Skincare tips for Fit Girls
While working out on the regular is super beneficial for your health, not caring for your skin properly can lead to increased breakouts. We definitely want to prevent this from happening since you deserve glowing skin to match your killer body! Here are some skincare tips for before, during, and after exercising to help minimize any imperfections due to your workouts.
Prep your face before your workout
- Clean your face. This applies whether you're wearing makeup or not. We know it's tempting to run home, grab your gym clothes and go without wasting any extra time, but breaking a sweat with a face full of makeup can cause excess moisture buildup and can trap bacteria in your pores. Did you know that pores enlarge when you work out? This means that they are even more vulnerable to being clogged by any makeup you might be wearing. Even if your face feels fresh and product-free, make sure to splash some water on it or use a light cleanser to ensure that any potential cloggers are washed away.
- Go easy on the hair products. When you sweat, hair products containing heavy moisturizers are likely to drip down onto your face which can cause breakouts around your hairline. This means that, if you can, stay away from leave-in conditioners or hair masks on your heavy workout days. If you must use these products (some us have frizz that just needs to be tamed on the daily), make sure you wear a tight headband or use a sweat band to keep as much sweat from dripping as possible.
- Outdoor workouts: Protect your skin from the sun. If your workout takes place outdoors, make sure to use a moisturizer with around SPF 30. However, try to use a lightweight oil-free product rather than a heavy one, as this plus your sweat could lead to a bad breakout.
Steer clear from bacteria during your workout
- Wipe down your equipment. Don't trust others to clean machines after they workout, and make sure to clean your equipment with anti-bacterial wipes before and after you use it. Gym machines are filled with bacteria, and just one quick swipe of your hand on your face during an intense sweat drip could have nasty consequences for your skin. Most importantly, not matter how tired you are on the elliptical machine, focus on your Beyoncé playlist and DO NOT- I repeat DO NOT- rest your face on the machine!
- This also applies to yoga mats! A good rule of thumb is to not put your face anywhere that someone else's sweaty feet have been. Tip: bring a clean towel to the gym to put down on any equipment that could potentially touch your face.
- Drink water. This might sound like an obvious one, but be sure to drink plenty of water; sweating dehydrates you and water rehydrates you, helping to minimise any wrinkles and other skin damage resulting from dehydrated skin.
Post-Workout Care
- Don't wait to wash your face. If you only wash your face once you get home from your workout, you may give any built-up bacteria time to really sink into your skin. Bring your cleanser to the gym and clean your face ASAP to avoid this! Use a gentle, unscented cleanser if you can since your skin tends to be extra sensitive after a heavy sweat session.
- Shower. Another obvious one, but take a few minutes to change out of your gym clothes and wash your body even if you don't feel like you got extremely sweaty. This will help avoid any irritation or body acne that might be caused by bacteria build-up. If you don't have access to a shower soon after your workout, try to at least wipe down the areas where sweat tends to build up most: your chest, back, and stomach.
- Apply some moisturizer. To add nutrients back to your body, use an anti-irritation moisturizer once you are squeaky clean and cooled off.
I hope these tips are helpful for you! You can show off your healthy, glowing skin on Instagram to us by using the hashtag #FITGIRLCODE. Now it's time to go and get extra sweaty, the bacteria has no chance against this fool-proof skincare routine!
