It’s no secret that exercise is good for your mental and physical health, but what you might not know is that it’s also excellent for your skin’s health.
A good workout gets your blood pumping, delivering oxygen and nutrients to your skin and giving you that enviable post-workout glow. But while exercise has its benefits, it can also bring skincare challenges like clogged pores, irritation, and sweat-induced breakouts.
We’ll teach you how to properly care for your complexion before, during, and after your workout to enjoy all the benefits of exercise without compromising your skin’s health.
Pre-Workout Skincare Tips
Keep It Clean
Cleansing before you start your workout removes dirt, oil, and makeup that can mix with sweat that leads to blocking your skin pores and sweat glands. However, you should be careful not to over-cleanse or use harsh products that strip your skin’s natural oils, leaving it dry and more vulnerable to irritation.
Look for cleansers with anti-inflammatory ingredients like chamomile, ceramides, niacinamide, and green tea to refresh your skin without over-drying.
A couple cleansers to consider would be CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser or NeoStrata Facial Cleanser PHA 4 to gently cleanse without stripping or making sensitive while working out.
Hydrate Inside and Out
After cleansing, apply a lightweight, non-comedogenic moisturizer rather than heavier creams that can feel suffocating during intense exercise.
If you’re unsure where to start, try a gel-based formula with hyaluronic acid or squalene. The gel absorbs quickly and won’t feel greasy when you start to sweat, while the humectants draw atmospheric moisture into your skin without weighing it down.
Advanced Skin therapeutics Green Tea Cream Triple Action features a light-weight, advanced formula of antioxidants and therapeutic ingredients to improve and correct a wide variety of skin issues while guarding against free-radical damage.
SkinCeuticals Phyto A+ Brightening Treatment is a lightweight moisturizer formulated with 2% alpha arbutin, 3% azelaic acid, and a 5.75% Phyto botanical blend that work together to target key factors of surface imperfections and dullness, while smoothing skin and minimizing the appearance of pores and visibly reducing excess oil.
Adjust Your SPF as Needed
Depending on the length and location of your workout—think hiking, sunrise yoga, or swimming in an outdoor pool—you’ll need to adjust your approach to sunscreen application.
Of course, SPF should be part of your routine, regardless of where you’re exercising. But when planning to be outside, you’ll want to wear something sweat- and water-resistant with at least SPF 30.
Apply it liberally to all exposed areas, including those commonly missed like your ears and hands. Reapply every two hours, especially if you’re sweating heavily or spending time in direct sunlight.
If your workout takes you to the pool or beach, you’ll want a sunscreen labeled specifically for water resistance. Apply it generously, and reapply immediately after swimming or towel drying.
The Kinesys line is designed for active lifestyles. Its gentle, effective formula is free of the Top nine Allergens, and the easy spray applicator makes it convenient for tossing in your gym bag.
Mid-Workout Skincare Tips
Hands Off!
When your body warms up, your skin softens, causing your pores to dilate and making it easier for sweat, oil, and bacteria to get trapped. Compound that with all the debris transfer when using shared gym equipment. This combination of factors creates the perfect storm for breakouts if you have a bad habit of touching your face while feeling the burn.
Instead, keep a clean towel on hand to gently dab at your skin. Better yet, wear a moisture-wicking headband to prevent sweat from dripping in the first place.
How You Wear Your Hair Matters
Haircare might not immediately come to mind when thinking about skincare, but how you style your hair during a workout can make or break your complexion. Letting your bangs sit on your forehead, for example, allows oil and hair products to migrate from your strands to your skin. The same goes for too-tight ponytails and headbands, which trap moisture and create friction along the hairline, an area particularly prone to sweat-induced acne.
Wear looser, more breathable hairstyles to minimize the chances of a post-barre breakout. Low buns and braids can keep hair out of your face without creating unnecessary tension. And if you prefer headbands, switch to moisture-wicking materials that draw sweat away from your skin.
Post-Workout Skincare Tips
Give Your Skin a Fresh Slate
Once you’ve completed your last rep, refresh your complexion with another round of gentle cleansing to wash away all the impurities. Your skin is already in a delicate state because your body increases blood circulation for more efficient cooling, so it’s essential to avoid exfoliating. The goal is to wash off the sweat and sebum buildup immediately.
If a sink is unavailable, micellar water or products like CeraVe’s Hydrating Makeup Removing Plant-Based Wipes will work in a pinch. Still, they should only temporarily tide you over until you get a proper wash.
Replenish Your Surface Moisture
Next, you’ll need to restore your skin’s hydration, which it has lost through sweating, especially if it feels tight and dry.
For your face, choose a targeted serum like SkinCeuticals Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier Multi-Glycan. This serum acts like a sponge, drawing water from the air and restoring your skin’s natural plumpness.
After an outdoor workout, opt for antioxidants like vitamin C—we love SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic® with 15% L-Ascorbic Acid—to neutralize free radicals and maintain that post-exercise glow.
If you’re prone to redness or sensitivity, SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel lowers your skin’s temperature by 5 degrees immediately after application while soothing ingredients like thyme and cucumber soothe away inflammation.
Whichever serum you choose, follow up with a lightweight moisturizer to seal in the serum’s benefits and keep your complexion dewy and fresh.
Ditch the Sweaty Clothes and Shower
Your skin has work to do after a hard workout, particularly when rebalancing your moisture levels and cooling off your body. Letting sweaty, tight-fitting clothes linger on your skin disrupts that process by locking in heat and oil close to the surface, which increases the risk of body acne and chafing.
Ideally, you’d shower immediately with an antibacterial, anti-inflammatory product like CLn BodyWash and CLn Healthy Scalp shampoo. Both provide impressive cleansing power but without leaving your skin feeling even more stripped of moisture, all while washing away the bacteria that can cause body acne, dandruff, and folliculitis.
After you shower, apply a hydrating body lotion or cream to lock in moisture while your skin is slightly damp. CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion has everything your skin craves, including ceramides and hyaluronic acid to restore the natural lipids in your skin barrier. Alternatively, apply CeraVe SA Cream or CeraVe SA Lotion for hydration and exfoliation in one.
If that’s not an option, you should at least change into something clean, dry, and breathable until you’re ready for a full-body cleanse.
Shop AST for Skincare Products That Work as Hard as You DO
Your skin deserves the same dedication you bring to your workout. At Advanced Skin Therapeutics, we specialize in curating skincare solutions tailored to your needs and lifestyle. We’d love for you to stop by for some expert advice! You can also shop for the products recommended throughout the article by visiting our online store.
