Every few hours, someone in the family group chat posts a screenshot from their AQI app or shares a headline announcing yet another abysmal reading. Mumbai’s pollution levels are stealing Delhi’s thunder as you read this, the city having recorded a grim AQI of 322 versus the capital city’s 176 on October 24, as per reports. Our lungs know the drill by now—N95 masks and medical-grade air purifiers galore. But what about our skin?
All that soot, smoke, and dust doesn’t just sit on your face or wash off with a simple face wash. It seeps in, wreaks havoc on your skin’s natural barrier, and sets off a chain of inflammatory events that escalates faster than an episode of The Traitors. That’s how you end up with early wrinkles, dark spots, and skin that’s perpetually red and dry—hardly ideal with Diwali parties in full swing.
Luckily, you don’t need to overhaul your entire shelf with products labelled as ‘anti-pollution’. “Your regular products, when applied properly and regularly, will do the job too,” says Dr Madhuri Agarwal, a Mumbai-based dermatologist and founder of Yavana skin and hair clinic. Her basics to deal with the deteriorating air quality around us include an antioxidant serum, broad-spectrum sunscreen, and a barrier-friendly moisturiser.
So, by all means, go ahead and splurge on a new Diwali wardrobe, but don’t forget to also stock up on targeted anti-pollution skincare essentials that will see you through:
