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BEAUTY
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You also need to apply blue light-shielding
ingredients on your skin. “Antioxidants would be the
single most important ingredient to use on the skin,”
says Liew. Ingredients to look for in your skincare
include vitamin C, vitamin E, resveratrol and
niacinamide, all of which help prevent the breakdown
of collagen and elastin, as well as absorb the blue
light released from our screens. Liew also suggests a
physical mineral sunblock during the day to cut out
unwanted exposure. “[Look for] an antioxidant-rich,
chemical-free mineral filter that protects you against
not only UVA and UVB, but blue light,” he says.
BLUE-LIGHT WARRIORS
There’s a growing range of skincare products that
will help protect skin from blue light. “The actives
[in blue-light products] protect against the infiltration
of light into the skin,” says Whiley. “They will also
regulate the biorhythms of the skin cells for natural
protection, as well as repair and increase collagen
production and hyaluronic acid synthesis.”
“AS THE RENEWAL
PROCESS SLOWS DOWN,
SKIN WILL SUFFER FROM
UNEVEN TEXTURE, AN
INCREASE IN LINES
AND WRINKLES, AND
PIGMENTATION WILL
GRADUALLY DEVELOP
AND DARKEN”
Jodie Whiley, national
educator at Payot Australia
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WHAT IS BLUE LIGHT?
Also known as high-energy visible (HEV) light, blue light
is found in natural sunlight as well as our screens, electronic
devices and LED lighting. Adjacent to UV light on the
spectrum, blue light has a wavelength of between 400nm
and 500nm, the most energy-dense of the visible lights.
It’s an intensity that is able to penetrate the skin and break
down its natural renewal processes. “The majority of exposure
used to come from the sun, but with the increase in ... digital
technology, we’re being exposed to more blue light for much
longer periods of time,” says Dr Steven Liew, from Shape
Clinic in Darlinghurst, Sydney.
THE EFFECT ON SKIN
Blue light is known for wreaking havoc on our sleeping
patterns. But there is evidence to suggest it can cause skin
issues, too. “Exposure to blue light can lead to skin damage
and an increased production of free radicals,” says Liew.
“Most commonly, we see inflammation in the skin, which
leads to accelerated ageing, pigmentation and a weakening
of the proteins in the skin’s structure.” What this means is
a lack of clarity, pore texture, lines and skin sagging.
CUTTING THE LIGHT
Smartphones emit blue light, so our exposure to them needs
to be kept in check. “You should take regular breaks from
screens,” advises Liew. But if ditching your phone sounds
near impossible (we hear you), there are some cheat moves
you can make. “Use blue-light filters on your smartphone, wear
blue-light blocking glasses, sleep with an eye mask, remove all
devices from the bedroom, and use low blue-light bulbs in your
lighting,” advises Jodie Whiley, national educator at Payot.
OVEREXPOSURE
“Exposed areas such as our face, neck and décolletage
are the most vulnerable,” says Michelle Doherty, founder
of Alpha-H skincare, who also warns us to be aware of the
skin on our ears and hands. “If you can see the skin, then
the blue light can affect it.”
FROM LEFT, TRILOGY Age-Proof Multi-Defence Moisturiser SPF 15, $47.95; SISLEY Sisleyouth Blue Light Shield Energizing Super Hydrating Youth
Protector, $230; SKINCEUTICALS Phloretin CF Serum, $214; ULTRA VIOLETTE SPF 50+ Queen Screen Lightweight Sun Serum, $47; ALPHA-H Essential
Skin Perfecting Moisturiser, $59.95; ESTÉE LAUDER Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex, $105; PAYOT Blue Techni Liss Concentré, $120.
TRY THESE WHITE KNIGHTS TO PROTECT YOU FROM THE ONSLAUGHT OF BLUE LIGHT
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