Clouds of cigarette smoke, endless black coffee, and not one open window… I wonder how Olivia Pope and Joan Harris remain eternally radiant despite the shenanigans of their workplaces.
At least they get excellent eye candy in the form of Don Draper! But for us mere mortals, going to work means killing our complexion one skin cell at a time (and that’s not even counting all that stress).
Unfortunately, though, lounging around on silk-swathed beds is not an option, so let’s get realistic and figure out what to minimize the beauty damage wrought by office spaces.
Frozen? Or fried?
I have yet to work in an office with the perfect temperature—it’s always either too hot or too cold. According to my last admin manager, it’s necessary to dial up the cooling, as all the equipment (computers, servers, lights, etc.) can make a space pretty hot.
On the other hand, some offices (especially mammoth, open-plan ones) are cooled unevenly or inefficiently because of the floor size. The result? Both scenarios suck out all the moisture from your skin, leaving it dry, flaky, and lackluster.
Solution: Carry a refreshing spritzer—make your own with these easy recipes or choose between Avène’s Thermal Spring Water and Tatcha’s Luminous Dewy Skin—to rehydrate the complexion. If the cold air leaves skin feeling dry and tight, the spritzer will add much-needed moisture. And if it’s too warm, it will help you cool down and relieve splotches.
Loser Lights
Aaaaaargh… offices have to have the most horrid lights in existence! According to the European Commission, stark and fluorescent don’t just leave you looking completely washed out but also irritate the skin and make it splotchy. Even that’s not all! Poorly lit workspaces also cause headaches and eye strain, which lead to fine lines and wrinkles.
Solution: Wear SPF 30 every single day—it also protects skin against fluorescent lighting. Consider using an artificial natural light simulator, which produces a combination of wavelengths identical to the sun to make you feel healthy and energized.
Gross Germs
According to research, office surfaces, including desks, printers, phones, and even the walls, are hotbeds of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites (after all, you are working with many minions — some with unfortunate hygiene) that can cause skin irritation and blemishes along with a host of illnesses.
In fact, WebMD claims that our office desks have 400 times more germs than a toilet seat. Yikes!
Solution: Firstly, begin the day by using a disinfecting wipe to wipe down your keyboard, mouse, phone, desktop, photocopier, and other shared office equipment (including door handles). Secondly, wash your hands throughout the day and cleanse your face thoroughly before going to bed.
Finally, to keep your face out of harm’s way, DON’T touch it during working hours—this will minimize the transfer of germs from surface to skin!
Bad, Bad, Bad Beverages
Some working days can only be dealt with through a caffeine haze. Unfortunately, your skin doesn’t agree! That cup of coffee or bottle of soda (offices are notorious for stocking these sugary vices) works as a diuretic and causes dehydration. Which, in turn, leads to dry, scaly skin—not a good look on anyone!
Solution: Instead of hitting the coffee machine, head for the water cooler—this will do wonders for your skin. Better still, keep a 2-litre water bottle on your desk so you can reach out for it frequently. Not a huge fan of water? Dress it up with some slices of lemon or cucumber!
Squinting at Screens
Squinting at your computer screen for 8 hours a day is sure to invite fine lines around your eyes and between the brows. Plus, peering at a computer screen for extended periods can cause your neck muscles to shorten, which results in sagging and the dreaded turkey chin. Yikes!
Solution: Get your eyes tested regularly and wear prescription glasses if necessary. Besides this, dab on a little eye cream in the morning to maintain skin elasticity. Remember to stretch or rotate your neck every hour to tone the muscles. Plus, it won’t hurt to massage a firming cream into your neck and chin before heading to bed.
It’s In the Air
An office’s dry, recycled air can wreak havoc on your skin, causing dryness, flaking, irritation, itching, and more. Air pollutants like tobacco smoke, pollen, and cleaning fumes can also lead to respiratory issues, headaches, nosebleeds, and asthma.
Solution: Keep a humidifier (there are so many uber-cute desktop versions available today) or air filter near your desk. Also, drink lots of water throughout the day to flush out toxins effectively.
Sedentary Seating
Not only is sitting down all day a potential back injury hazard, it can also play havoc with your weight. Your body burns very few calories while sitting down; couple this with snacking at your desk and the results are obvious.
Solution: Keep a stash of healthy snacks (such as nuts and dry fruits) on hand.
Sunny Sins
You might think that you’re safe from the sun while sitting indoors. However, experts say there’s more UV damage in our offices than out of them. This is especially true if you sit near a window, as concentrated exposure to the sun will increase the potential for hyper-pigmentation and age spots.
Solution: Wear SPF 30 daily and reapply it every 3-4 hours, even if you are not putting as much as a dainty toe out of the building.
What’s your workplace like? A beauty boon or a skincare hazard?
Anubha Charan is a powerhouse in the luxury beauty industry, with over 15 years of expertise shaping the global beauty narrative. As the former Beauty Director at Marie Claire, she worked with the magazine's French headquarters to craft cutting-edge beauty content for international audiences.
Anubha's bylines have appeared in some of the world’s most prestigious publications, including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Travel + Leisure, WebMD, and Architectural Digest. She is also the co-author of Paris Bath & Beauty, a Simon & Schuster book on French beauty rituals.
pizza tower says
My workplace is not noisy, but it is quite stuffy because we often close the doors and use air conditioning, which makes my skin dry, so I often use lotion and mineral spray to moisturize my skin.
anubha says
That’s the best solution. Which mists do you use? Would love to know!
dinosaur game says
Your body burns very few calories while sitting down.
anubha says
Absolutely true — that’s why I insist on doing a couple of laps of the office every hour or so!
dordle says
Very good blog. This is a very useful website for those who always want to learn and add interesting knowledge and information.
anubha says
Thank you so much 🙂 What kind of posts do you like the most?
papa's games says
This is such an important point! It’s surprising how much the office environment can affect our skin health.