Enrolling yourself at the gym and following a daily or weekly routine is a big feat! You could be bingeing on Netflix shows, potato chips, and cheesy crackers, but instead, you are squatting, lunging, lifting, and getting your sweat on like a boss.

Whether you’re a gym enthusiast, a yoga buff, or a marathon-lover, take some time for a skincare routine that complements your sweat sesh. A workout-proof skincare routine will surely enhance your post-workout glow––here are our top 10 skin tips for before, during, and after your workouts.

 

Skincare Tips to Follow Before a Workout

#1 – Cleanse Your Face

You’ve made it through the doors of your gym, put on your sweat clothes, and are about to hop on to the treadmill. It feels like an accomplishment already – we get it, but wait.

Your face is covered in pollutants, dirt, sebum, and possibly makeup. Sweat will start trickling down your face soon and it’ll all mix with the pre-existing substance on your face. In other words, a breeding ground for thriving bacteria and clogged pores.

The solution? Throw in a pack of face wipes in your gym bag. Spend an extra minute in the locker room and wipe your face clean, pre-workout.

#2 – Toner It Down

This is especially for those who have oily or acne-prone skin. A splash of toner will ensure that there’s absolutely no hint of makeup or dirt lingering around on your skin.

Additionally, its calming properties will keep that post-workout red skin at bay.

#3 – Moisturise, Ofc

Dehydrated skin is an unhappy one. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, even oily, greasy, and sweaty skin needs a moisturiser.

Water-based moisturisers are great for your pre-workout skin. They’re light and help retain the existing moisture in your skin.

Congratulations, you are now gym-ready!

Skincare Tips to During a Workout

#4 – Hair and Hands, Off Your Face

Touching the face while working out is one of the most common skincare mistakes.

It leads to a seamless transfer of germs and bacteria from the machines to the hands to the face. So, keep your hands away.

Additionally, if you’re a hair junkie, pull your strands back and keep your face hair-free. Your Bob Marley guise might be uber cool, but save it for later 😉

#5 – Avoid Towel Troubles

Now let’s face it– gyms are storehouses of sweat and thus, bacteria. A lot of them are nice enough to provide towels for their clients to use, but urgh, think about it. We are completely unaware of the places that towel has been…

To avoid the nasties, bring your own towel. As a tip, do not use one of those thick and fluffy towels– like the ones provided at hotels. They have the tendency to carry more bacteria.

Lastly, it might be your own sweat you’re dealing with in this case, but that doesn’t make it any better. Make sure you wash your sweat-laden towel regularly.

Skincare Tips to Follow After a Workout

#6 – Cleanse, Again

Your heart’s pumping, and all those endorphins! It’s wonderful to think of all the toxins and impurities your body has released as you exercise.

And the post-workout drill will sound familiar. Let’s not think of the layer of bacteria that sits on dirty skin, and instead do a quick wash-up that will go a long way in keeping your skin clean after a workout.

However, make sure you know how to wash your face properly. For instance, steaming hot water and dirty hands are a big no.

#7 – Get Out of Those Clothes

While it’s tempting to wait to change until you get home, it might not be the best idea. Let your skin breathe and get out of your dirty gym clothes ASAP, and we mean it.

#8 – Be Gentle

In all probabilities, your pores are the most vulnerable and open after a workout session. To avoid irritability, don’t go scrubbing your skin away. Additionally, avoid showering with steaming hot water.

#9 – Hydrate

Remember all those times that you’ve been dying to reach for your water bottle after a tiring workout? Right, that’s about every day.

Your skin feels the same. After having lost all that water and salts, it’s asking to be hydrated. If you can’t find a moisturiser that works well for your skin, give personalised skincare a try.

#10 – Say Goodbye to Redness

If you leave your gym looking like a ripe tomato, don’t worry. Most of the time, this is a good sign – post-workout skin redness is attributed to increased blood circulation. Now, you may be off to a dinner date and the last thing you want to look is flushed.

To calm your skin down, try using products that are infused with soothing ingredients like chamomile. For a more natural solution, apply aloe-vera gel to flushed areas.

That’s about all it takes to make your skin love the fitness fanatic in you! We’d also recommend for you to take our free skin assessment, to find out the clean, active ingredients that are best suited for your skin, fitness lifestyle and environment. Happy sweating!

About the Author

Tends to think in bullet points, tables and Venn diagrams; believes in 'me-time' and sometimes talks to plants.

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