Blue light (High Energy Visible or HEV light) is emitted by electronic devices like smart phones, tablets and computer screens. Blue light damage is real and should not be ignored.

Blue light is as damaging as UV for skin. According to a recent study by Unilever, the damage of spending just over six (6) hours a day, five (5) days  a week on a smart phone, laptop or tablet is equivalent to spending twenty five (25) minutes in the hot midday sun without any protection. What’s worse sixty (60%) of people are doing just that!

In fact, blue light penetrates deeper than UV and hurts skin even more by disrupting skin proteins like collagen and elastin, leading to premature aging, wrinkles and even some spots. This is a form of inflammation in skin cells caused directly by spending time on your electronic devices, something we simply cannot remove from our lives anymore.  And some of the skin damage can last beyond three (3) months.

How can you protect your skin from Blue Light?

• Blue light screens: You can buy an anti-blue light screen protector for your laptop that shields you from the light. In addition, these screens help with eye strain and eye daage from blue light as well so it’s a win-win
• Use the night setting more often :The “night” setting on your device is another great option to minimize the amount of blue light coming at you. It basically changes the frequency of the light just a tad bit, so your screen might be dimmer or more in the red spectrum
• Anti-Oxidants!: The damage caused by blue light is oxidative damage. Antioxidants like vitamin C, and Squalane are great for neutralizing the damage. . At Subtle Green, we have incorporated blue light as a customizable serum option with a blueberry complex made from upcycled blueberries. This complex can absorb blue light to shield skin from the oxidative damage of blue light. In natural skincare, berries and oils from berries like strawberries, raspberry seed oil and blueberry seed oil are wonderful antioxidants that bring you your money’s worth