(With Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF50)
SPONSORED FEATURE
Ten years ago applying SPF to your face every morning would be about as familiar as wearing flip-flops in November. Sunscreen was kept for holidays and mini-breaks in the sun, irregularly applied and often skipped altogether in favour of a touch of oil to help bring about that Benidorm glow. Our understanding and attitude towards damaging rays has changed hugely in such a little amount of time, but we're collectively still a little bit misinformed about the negative impact the environment can have on our skin - and the fact it's not just the sun we have to worry about. Exposure to UV rays and pollution can wreak havoc on our skin, right down to its DNA; in fact it's suggested that 80% of all signs of visible skin ageing are due to environmental aggressors. Sun exposure is well known to be a major cause, but recent studies reveal the need to also shield the skin from air pollutants (particularly in big cities.) These pollutants and UV rays generate excess free radicals, which interfere with skin’s ability to retain moisture (as well its effectiveness at producing collagen and elastin - essential ingredients that help keep skin plump and healthy looking.) The result of this is accelerated ageing, as well as an increase in dark spots, inflammation, fine lines and wrinkles. Oh no!
While our cells naturally produce repair enzymes that help counteract this damage, as we age the levels of these enzymes drop, making the process less effective. We not only need to protect ourselves on a daily basis from environmental damage, but we need to help our skin on its way to performing effectively and efficiently once again. Elizabeth Arden's new Prevage City Smart SPF50 Hydrating Shield does just that by combining the best of SPF protection with the addition of an innovative complex that helps neutralise the impact of environmental and oxidative stress on the skin. It effectively keeps skin smoother, brighter and protected to deliver 'younger, healthier, more resilient looking skin' so we can worry about other things - like our hair. So how does this little wonder product do this, I hear you ask? Let me break it down for you...
1) PROTECT: Elizabeth Arden's 'Anti-Pollution Shield Technology' forms an invisible protective barrier to help prevent harmful toxins and pollution particles from the penetrating skin. This is big news; the formula actually stops the penetration from happening in the first place, rather than just fixing the damage that's caused. Addititionally, 100% Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF50 sunscreen filters out UVA and UVB rays to protect skin from the sun 365 days of the year. (If you wear it that much that is!)
2) PREVENT: A patent-pending 'Anti-Pollution Complex' neutralises free radical damage caused by pollution and UV exposure; the antioxidant blend contains the world’s single most powerful antioxidant Idebenone, as well as Green Tea, Thiotaine, Ferulic Acid and L-Carnosine. As an added benefit, the ingredients in City Smart also help to prevent the appearance of future signs of ageing, including lines, wrinkles and hyper-pigmentation.
3) STRENGTHEN: The bit I'm most excited about (and believe makes this more than just another SPF product) is the DNA Enzyme Complex within City Smart, which helps support skin’s natural repair process against oxidative stress. Skin’s elastin and collagen matrix are protected and its natural recovery process is strengthened, resulting in healthier, more resilient looking skin. Fancy ingredients including Plankton, Arabidopsis Thaliana and Ocean Bacteria (yes, really!) help to actually repair any damage from within.
This is the first product I've come across that combines UV and pollution protection with the ability to prevent damage occurring, while simultaneously repairing damage that's already happened - and I'm really rather excited about it. As an avid SPF wearer (I honestly can't go a day without applying it to my face now,) this takes that up a notch and ensures my skin is both protected and strengthened for both short and long-term results. When applied as the final step in your morning skincare regime (over serum and moisturiser, before makeup) this completes all I need to fight the signs of ageing for as long as possible. As far as the texture is concerned, it's like a lightweight slightly tinted serum that's an utter joy to massage into skin; it's not as tinted as a BB Cream and not intended to replace makeup, but it's refreshingly not thick, white or gloopy like a huge proportion of SPF products. You need just a few pumps to cover the face, it absorbing quickly (and actually doubling-up as a primer) so you can crack on with applying your makeup.
If you're a city dweller, a city lover or even a city visitor, it's well worth investing in a little tube of this to help keep your skin looking fresh and youthful for longer. It's such a simple way to outsmart the city and the problems that it brings; collectively we need to become more aware and educated about the detrimental effect the environment can have on our complexions, and this is a great way to start.
The Elizabeth Arden Prevage City Smart SPF 50 Hydrating Shield is available now, priced £55.00
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Elizabeth Arden; all opinions are my own.
Features PR samples unless otherwise stated. To read my full disclaimer, click here.