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We know you’re busy crushing those New Year’s fitness goals, and while workin’ up a sweat is amazing for your body and mind, it can also wreak havoc on your skin. Make 2020 the year you give your skin the love it deserves with HDB’s eight skincare habits to adopt before AND after you get your sweat on.
There are lots of skincare benefits associated with working out. Exercise helps maintain healthy levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol. A high cortisol level can lead to breakouts and can cause the collagen in your skin to break down -- increasing wrinkles and sagging.
Working out actually helps your body produce collagen which helps to keep your skin firm and also gives your skin a hit of oxygenated blood, which is critical for glow-y skin. And while a sweaty workout session can give you an amazing afterglow, it can also trigger breakouts. Makeup, sweat, and dirt can clog pores during a workout -- leading to blackheads and acne on your face and body. Fortunately, by adopting a few pre and post-workout skincare habits, you can keep your skin looking clear and bright. Read on for our best skincare tips for before and after your workout.
Whether it's makeup, dirt, oil buildup, or sweat, anything that sits on the surface of your skin during a workout puts your pores at risk for becoming clogged. The combination of sweat and debris can cause several types of breakouts, including blackheads and white heads. The key is to keep your pores from becoming clogged by washing your face (weather you’re wearing makeup or not!) with a gentle foaming cleanser before your workout.
Anytime you sweat, your pores are wide open -- making your skin a very welcoming environment for dirt, bacteria, and oil to come in. The next time you feel that sweat dripping down your brow in spin class, use a clean towel to wipe it away.
This one is a must. The longer sweat stays on your skin, the higher the chances it will get into your pores and attract things like dead skin cells and bacteria. Washing your face immediately after a workout removes any residue that accumulated during your workout. Use a gentle foaming cleanser to thoroughly cleanse and dislodge any debris, sweat, and oil trapped in your pores.
Working out causes excessive sweating, as well as a buildup of oil, dirt, and bacteria on your skin, all of which can lead to body acne. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on clear skin.
Showering immediately after a sweaty workout with a gentle body wash will remove any acne-causing bacteria and prevent clogged pores.
Showering after a workout is the best way to remove all the gross stuff sitting on your skin after sweating, but we know that sometimes that’s just not possible. If you can’t shower immediately after a workout, use micellar water to wipe down anywhere you have sebaceous oil glands, including your face, neck, chest, and back.
Exfoliation post-gym sesh will do more harm than good. Post-workout skin is especially delicate and prone to micro-abrasions, so using a gentle foaming cleanser instead of a harsh exfoliant is a better option to cleanse your skin.
Sweating during a workout is a great way of ridding your body of toxins and impurities. But it also rids your skin of its natural oils and moisture, leaving it dry and dehydrated. Dry skin increases surface lines as well as dead skin cell build up that can cause pores to clog. Restore your skin’s balance with a hyaluronic moisturizer post-cleansing.
While workout clothes like sports bras and leggings look super cute at your spin class, they aren't great for your skin. Tight materials generally aren't breathable, and can trap oil and dead skin next to your skin for hours and hours, creating the perfect storm for a body breakout. Shed those tight clothes as soon as you possible after working out.
If you have longer hair, keep it pulled up and away from your face during a workout. This helps prevent your hair’s natural oils and any hair products from clogging your pores leading to breakouts. And keep in mind that while headbands can keep oil, sweat, and product residue away from your face, they can also trap sweat that might have acne-inciting ingredients on your forehead. Just another reason to make sure you don’t forget to wash your face post-workout.
A few extra minutes spent on skincare before and after a workout can make all the difference in keeping your skin healthy, hydrated, and breakout-free!
