often than not, those with city jobs have a lengthy commute, resulting in longer days and a sometimes a lack of sleep, which really takes its toll over time. Increasing the amount of sleep you get each night should get you back on track to sorting your city suffering skin out. Your skin needs down time to breathe and regenerate. The first place you show tiredness is your face, and wrinkles under tired eyes are bound to trap the city silt.
As well as getting the right amount of sleep, help yourself out with a great cleansing and moisturising routine. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and you should treat it with the kindness it deserves. It is highly recommended that you get yourself a special night cream and a day cream – each designed to target your skins needs at the appropriate time of day. These moisturisers compliment your skin by giving it what it needs at the appropriate time of day. Happily, the best day creams have a high SPF, but they are also designed to lock in moisture and nutrients, keeping your face looking tip top all day. A Day cream is the best base for putting on the much needed make up that is necessary when working under strip lighting and air conditioning all day long.
A good night cream is light enough to provide gentle moisture all night long without clogging up your pores as your skin breathes over night. Although it is still impossible at this point in time to reverse the effects of ageing without surgical help, it is absolutely possible to slow down the effects and give your skin the best chance of retaining its youthful glow. Using a good day and night cream can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while keeping skin nourished and full of moisture.
A good skincare routine should be an important part of everyone’s day. Whether you spend time in the inner city or not, it’s never too soon (or too late!) to start taking care of your skin.