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Grab a drink, your nearest pet or a favourite stuffed toy from your childhood before reading about the effects of blue light because we reckon that you’re gonna need it. In fact, if you’re still reading this, it might be a little too late but that’s precisely where we come to your rescue!
Firstly, a recent study by the Amorepacific R&D Center in Seoul (you know, the South Korean conglomerate behind some of your favourite cushion compacts and skincare products) has proven that blue light – aka the light you’re exposed to when you watch those highly-addictive cat videos on your mobile phone or computer – has a wavelength of 456 nm.
You might be thinking, “Oh cool story, Doctor Oz! But the nm stands for nanometres – which basically translates to 0.000000001 metres!” So guess what? Here’s the catch: it has been proven to cause skin pigmentation because it is classified as a form of High Energy Visible Light (often shortened to HEV Light) – yikes!
What’s another similar kind of light that has somehow conspired to damage your skin? We know that you know it very well by now: UVA and UBV rays, both of which go beyond the eye zone and deep into the layers of the skin to cause an alarming kind of damage (good news though, HEV Light does not induce DNA mutations a.k.a. the risk of cancer).
While it has also been mentioned that the wavelengths emitted by your favourite devices range anywhere between a non-damaging 380 nm to a damaging 500 nm, and, coupled with the fact that the average time one spends on his/her phone has been recorded at 3 hours and 15 minutes (which is equivalent to a lot of cat videos!), the effects of blue light on your skin can and should be solved stat.
This fact is, however, supported by Dr Teo Wan Lin of TWL Specialist Skin & Laser Centre in Singapore, who says, “Now that we have some early data emerging about the potential harm of blue light, it’s best to be on the cautious side since the effects of blue light can include increased pigmentation and some level of free radical damage.”
How now brown-spotted cow, you ask? Lucky for you, we have the simplest solutions to the effects of blue light – some of our favourite products that have been specifically engineered to counter it. While they can’t reverse the more in-your-face (pun intended) effects of blue light, your body’s natural cycles of cortisol (also known as the hormone that helps you sleep or causes toxicity to your eye’s retina) can help to tackle the brown spots and hyperpigmentation issues that arise with overexposure.
You can thank us later or better yet, tag us on Instagram @SenseScoop with your selfie. Now that’s great currency in our digital age!
What we’re banking on:
BYBI Beauty Blueberry Booster, RM68
You might not know this, but the fruits you pop into your mouth or add to your smoothie bowl are able to absorb blue light. Okay fine, specifically blueberry seed oil that acts as a 100% natural shield while hydrating and soothing skin.
Drunk Elephant Sweet Biome™ Fermented Sake Spray, RM185
The truth is that this product smells like kombucha – which means that if you have absolutely no idea what it smells like, well… let’s just say that it’s kinda funky. That aside, do let its skin-loving cocktail of fermented sake extract, kombucha and hops supplies soothe and restore your skin from the effects of blue light.
Fresh Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence (CNY) Limited Edition, RM465
Here’s a better-smelling kombucha product – we kid you not. Besides reversing the effects of blue light with uh, kombucha, it also increases smoothness and suppleness while minimising the look of enlarged pores. Swipe it and forget it – no lingering funkiness!
Laneige White Dew Tone Up Fluid SPF35/PA++ Moisturiser, RM170
Not only does this all-in-one moisturiser hydrate, brighten and protect skin, reverse the effects of blue light and make you appear more presentable up-close, it also has an antioxidant layer that protects skin for up to eight hours! Think about it: an all-in-one handy tube to pop into your bag.
Supergoop! Glowscreen Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Primer SPF40/PA+++, RM160
Lightweight, super glowy (like, eight hours of sleep glowy) and with SPF40/PA+++, this primer-meets-sunscreen-meets-skin-loving-potion blocks out all the nasties out there, and then some. An added life hack: it doubles up as a pearlescent highlighter too! #win
This Works Morning Expert Open Eyes Eye Cream, RM170
If you've spent countless nights stalking your ex on the ’gram or watching people catfish on TikTok, slather some of this cream on and around your peepers. Cocoa seed peptides help to reverse the effects of blue light while natural giant kelp and Persian silk tree extracts help to tighten and brighten the area!
Text: Stacie Cai
Featured image: John Adams/Unsplash
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