Simple Skincare Looks to Help City Skin

From grit and grime to dirt and drama, city living can make all skin sensitive. That is why Simple Skincare is launching "Kind To City Skin,” a global initiative designed to help women understand the impact that city living—both environmental and lifestyle-related factors—can have on their faces.

While most women are already aware of skin-irritating behaviors to avoid, such as excessive sun exposure or a high-sugar diet, a new survey reveals a surprising truth—that women in the top 40 cities nationwide don't realize the wear and tear their everyday lifestyle may be having on the health and appearance of their skin.

In launching "Kind To City Skin," Simple created a time-lapse video and is also providing information, tools and a range of products to help women's city skin thrive. The Simple brand's time-lapse video dramatically depicts the potential effects city living can have on a woman's face in just 14 days. Simple will unveil the video on billboards in select cities worldwide, starting with New York (in Times Square). Simple is also inviting women everywhere to view the video and join the conversation by using the hashtag #KindToCitySkin.

While the skin damage in the video was created using makeup and special effects, the dramatization is grounded in insights, expertise and research, led by Simple advisory board member and board certified dermatologist Dr. Debra Luftman and Unilever scientists.

"Women across the country—in cities big and small—know they need be proactive with their skin health, but they don't always realize how their daily physical environment and lifestyle-driven habits can make their skin sensitive," said Dawn Hedgepeth, marketing director for Simple Skincare. "We wanted to issue a wake-up call to women everywhere with a visual that dramatizes the need to be kind to city skin with Simple. We are also hosting events in cities nationwide so women can learn how to care for their skin from the inside out with a holistic approach."

Nearly 9 in 10 (89%) women describe their skin care habits as "healthy," yet their actual behaviors (a snapshot below) show there is room for improvement:

  • Surprising cleansing calendar—More than a quarter (27%) report that the longest they've gone without washing their face is at least two days.
  • Attentive to the elements—Fifty-nine percent (59%) are not actively trying to protect skin from environmental elements such as the sun or wind.
  • Glowing skin—Though half (50%) claim they're striving for a healthy diet specifically to keep skin in good shape, thousands of women are missing out on certain foods that could work wonders on skin, such as Brussels sprouts (68%), walnuts (62%), salmon (57%) and avocados (56%).
  • Effects of stress—Sixty-three percent (63%) know their stress level affects the health of their skin, yet more than half (53%) are not actively trying to reduce it right now. Making a dedicated effort to unplug and unwind can make skin less permeable to external factors like weather and makeup.
  • Beauty benefits of working out—One in two (50%) are unaware that exercise can influence their skin's health. Exercise increases blood flow and helps flush cellular debris out of one's system, contributing to the overall appearance of skin.

Simple also uncovered which major markets are ahead of the curve when it comes to holistic skin care habits:

  • The majority (52%) of women in San Francisco are trying to eat skin-loving food that is organic, produced locally, or farm-to-table.
  • More than 6 in 10 (63%) women in Hartford, Connecticut, are trying to limit the amount of time they spend using electronic devices.
  • It is most common for women in Grand Rapids (33%) and Detroit (32%) to ride bikes on at least a monthly basis.

Simple Skincare encourages women to care for their skin from the inside out with a holistic approach. This includes the right facial products and regimen, but also lifestyle considerations like diet, fitness and stress management. Women looking to improve their holistic skin care habits can receive tips and product recommendations, based on their city location, from the Simple advisory board by using the Simple Skin Forecaster tool on www.simpleskincare.com. In addition to Luftman, the board includes top experts Ellie Krieger, RD (culinary nutritionist), Gita Bass (makeup artist), Kacy Duke (fitness expert) and Dr. Josie Howard(board certified psychiatrist).

Women in New York are invited to stop by the Simple Skincare Oasis in Times Square (Broadway and 43rd Street) from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST to receive free Simple products and participate in fun and good-for-skin activities, such as working out and enjoying healthy snacks. Simple advisory board members will be on hand to provide personalized advice on how to adopt a holistic approach to skin care. Simple, in partnership with lifestyle destination site PopSugar.com, will also be hosting interactive events in the following cities in 2014:

  • May 17: Boston
  • June 1: Cincinnati
  • June 7: Chicago
  • June 14: Minneapolis
  • June 21: Dallas
  • June 28: San Francisco
  • July 12: Los Angeles

And starting Wednesday, May 21, 2014, Simple Skincare will help its social community members reveal their best skin with the #CitySkinChallenge. From mid-May until early July 2014, @SimpleSkincare will tweet out one holistic skin care "challenge" per day that people can complete, like trying a new yoga pose or cooking a new healthy recipe for a chance to win daily prizes. All challenges can be viewed on Twitter at @SimpleSkincare as well as online at www.simpleskincare.com.

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