Break a sweat, don't breakout!
When it comes to working out, we all have different preferences—morning, midday, evening, or just whenever we can squeeze it in—but sometimes, deciding when and how we’re supposed to fit in our skincare around our exercise schedule can feel confusing.
When do we quick cleanse? When do we do our full routine? Well, in this episode of Skincare School we cover tips for taking care of your skin no matter when you can find the time to exercise. Because exercise, just like skincare, requires consistency to produce real results.
If you're into morning workouts...
- Before: Throw on some SPF (especially if you're headed outside).
- After: Cleanse your face and do your normal morning routine.
If your prefer mid-day or afternoon workouts...
Complete your usual morning routine when you wake up.
- Before: If you struggle with breakouts, be sure to remove any and all makeup.
- After: Cleanse again. Then apply moisturizer and SPF to nourish and protect until your full evening routine.
*Don't forget...during any of these additional daytime cleanses, be sure to use a gentle cleanser—like Papaya Enzyme Cleanser, micellar water, or a cleansing balm—so you don’t over exfoliate or dry out your skin!
Finally, if evening workouts are your thing...
- Before: Remove makeup prior to working out, especially if you're breakout-prone.
- After: Cleanse your face as soon as possible if your prone to breakouts (this is the perfect time to double cleanse!) and follow up with your normal nighttime routine.
Additional Ways Workouts Can Affect Your Skin
The Good:
- Increased blood flow supplies oxygen and nutrients to the skin, which promotes collagen production and new cell growth. You can do this through exercise or facial massage/rollers.
- Sweating is a natural way to clear impurities from pores.
- Exercise can help with stress management, which can lessen the severity of flare ups for skin conditions like acne and eczema.
- It can aid sleep regulation, and better sleep can help with dark circles! Getting enough sleep also allows maximizes the time your skin has to naturally regenerate and repair itself.
The Bad:
- Wearing makeup during a workout can prevent the release of sweat, which can clog pores and lead to breakouts.
- Like mentioned above, removing all makeup is key, and cleanse again and/or shower quickly after. Products with salicylic acid (found in Toning Pads + Toning Pads II) are also great for deep cleaning pores post-sweat.
- Communal towels and equipment can harbor bacteria. Public towels can also cause irritation depending on texture or detergent used.
- Use only clean towels from public places and gently pat your face dry during + after sweating.
- Basically, bring your own towel if possible. (We're for sure looking at you, sensitive skin sufferers!)
- Disinfect equipment, from yoga mats to treadmills, to avoid spreading bacteria from surfaces to your skin.
- On that note, avoid touching your face as much as possible. Period! Think about all the things your hands touch, then think about all that oil, dirt, and germs moving to your face. Yikes.
The "Who Knew?":
- If you're prone to breakouts on your body, throw Glow Peel Pads in your gym bag and use on your body after working out. This can help prevent Keratosis Pilaris (KP) bumps on your upper arms and acne on your upper body, especially that sports bra area that loves to hold in sweat. In fact, change out of sweaty clothes as soon as possible to prevent bacteria from sitting in pores and causing flare ups.
- The heat in any hot classes (i.e. hot yoga, hot HIIT, hot barre, etc.) can increase dark spots/melasma/hyperpigmentation.
- Same goes for saunas and steam rooms, so you may want to use sparingly or avoid altogether if this is a primary skin concern.
- Exercise can be a trigger for some people with rosacea (increased blood flow can increase redness).
- Do you often need to muster up the energy to workout but find yourself breaking out after an energy drink?! Your skin may not be a fan of the excess B12! Cut back or skip them completely to see if it helps clear things up.
- Additionally, diet goes hand-in-hand with working out. Studies show high sugar consumption can decrease collagen and elastin production (hello, fine lines and wrinkles) and increase breakouts.
