The 10 Best Anti

Environmental aggressors have nothing on these skincare superstars

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Health / Kristin Kempa

While we normally associate climate change with negative effects on the environment and our overall health, our skin might not be at the top of our list of concerns after spending too much time in bad air quality or around other pollutants—but skin is actually one of the easiest ways to see pollution’s harmful effects in our own bodies. Whether you live in a highly populated urban city or out in the quiet countryside, pollution can affect your skin anywhere. Thankfully, there are a plethora of great anti-pollution skincare products out there to keep skin safe from the negative effects of airborne pollutants.

Anti-pollution skincare can come in many different forms; there are serums, moisturizers, cleansers, sunscreens, and even tinted moisturizers to keep skin safe and healthy. The key to differentiating an anti-pollution skincare product from other products on the market are the ingredients. You’ll find that antioxidants are the stars in any anti-pollution skincare product.

We used our own experience of testing anti-pollution skincare, as well as interviewed two board-certified dermatologists for their tips and the products they recommend to their patients to help fight against environmental aggressors. Then, a dermatologist from our Medical Expert Board reviewed this article for medical accuracy.

Amazon

Protects skin from damaging free radicals, harmful pollutants, UV rays and blue light.

This product is only available in 10 shades.

We love a great multi-tasker, and this Glo Skin Beauty C-Shield Anti-Pollution Moisture Tint SPF 30 really fits the bill. It’s our favorite anti-pollution skincare product for a few reasons, and Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, a board certified cosmetic dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Shafer Clinic in New York City, loves it, too.

“The C-Shield Anti-Pollution Moisture Tint SPF 30 from Glo Skin Beauty is a go-to pollutant-fighting sunscreen,” says Dr. Engelman. “This 3-in-1 multi-tasking formula contains vitamins C and E to fight damage from free radicals, in addition to reef-safe broad spectrum SPF 30 protection.”

Acting as a daily moisturizer, sunscreen and skin-friendly mineral makeup, this product streamlines skincare and blurs imperfections while providing excellent defense against pollutants and UV rays and blue light.

We love that this product does so much for the skin. However, the downsides are that it’s a little bit pricey at $50 per bottle, and the shade range is not very wide—it only comes in 10 shades.

Price at time of publication: $50

Product Details:

Target

The formula contains soothing botanicals like rose and aloe as well as hyaluronic acid.

Since it also has witch hazel, it’s best to do a patch test before going all-in.

There are skincare products out there that help to protect your skin from the damaging effects of pollution. And then there are picks like face washes that can actually remove pollution from your face, too. The Humphreys Alcohol-Free Toner does that. This formula features the highest quality, wild-crop-certified witch hazel.

Dr. Engelman loves this toner for her patients. “Not only do these toners remove pollutants and debris from the skin—helping to prevent photoaging—but they also nourish, clarify and soothe the skin, thanks to the addition of botanicals like rose, aloe, grapefruit, cucumber, and more,” she says.

We love that this pick is so affordable. Some folks don’t tolerate witch hazel well, so make sure you do a patch test before applying this to your whole face.

Price at time of publication: $11

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Amazon

The individual packaging prevents ingredients from oxidizing.

This isn’t exactly a budget-friendly pick.

Ampoules are one of the most potent forms of skincare because the seal protects an ingredient from oxidizing. This pick from ISDIN is a favorite because it has multiple anti-aging benefits in a little glass ampoule.

Although the ISDIN Flavo-C Ultraglican Ampoules are primarily a vitamin C product, the hyaluronic acid in this serum adds to its appeal. Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and a clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, recommends this product to her patients.

“The sealed tinted glass ampules protect the vitamin C from exposure to air and light, and the addition of hyaluronic acid and proteoglycans makes the formulation very hydrating,” she explains. “The texture is light and the subtle fragrance is clean and refreshing.”

This is an ideal anti-aging product because the antioxidants protect skin from environmental factors and pollutants, while the hyaluronic acid hydrates drier, aging skin. Unfortunately, these ampoules are on the more expensive side at $106 for a pack of 30, which should last you a month.

Price at time of publication: $106

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Charlotte Tilbury

This product is top-notch for your skin barrier.

While this product contains SPF, it’s only SPF 20.

Leave it to Charlotte to create a gorgeous face cream that not only hydrates and primes, but also protects skin against aging and environmental factors, too. “This lightweight moisturizer contains humectants like glycerin to hydrate the skin, as well as emollients like sunflower seed oil to support the skin barrier,” explains Dr. King. “Plus, it's rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E.”

The Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream Light also contains additional soothing ingredients as well as anti-aging peptides, and it provides protection from UV radiation (thanks to SPF 20) as well as blue light.

Although this cream is marketed as “light,” it still feels a bit heavy and creamier than other lightweight moisturizers on the market. Additionally, it’s pretty expensive at $100 per bottle.

Price at time of publication: $100

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Ulta

This product is perfect for folks who live in a big city.

It’s a tinted formula, but it’s only available in one shade.

This sunscreen was made for protecting your skin against pollution—especially in big, bustling urban cities. This pollution- and age-fighting sunscreen offers three levels of protection to prevent and neutralize damage for younger-looking and more resilient skin.

Dr. Engelman really loves this product for her city-dwelling patients who are exposed to pollution often. “The  Anti-Pollution Shield Technology prevents pollutants from penetrating skin in the first place, while the  Anti-Pollution Complex—which contains Idebenone, the most powerful known antioxidant—combats damage from free radicals,” she explains. “Plus, a DNA Enzyme Complex both defends against free radical damage and improves the skin’s ability to repair itself after oxidative stress.” All of these components make the PREVAGE City Smart sunscreen one of her go-to’s to prevent environmental damage to the skin.

An upside of this product might be someone else’s downside—the Elizabeth Arden PREVAGE City Smart Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Hydrating Shield is tinted and might not fare well on folks with darker skin tones.

Price at time of publication: $72

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Ulta

The formula is jam-packed with ingredients your skin loves.

This product smells a little funky because it’s fermented.

If you’ve never tried goat milk skincare, consider opting for this hydrating treat from Beekman 1802. This facial oil features goat milk and fermented oils to deeply hydrate your face while protecting from pollution, too.

“This facial oil is not only rich in omega fatty acids to support the skin barrier, but it’s also rich in antioxidants from vitamin C, vitamin E, and niacinamide,” explains Dr. King. “I love that it has a number of botanical oils including coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, jojoba seed oil, argan kernel oil and olive oil.”

If you’re someone who is really acne-prone or sensitive to oils, you might want to steer clear of this pick. Additionally, because this contains fermented ingredients, it has a rather strange smell.

Price at time of publication: $54

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Beauty Pie

The pollution-fighting formula also contains niacinamide to help with soothing.

At $75 a bottle, this product is definitely a splurge.

Niacinamide is well-known for its soothing properties, and can help reduce redness causes from eczema. Dr. King recommends this pick from Beauty Pie to help protect skin against pollutants and environmental factors.

“Beauty Pie Superdrops Brightening Niacinamide 10% contains antioxidants to help protect the skin from damage from free radicals, as well as 10% niacinamide,” she explains. We love that the niacinamide helps to strengthen the skin barrier, which can be a big issue for folks with eczema.

One of the downsides of this product is that it costs $75 per bottle, which is a bit expensive. Additionally, it’s not widely available—you can only really find it on Beauty Pie’s website.

Price at time of publication: $75

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Bluemercury

It’s a hydrating, soothing, and protective moisturizer.

May not be suitable for oily skin.

Seaweed is the superhero ingredient in this moisturizer from Osea. It works to soothe and hydrate the skin while supporting your skin barrier, too. An ingredient called elfdock is what helps to protect your skin from environmental pollutants and stressors in this formula. With the help of niacinamide and shea butter, you have yourself a gorgeous moisturizer that soaks into the skin and absorbs quickly, too.

Some might find this formula to be a bit greasy. We recommend it more for dry skin types than for oilier skin, as it might make oily skin worse.

Price at time of publication: $54

Product Details:

Target

It works wonders for hyperpigmentation.

Since it contains licorice root extract, it’s probably necessary to patch test.

Vitamin C is a hero ingredient when it comes to targeting hyperpigmentation. This pick from Bliss features a plethora of ingredients to brighten skin and prevent discoloration. Dr. Engelman loves this over-the-counter formula for her patients with hyperpigmentation.

“The Bliss Bright Idea Vitamin C + Tri-Peptide Collagen Protecting & Brightening Serum blends clinical-grade vitamin C (the most effective and least irritating type), tri-peptide, and glycerin to powerfully protect the skin from free radical damage while hydrating,” says Dr. Engelman.

