Coming Full Circle with Skin’s Circadian Rhythm via Cosmetics & Toiletries

Healthy skin has its own rhythm and flow, with defense and repair mechanisms attuned to the circadian cycle of day and night renewing skin like clockwork. Disrupting this flow, e.g., by artificial blue light at night, however, can have negative consequences on the skin’s machinery. Nadine Pernodet, Ph.D. (NP), senior vice president, Biosciences, R&D for The Estée Lauder Cos., explains these dynamics in the following excerpt adapted from an interview.

C&T: What do we know about the effects of natural and artificial blue light in skin?

NP: Protection during daytime and repair during nighttime are essential for keeping a healthy working skin. In terms of blue light and light pollution, these have been well-studied in the medical field and are understood to disrupt our natural circadian rhythm, but not as much research has been done in skin. At The Estée Lauder Cos., we are always looking for factors that might impact critical mechanisms in the skin. Nine years ago, we began to explore the effects of blue light and light pollution on the skin’s alignment with the circadian rhythm.

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