womans blue eye

What is blue light and how is it damaging your skin?

Find out about blue light and the best skin care for it

Blue Light

Could the blue light thrown out by our phones, laptops, tablets be prematurely ageing our skin?

The science suggests it could be.

Studies have shown that the blue light given off by electronic devices - our phones, laptops, tablets - could cause our skin cells to shrink, die, or, at the very least, prevent them from working to the best of their ability - leading to premature ageing.

The sun also gives off blue light, but while we protect ourselves from its UVA and UVB rays we rarely do from the light given off by our screens despite increasing data that shows the potential long-term harms of visible light, and in particular blue light, on our skin.

Why is blue light believed to damage the skin and how can you screen-proof your skin with blue light skincare designed to protect and renew?


What is blue light?

Blue light (also referred to as High Energy Visible or HEV light) is a colour in the visible light spectrum that can be seen by the human eye. Blue light has very short, high-energy waves, which produces higher amounts of energy. When you stare at a screen for hours at a time, whether it is a computer, TV, phone or tablet, you are exposed to blue light from the device.

On average, people spend three hours and 15 minutes on their phones a day - the top 20% of smartphone users can spend in excess of four and a half hours. 

That means we are being exposed to significantly more blue light than we would get from the sun alone. In fact, 30 hours (that’s four eight-hour days) in front of a computer exposes you to the same amount of energy as 20 minutes in the midday sun.
woman looking at tablet

How does blue light damage the skin and how can I protect it?

Free radical damage

Blue light has been shown in studies to induce oxidative stress - that is, an imbalance between free radical activity and antioxidant activity - in the skin. Free radicals can cause premature ageing by damaging skin cells.

Blue light skin care: Products packed with antioxidants are your friends here. Our skin’s store of natural antioxidants such as vitamin E becomes depleted as the skin is exposed to excess free radicals, including visible blue light and other environmental stressors, so you need to top up your levels with skin care. NIVEA Q10 Energy Healthy Glow Day Cream contains free radical fighting Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Q10 that work together to reduce the appearance of fine lines, reduce dullness and firm and refresh. The UVA and UVB offer further protection against the sun and blue light. 
 
woman putting product on her face

womans face
How does blue light damage the skin and how can I protect it?

Damages elastin and collagen

Blue light can penetrate into the dermis where it can break down collagen and elastin, which accelerates ageing and inflammation in the skin cells. Collagen and elastin are both crucial to the skin’s youthful bounce and damage to them can cause loss of firmness and an increase in visible lines.

Blue light skin care: Invest in skin care that contains blue light blocker, barrier-bolstering ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. NIVEA Cellular Elasticity Day Cream can boost skin elasticity and rebuilds the skin's strength. It actively helps skin cells recover from oxidative stress and improves the skin’s barrier creating a blue light blocker. Powerful active ingredients improve cell strength by boosting vital functions and activating their own production of hyaluron, collagen, and elastin.

How does blue light damage the skin and how can I protect it?

Pigmentation

Blue light can also cause pigmentation which causes your skin to darken and can result in dark spots or hyperpigmentation.

Blue light skin care:
NIVEA Cellular Luminous 630 Serum is a lightweight serum that can lighten dark spots and reduce their size, while balancing new melanin production to prevent their reappearance. Patented LUMINOUS630® acts on existing pigmentation to lighten dark spots and reduce their size in four weeks.
NIVEA UV Face Q10 Anti-age & Anti-pigment Sun Cream SPF 50 protects against UVA / UVB induced skin damage and HEV Light effects such as premature skin aging, while keeping your skin feeling soft and silky.
woman applying sunscreen

woman with face oil on
How does blue light damage the skin and how can I protect it?

Dehydration

Blue light can also cause transepidermal water loss (or dehydration) - and dehydrated skin highlights the signs of ageing. 

Blue light skin care: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help protect the skin from further damage as well as acting as an anti-inflammatory to soothe dry, itchy redness that comes with dehydrated skin. Vitamin C is a brilliant all rounder that helps to reduce hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and red spots, ultimately brightening skin overtime. NIVEA Q10 Energy Recharging Night Cream provides you with more radiant skin and a healthy look in eight hours. The formula with Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Q10 improves the skin’s moisture lock-in and strengthens the skin barrier. It targets major signs of stress like lines, dullness and lifelessness.

How does blue light damage the skin and how can I protect it?

Sleep

Blue light can also affect our sleep - one of the best defences against premature ageing - as it impacts the level of melatonin, our sleep hormone. Blue light exposure at night may even affect the natural circadian rhythm of skin cells. Our bodies - including our skin cells - use sleep to rest and restore, but if our body is tricked into thinking it’s still daytime by long exposure to blue light, its natural night time repair process will be disrupted, which means our skin isn’t getting the nightly reboot it needs. 

Blue light skin care: While nothing can replace your beauty sleep, NIVEA Q10 Energy Recharging Night Cream can work for you overnight, leaving you with radiant skin and a healthy look in eight hours.
 
woman with laugh lines

How can protect you face from blue light damage?


NIVEA Products To Help Protect & Restore Your Skin From Harmful Blue Light

Cellular Luminous630 Anti Dark-Spot Face Treatment Serum

This powerful serum has been proven to be highly effective at treating dark spots - after only 4 weeks of using the treatment, spots are visibly lightened, and after 8 weeks of use, spots intensity is reduced by up to 50%.

 
The Advanced Treatment Serum acts on existing pigmentation to lighten spots and reduce their size, while balancing new melanin production to prevent new dark spots appearing.
cellular Luminious630 serum
CELLULAR LUMINOUS630

CELLULAR LUMINOUS630 ANTI DARK-SPOT DAY MOISTURISER SPF50

This moisturiser acts on existing pigmentation to lighten dark spots and reduce their size, whilst providing effective protection against harmful UVA and UVB rays. Using our patented LUMINOUS630®, it’s effective for all skin tones and types, including sensitive skin.

 

The triple protection formula is enriched with cell-activating moisturising hyaluronic acid as well as protecting Vitamin E and UVA/UVB filters. For skin that is deeply moisturised with an even, luminous complexion.