Protect Your Skin Barrier ASAP With the Best Pollution-Proof Products
We throw the word “pollution” around a bit (especially in places notorious for airborne contaminants, like Los Angeles)—but the term has a bigger impact than most people probably think. Air pollution is particularly common in bigger cities because there are more people on the road to perpetuate gas emissions from cars, more garbage filling the streets and air, more cigarette smoke, and just more overall gunk and smog. But rest assured—no skin types are safe from general wear and tear of the air, regardless of where they live. That’s why pollution-proof skincare products are so important in everyone’s skincare routine. Without them, signs of premature aging are a likely outcome.
“Anti-pollution skincare is formulated to help protect your skin against everyday environmental stressors,” explains nurse practitioner Melanie Abeyta, the owner of Harmony Aesthetics Center in Los Angeles. “These are things including sun exposure (UV rays), smoke, dirt, dust, heavy metals, and free radicals. Basically, it’s anything that’s flying around in the air that can be absorbed into your skin.”
While it’s “virtually impossible” to ensure full pollution protection, Abeyta says, “You can help combat their negative effects, which include damage to the skin barrier, premature aging, dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles, dull skin, pigmentation, and inflammation. By using beauty products that help protect you from them, and keeping skin well-moisturized, you can help strengthen the skin barrier by making it harder for environmental pollutants to enter and cause oxidative stress.”
Skincare products with antioxidant formulations (retinol, green tea, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide, to name a few) help neutralize free radical damage and rid impurities so your skin can fight back against skin aging and increase skin health. Ready to give your skin a fighting chance against the damaging effects of pollution? Keep reading to discover the best anti-pollution skincare products.
Meet the Expert
Melanie Abeyta is a nurse practitioner and owner of Harmony Aesthetics Center in Los Angeles.
1. Best Anti-Pollution Skincare-Infused Makeup:
DRUNK ELEPHANT D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops
The name says it all! Get the bronzed benefits of a day in the sun without sun damage. We love that this antioxidant-rich serum is infused with peptides and natural oils to boost elasticity while delivering an all-over wash of color. Wear it alone or mix it into your moisturizer or foundation to defend against environmental stressors.
2. Best Anti-Pollution Essence:
111SKIN Antioxidant Energising Essence
Prepare to wrap your skin in luxury. Lightweight and quickly absorbing, this prep and prime hydrating formula gives the skin new life while setting a base for additional products to come. We gently press a few drops into our skin with our palms—and voila, good to go.
3. Best Anti-Pollution Cleanser:
PAULA'S CHOICE Hydrating Gel-to-Cream Cleanser
If you thought your cleanser needed to be harsh to get your skin squeaky clean, think again. This gel-to-cream textured cleanser is beyond gentle without sacrificing effectiveness. It removes dirt, oil, makeup, and skin-damaging pollutants.
4. Best Anti-Pollution Dew Drop:
KYPRIS BEAUTY Antioxidant Dew
Another luxurious favorite, this deeply hydrating gem is perfect for mixing into our moisturizer or wearing solo. Used morning and night, this standout product also includes amino acids and soothing botanicals.
5. Best Anti-Pollution Retinol:
SUMMER FRIDAYS Ritual Retinol Renewal Serum
Retinols help increase cell turnover, so you can ensure that skin cells damaged by pollution are swept away. We personally like how the soothing renewal serum features two types of retinoids to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with consistent use. Users rave that results can be seen in as little as four weeks.
6. Best Anti-Pollution Overnight Repair Mask:
TATCHA The Indigo Overnight Repair
Is your skin feeling the effects of environmental stressors? Put it in overnight rehab by way of this bedtime serum-in-cream formula, which boasts Japanese indigo extract to help calm redness, hyaluronic acid and ceramides help lock in moisture, and mondo grass root to rebalance skin. We turn to this when we want to wake up to a soothed complexion.
7. Best Blue Light Defense:
DR. BARBARA STURN Anti-Pollution Drops
Consider these little drops your first defense against urban and digital pollution. They contain a Skin Protect Complex with extracts derived from marine microorganisms that help strengthen the skin barrier over time while filtering harmful blue light—aka, a must after staring at our screens for way too long.
8. Best Anti-Pollution Primer:
GROWN ALCHEMIST Skin Defense Primer for Anti-Pollution and Pore Minimizing
Makeup priming and pollution defense come together in this silicone-free product. It defends skin against dehydration while instantly mattifying skin to blur pores and fine lines. We love that it features adaptogens like reishi mushrooms and ashwagandha to form a shield against environmental aggressors.
9. Best Anti-Pollution Sunscreen:
CLARINS UV Plus SPF 50
Take your sunscreen to the next level with lightweight, oil-free sunscreen. It promises the UVA/UVB protection we expect from a sunblock and creates an invisible shield on the skin that protects from pollution and free radicals.
10. Best Anti-Pollution Mist:
TOWER 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray
Ah, behold! Much like its name suggests, this hypochlorous spray lives up to its title, thanks to its hydrating, healing, and balancing abilities. Stressed out skin doesn’t stand a chance with this dermatologist-tested, fan-favorite. When our sensitive skin is acting up, we rely on this formula to soothe irritation and redness, and calm reactivity.
11. Best Probiotic Anti-Pollution Moisturizer:
THE NUE CO. Barrier Culture Anti-Pollution Moisturizer
This hydrating moisturizer is the ultimate skincare shield. The lightweight pre-, pro-, and postbiotic formula is enriched with niacinamide and squalane to protect the skin barrier and support your microbiome so your skin can defend itself against pollution.
12. Best Anti-Pollution Toner:
CHANEL Anti-Pollution Invigorating Toner
We try to use our favorite splurge sparingly, but when we’re bound for the outdoors, you better believe this is how we prep our skin. Refreshing and comforting, this blue micro-algae-packed product helps protect the complexion from pollution, while marine salicornia extract moisturizes and fortifies.
13. Best Anti-Pollution Vitamin C Serum:
GLO SKIN BEAUTY C-Shield Anti-Pollution Drops
When we want to stay protected, while benefiting from Vitamin C’s brightening abilities, we turn to this high-powered formula. Infused with 15% vitamin C, this bad boy offers advanced anti-pollutant and blue light protection for improved complexion clarity and renewed radiance.
14. Best Anti-Pollution Face Scrub:
ALBA BOTANICA Hawaiian Detox Scrub
When we really need to get in there, we turn to this anti-pollution clay formula, which attracts, extracts, and absorbs dirt, oil, and grime from deep within pores. A plant-based all-star selection of nourishing torch ginger, soothing lotus flower, and antioxidant-rich yerba mate help replenish and support the skin's natural defenses.
15. Best Anti-Pollution Exfoliator:
DERMALOGICA Daily Superfoliant
Get ready to enjoy smoother, more purified skin. This powder exfoliant contains activated charcoal to absorb pollutants that could cause premature aging. It travels deep into the pores to resurface the skin, yet it's gentle enough for daily use.