Anti-pollution is popular in cosmetics; increased pollution negatively affects our skin as it can dehydrate, sensitise, and disturb the regulation of sebum. There are several strategies for preventing the damage that pollution can cause. Biosaccharide Gum-4 forms a non-occlusive film on the skin and hair that acts as a protective barrier against a wide range of pollutants including heavy metals, particulate matter, and carbon particles. It also helps the distribution of UV filters on the skin, leading to a more homogeneous application and improving sun protection. This is a good example of the kind of multifunctionality required by the modern consumer. 


A different strategy is to limit the cellular response to pollution and in doing so, reduce skin damage. Fucoidans (sulphated polysaccharides) occur naturally in the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum, and protect against external aggressors not through forming a barrier on the skin, but by limiting the activation of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) pathway, which is the major biological pathway of the skin’s response to pollutants. The prolonged activation of this pathway leads to numerous deleterious effects: lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, breakdown of the skin barrier, redness, and hyperpigmentation. Ascophyllum nodosum reduces the interaction of pollutants with AhR receptors, and hence, the damage they can cause.20, 21, 22 


source from https://www.personalcaremagazine.com