Five Tips for Protecting Your Skin from the Effects of Blue Light

How does blue light affect skin and sleep?

Because blue light is known to disturb the secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin, it is worth stopping the use of smart devices at least an hour before bedtime. Besides disturbing your sleep, blue light from digital gadgets dries the skin and makes it age prematurely.

The drying effects of blue light are mainly related to short-wavelength radiation’s ability to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin and act at cell level. When the number of free radicals increases as a result of blue light, cell membranes may be damaged, which in turn may lead to dry skin.

Blue light has been observed to affect the breakdown of collagen in the deeper layers of the skin. Collagen is an important protein that maintains skin’s elasticity and moisture; damage to it can lead to wrinkles and lines and to dry skin.

Blue light also tends to disturb the sebaceous glands, increasing sebum production. As a result the surface of the skin becomes oilier while the deeper layers have lost their moisture. Blue light therefore makes skin dry on the surface.

How can you protect your skin from the effects of blue light?

Although we are exposed to blue light every day, there is no need to panic: these measures can protect our skin.

1. Keep your skin moisturised.

Known as the saviour of surface-dry skin and a superhero for thirsty skin, the RimitaOats Facial Mist is the best companion for protection against blue light. It moisturises the skin effectively and can be sprayed on throughout the day whenever extra moisture is needed. It does not smudge makeup, so it can be sprayed over makeup, too. Thanks to its low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, it slips through makeup to moisturise the skin intensively.

RimitaOats Facial Mist can also be used like a toner after cleansing. Bonus benefit: Rimita’s facial mist contains antioxidant-rich roseroot (Rhodiola rosea) grown in Finnish Lapland, which helps the skin fight attacks by free radicals. These antioxidant properties reinforce the mist’s benefits in protecting against blue light.

2. Protect your skin from the sun.

Besides UV rays, sunshine brings blue light to our skin. Especially in summer it is essential to protect your skin from the sun. Instead of sunscreens with chemical filters, choose natural-cosmetics-quality sunscreens, which are friendly to both skin and environment thanks to their physical protection.

Bonus tip: sunscreens come off the skin quickly with RimitaOats shower oil and RimitaOats facial cleansing oil.

3. Use antioxidants.

Antioxidants protect the skin from oxidative stress, that is, attacks by free radicals. Your skin is glad when you favour antioxidants both in food and in skincare products.

An excellent way to get plenty of antioxidants from food is to eat lots of colourful vegetables, fruits and berries every day. Supplements can add a further boost: for example chaga and roseroot are full of antioxidants.

In skincare, too, choose products containing antioxidants that neutralise the effects of free radicals, such as vitamins C and E. All Rimita skincare products are antioxidant-rich, thanks to precious natural ingredients such as sea buckthorn, roseroot and the oil pressed from the seeds of the argan tree’s fruit.

4. Use blue-light filters and reduce screen brightness.

You can reduce the effects of blue light by using screen filters or eyeglass lenses that filter blue light. Many devices also let you adjust the light: by lowering screen brightness you reduce your exposure to blue light.

5. Take breaks – and remember to breathe.

Take regular breaks from staring at a screen. Tiny mini-breaks help your nervous system recover from strain and give your skin a small pause from blue-light exposure. During rest moments you can breathe deeply and treat your skin to the moisturising effect of RimitaOats Facial Mist.