A new survey by beauty brand Clarins has revealed the best and worst locations for skin health in the UK, in an analysis of pollution, humidity, temperature, precipitation and wind.

The study, which compared 50 major towns and cities across the UK, shows the best place for skin health is the port city of Sunderland, while the worst is Stevenage in the county of Hertfordshire.

Clarins’ skin experts define skin-healthy air as that which is low in pollutants, humidity, temperature, precipitation and wind. The ratings are defined by a comparative rating between locations.

Sunderland came out top thanks to low levels of skin-damaging features and was closely followed by Newcastle upon Tyne, Royal Leamington Spa and Dundee.

At the other end of the scale, the worst locations for skin health were identified as Stevenage, Luton and Swansea. This is due to the higher levels of pollutants, wind, humidity, temperature and precipitation, all of which interact negatively with the skin and can cause dryness, irritation and the exacerbation of conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

London did not feature in the top ten lists for either best or worst locations.

Marie Schmid, Head of Training, Clarins UK, says: “We know good skin health comes from an array of factors, including the products we use, the foods we eat, the amount of water we ingest and so on. What’s been interesting from a skin health perspective in the pandemic is that while our skin hasn’t been as affected by the outdoor elements, it has been affected by the stresses - and face masks - associated with the pandemic.Looking ahead to a post-lockdown Britain, we’re all excited to get back outdoors and our study reveals the best places to go if you want to give your skin a real treat.

“At the same time, we encourage everyone – regardless of age, gender or ethnicity – to remain vigilant to their skin health and to invest in the right products to keep their skin healthy and happy.”

Full list of best to worst UK towns and cities for skin can be found here.