Skincare routines for pre-and post-workout

Is a good, sweaty workout one of your daily habits?

The status of our overall health and wellness is a reflection of our daily habits, we know this. What we may not know is how intertwined our daily habits are to our skin’s health, and how we should adjust our skincare as we make changes for better health.

For example, committing to working out often is an excellent investment in your health, but you also need to adjust your skincare routine so one commitment doesn’t affect the other.

How does sweating help the skin?

There are many benefits to sweating everyday. Sweating is good for the skin because it helps the body to remove acne-causing toxins. As the body sweats, it carries out harmful toxins away from the body through the skin.

Caring for your skin before and after your workout

Now that we know how sweating serves the body and skin, we can see now how important it is to properly care for your skin before and after sweating.

First rule: Never prolong your skin’s exposure to sweat. You want to remove the sweat from your skin as soon as possible after your workout. Your skincare routine before and after your workout depends on when you choose to exercise. 

Skincare routine for morning workouts:

First, wipe your face down with a  facial sponge right after you wake up and apply sunscreen. Take your travel-sized cleanser with you to the gym if that’s where you workout. Next, after you’ve worked out, wash your face right away with a cleanser and finish the rest of your routine at home if you don’t shower and change at the gym.

Skincare routine for evening/night workouts:

Take your travel-size cleanser and or pre-cleanse with you to the gym. If you’re wearing makeup, cleanse your face first before working out so your makeup doesn’t mix with your sweat and clog your pores.

After you workout, wash your face right away before you leave the gym and finish your routine there or once you get home.

Workout tips for clearer skin:

• Choose a time that you can workout consistently, but I always recommend not working out in the middle of the day to minimize your skin’s sun exposure and so you don’t need to wash your face more than twice a day.

• If your skin is both oily and dry, wash your face with a cleanser with peptide for cleansing after your workout and a moisturizing cleanser for your other daily cleanse. This is so you aren’t stripping the skin of the oil it needs when you cleanse and the skin stays balanced and hydrated.

• Consider buying a “home” and “gym” skincare kit–one you keep at home and one you take with you when you go to the gym. This way you’re always prepared to get your workout in for the day (no excuses!) and properly care for your skin so you’re staying healthy on all fronts.