I don't know why I was surprised when I first found out about blue light inflammation. I mean, of course our nasty little phone habit was ruining our skin. What ISN'T bad for us that we're addicted to? Nothing.
The good news is that small skincare companies (like us at RECREATION) can be super reactive to new research and our Vibrant Skin Face Oil contains a special algae blend that exists to fight blue light inflammation (as well as boost your UV protection).
What is blue light inflammation?
Basically, the light emitted from your laptop/device/smartphone is called Blue Light. It's part of the light we can see and while the main source of blue light is from the sun, our devices now also contribute. Blue light controls our circadian rhythms (our sleep/wake cycle) and can also elevate our mood and help memory and cognitive function.
What damage does Blue Light do to our skin?
There is now evidence that too much blue light exposure can cause more pigment in skin, plus redness and swelling. There's also some evidence to suggest it promotes free radical growth which can cause inflammation in the skin, and a breakdown in collagen and elastin. There is even evidence to suggest that hyperpigmentation now is more common on either side of the face where we hold our phones, than in the centre of cheeks where it was mostly placed previously.
It can trigger more melanin production and the more time we spend in front of blue light, the worse it may get but we don't yet know exactly how much exposure is bad, or whether, for example, the blue light from laptops is okay but phones are more harmful as they're held closer to our skin. More research is needed to determine those things.
What can skincare do about it?
We get enough exposure from the sun, the last thing we want is more blue light exposure from too much screen time. But there are ingredients to help combat this exposure and protect skin from overexposure to blue light.
Regular sunscreen that protects from UVA and UVB rays do not protect from Blue Light unless they contain iron oxides and a high level of antioxidants.
But there are certain algae which helps protect from Blue Light inflammation - which is the case in Vibrant Skin face oil. It contains our very own sea greens blend of algae and seaweed that is specially formulated to help protect against blue light and is like a green shot of goodness for your skin.
How? Think of algae sitting close to the surface of the water in oceans. Over millions of years they have developed properties that protect from both UV and Blue Light inflammation. Together with the antioxidant rich formula of Vibrant Skin that includes 19 superfood oils, all fused together in one little bottle and you have a veritable powerhouse of protection.
And now for a quick fashion perve, here are some fabulously dressed women on their phone. Maybe they'll give us all some post-iso dressing inspo.
