London - We all know that a poor diet, lack of sleep and stress can affect our hair and skin - but what about where you live?
From hard water to city pollution, here’s your geographical guide to beauty worries and how to fix them...
HARD WATER
If you suffer dry skin, eczema and psoriasis with dull hair, it could be down to hard water.
This means that your tap water contains high levels of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and copper. Test your water by taking an empty plastic bottle, filling it up halfway from the tap, adding ten drops of washing-up liquid and shaking hard. If it foams quickly, it’s fine; but if it creates a soapy film or goes milky, the water is likely to be hard.
These minerals deplete moisture levels in the skin, exacerbating conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
“Hard water upsets our skin’s protective layer, which leads to water loss and dryness,” says Dr Stefanie Williams, medical director at European Dermatology London.
Mineral salts also prevent foaming products working properly, so you have to use much more of them which strips the skin of natural oils. They are also harder to rinse off, so soap residues can remain on the skin, causing irritation.
Lastly, the minerals in hard water leave deposits on the hair surface, meaning it doesn’t reflect light well and can look dull.
What to do about it: Pantene’s new Pro-V Breakage Defence range contains a formula to neutralise excessive copper in the hair. If you’re experiencing problems with hard water, invest in a water softener for your household taps and shower head.
POLLUTION
If you live in a big city, you could find yourself with prematurely greying hair and washed-out skin.
This is because damaging particles known as free radicals - found in cigarette smoke, car exhaust fumes and smog - get trapped in buildings and can’t disperse. These cause premature ageing by breaking down collagen and the fibres that keep the skin elastic, resulting in fine lines, age spots and blotchiness.
They also make your skin more sensitive and prone to redness, while the dirt in the air can block pores and cause spots.
When it comes to your hair, new research suggests pollution may cause oxidative stress, which causes hair to bleach and go grey.
What to do about it:“Never go to bed without removing your make-up and washing your face thoroughly,” says Dr Williams.
“Pollution chemicals have a tendency to stick to your skin and even enter your pores, they can be hard to get off. If you spent the day in a polluted area, consider doing two cycles of face washing in the evening.”
You could also try a cleansing brush, which is shown to remove six times more dirt than manual cleansing.
To keep hair healthy, make sure pollution doesn’t build up by washing regularly with a clarifying shampoo.
WIND
Wind sucks out the hydration in our skin and hair, and if you’re on the coast, where the wind is filled with salt, the effect is more pronounced.
“Harsh climatic conditions such as wind, dry the skin and can make certain skin conditions such as eczema worse. Cold wind can also aggravate rosacea and cause redness,” says Dr Williams.
What to do about it: Moisturisation is the name of the game. Skin moisturisers work in two ways.
There are humectants, such as hyaluronic acid, which draw water from the lower levels of the skin - this comes from the water we drink - to rehydrate the upper levels of the skin, and occlusives, such as paraffin, which have a barrier function to help lock in this moisture.
In windy weather, it’s best to go for moisturisers that are heavier on occlusives. E45 Dermatological Cream works well on very dry, weather beaten skin, but can look shiny.
HUMIDITY
If you suffer frizzy hair and spotty skin, it may well be down to living in a humid area.
“Hair will modify its moisture content to the environment it finds itself in - other words, if you are in a humid environment, the hair will absorb a lot of moisture,” says trichologist Ian Sallis.
What to do about it: Keep products light - use a wash-off cleansing gel and a tinted moisturiser which will act as moisturiser and a foundation.
With hair you need to use products which act as a barrier to stop humidity from entering the hair. Use wax-free formulas to make hair sleek without weighing it down. L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil is fantastically effective and Kerastase’s new Discipline range is designed to tackle any frizz.
UV EXPOSURE
Most of us know that UV rays can damage the skin - causing dark pigmentation, premature ageing and even cancer - but, says trichologist Ian Sallis, they can also affect the hair.
How to deal with it: Use a minimum of SPF 30 on your face every day.
Also there are now lots of products that offer SPF for your hair. - Daily Mail