Blue light has become an increasingly more familiarised antagonist in recent years with many touting its detrimental effects on the skin. Blue light is part of the natural emitted visible light in the electromagnetic spectrum with a major source of emission being our sun, which, moving into the warmer months, bears down with a certain ferocity that shouldn’t be ignored. Other known emitters of blue light are LED lights, fluorescent lights, and perhaps the most insidious of them all, digital screens such as our phones and computers.

Our digital screens at some point made the subtle shift from casual appliance to tool of necessity with barely one among us not daily-using our screens for work, play or some combination of the two. The emitted blue light from our screens is comparatively minimal to that of the suns, however compounded usage does come at a cost. Recent studies show that the blue light emitted from the sun, and in deed our screens, can lead to DNA damage, cell damage, skin barrier damage, and photoaging.

If you are experiencing a lacklustre complexion due to over-use of your screen or over exposure to the sun, the best and most logical answer would be to cut down on screen time. This isn’t, however, a reasonable tactic given many of our day-to-day lives depend on regular access to our screens. The answer, then becomes defence as treatment.

Applying a daily SPF with a physical blocking component is key, with zinc oxide sitting at the top of our list for best defence. A physical blocking component like zinc oxide will counteract blue light by deflecting it away from the skin surface. This is achieved by the zinc acting as a sort of mirror, with microscopic particles sitting on top of the skin, as opposed to a chemical SPF which may only protect from UVA/UVB rays’ penetration.

Blue lights’ major effect on skin is to deteriorate skin cells. The best way to reverse skin cell damage is with an antioxidant like vitamin C. As an antioxidant, vitamin C fights free radicals in the skin to improve cell regeneration. Where vitamin C shines is in its ability to even out skin tone, smooth rough skin and assist in the reduction of acne scars. Vitamin C also acts to boost our skin's collagen production, which is essential for keeping our skin plump.