Photo Credit: thebeautynook on Flickr.com
After sweating it out at the gym, people tend to leave feeling strong, confident and truly happy. Blissfully recognizing their leaner limbs and toned muscles as a job well done, some forget that exercising can be harsh on their skin. While sweating is a sign of hard work, it can also cause irritation and redness, acne flare-ups and clogged pores. With post-workout endorphins rushing, too many gym-goers tend to skip the shower and use their excess energy to move on with their day, leaving bacteria on both their body and skin. Follow these simple tips to make breaking a sweat good for your body and great for your skin.
1. Before the Workout
Working out while wearing makeup is a major skin care offense. It is crucial to prep your skin before exercising by removing any makeup, moisturizer or sunscreen you had on that day so they do not clog your pores. When combined with sweat, those products contribute to breakouts. Prior to working out, you should wash your skin with a mild, non-drying cleanser. If you’re coming straight from the office and don’t wish to scrub your face in the locker room sink, try Simple portable makeup-removing towelettes. Found in drugstores, the UK’s no. 1 bestselling skin care product is light, non-irritating and will remove all the day’s bacteria so you can start your workout fresh.
2. During the Workout
Watch where you put your hands. Workout apparatuses house bacteria, so it’s best to keep your hands off your skin. Introducing that bacteria to the skin can result in new breakouts or spread existing acne.
Wear your accessories correctly. Make sure you are not wearing headbands or bandanas across your forehead. They can cause a backup of oil and perspiration in the pores, resulting in little clogged bumps or breakouts. Use headbands with silicone grips to keep from sliding and push them further behind your hairline.
Replenish fluids. You lose lots of water through perspiration, so make sure to rehydrate your skin by drinking plenty of water before, during and after your workouts.
3. After the Workout
Wash your face immediately exercising! It’s one skin care rule you should never break. Otherwise, dirt, oil and bodily fluids will cling to your skin, affecting its pH balance and clogging your pores. Wipe your face with a towelette like Simple before going home to properly clean up.
4. How to Wash your Face After a Workout
Use a gentle cleanser. Stay away from cleansers that contain sodium laureth sulfate, an ingredient that can overly dry skin. Try an anti-bacterial cleanser with tea tree oil, a cooling gel-based face wash or a gentle milk-based product that contains calming chamomile or lavender extracts. The Rodan and Fields skincare range includes a cleansing mask that has gotten some great reviews lately.
Try tepid water. End with a few splashes of cool (not cold) water. The lower temperature cools your skin and closes your pores, which dilate to help release sweat.
Pat, don’t wipe, your skin dry with a towel. Sometimes toweling off can irritate skin, particularly if your face gets really red when you workout.
Calm your skin down with a face mist or toning spray.
Treat inflammation. If you have sensitive skin, apply a green tea or resveratrol-based gel, serum or light moisturizer to soothe inflammation. Then you can apply sunscreen and makeup.
Save serious treatment products for bedtime. Even normal skin can be more sensitive right after a workout, so wait until any redness dissipates or before you go to bed to use super-active acne or anti-aging treatment products.