We love that this option comes at an affordable price ($28 per bottle) and contains antioxidant-rich licorice root extract. Some folks might find this product a little bit drying or irritating—always do a patch test before applying it to your skin.

Price at time of publication: $28

Product Details:

Amazon

It’s formulated for people who have oily skin.

This product is pricey and may not be for folks with really dry skin.

The Epionce Lytic Gel Cleanser is a fan-favorite for folks with acne-prone skin because it was formulated for oily skin, but cleanses without overdrying your face. It’s free of parabens, fragrance, sulfates, and gluten.

This is one of Dr. Engelman’s favorite facial cleansers. “It thoroughly and effectively removes pollutants, makeup, and other debris that have accumulated on skin throughout the day, and leaves the skin feeling hydrated and refreshed,” she explains. “Formulated with willow bark extract (clarifying and anti-inflammatory), orange fruit extract (vitamin C), and lavender extract, it multi-tasks to protect, balance, cleanse and fortify the skin barrier.”

This cleanser is definitely on the more expensive side at $40 per bottle. Additionally, those with very dry skin might find that this cleanser isn’t hydrating enough for their skin type.

Price at time of publication: $40

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To find the best anti-pollution skincare, we interviewed two board-certified dermatologists for their recommendations and advice. The experts we spoke to included:

We also chose anti-pollution skincare products that we’ve personally tried and had success with. Lastly, we made sure each of the anti-pollution skincare products contained antioxidants and came in different skincare types, such as cleansers, serums, and sunscreens, too.

Antioxidants, like vitamin C and Idebenone, are among the best-known types of pollution-fighting ingredients, according to Dr. Engelman. “Antioxidants combat aging and skin damage from destructive free radicals by pairing with these unstable molecules in order to prevent them from ‘stealing’ electrons from stable molecules in our bodies,” explains Dr. Engelman. “In doing so, antioxidants can both help prevent and treat damage from pollutants, UV rays, and blue light.”

According to Dr. King, there are many ingredients that offer antioxidant properties. “Vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide, green tea extract, almost all botanical extracts, and plant stem cell extracts can protect skin against pollution,” she says.

Serums and moisturizers with antioxidants are ideal products to fight pollution. “Additionally, sunscreen protects the skin from UV rays and pollutants, helping to prevent damage from occurring in the first place,” explains Dr. Engelman. “Mineral sunscreens do this by blocking damaging UV rays, preventing them from reaching our skin. Chemical sunscreens protect us by absorbing the harmful UV rays, then converting them into heat, which is then released.”

Cleansers, micellar water, and cleansing toners also fight pollution by removing it from our skin. “When we cleanse our skin quickly enough after exposure to pollutants, we limit the damage that is done to our skin,” says Dr. Engelman. “These products can also provide our skin with additional benefits, like hydration, antioxidants, and more.”

Pollution exposes the skin to free radicals, which can damage DNA and accelerate the breakdown of collagen and elastin. “Unstable atoms with unpaired electrons are called free radicals—electrons like to be in pairs, so these unstable atoms scavenge the body to seek out other electrons so they can become a pair,” explains Dr. King. “This causes damage to cells, proteins and DNA, which can lead to inflammation, aging and even cancer.” The skin is constantly exposed to free radicals from UV radiation and pollution.

Aside from doing the impossible (avoiding contact with pollutants entirely), the best way to protect yourself from pollution is a good skincare routine that incorporates antioxidants, along with sunscreen and reparative ingredients, according to Dr. Engelman. “All of these components are important in order to protect as much damage as possible before it occurs, and address any damage that is sustained.”

According to Dr. Engelman, anti-pollution skincare doesn’t necessarily need to be organic. “While organically-sourced ingredients can be a bonus, the important thing is to make sure that a skincare product is formulated with high-quality ingredients that are shown to be effective and not harmful to skin,” she says.

Daley Quinn is a freelance journalist, specializing in beauty and health, who has contributed to numerous publications, such as Elle, Real Simple, Allure, The Cut, WWD, and more. She used her personal experience with anti-pollution skincare and interviewed multiple dermatologists for their recommendations for the best anti-pollution skincare on the market.

Araviiskaia E, Berardesca E, Bieber T, Gontijo G, Sanchez Viera M, Marrot L, Chuberre B, Dreno B. The impact of airborne pollution on skin. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 Aug;33(8):1496-1505. doi: 10.1111/jdv.15583. Epub 2019 Apr 26. PMID: 30897234; PMCID: PMC6766865.