Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Hey there, beauties and fellow fitness enthusiasts! Let’s dive into something essential: your post workout skincare routine. You all know I’ve been on a weight loss journey for the past year and a half, which has meant attending kettlebell classes, walking, and hitting a yoga mat 3-4 times a week. Not only has this routine worked wonders for my physical health, but it’s also been an absolute game-changer for my mental well-being and skin health.
While breaking a sweat is fantastic for your overall health, it can wreak havoc on your skin if you don’t give it the tender loving care it deserves post-workout.
But fear not, because I’ve got your back (and your face)! I’m here to share the must-know tips for creating a solid post workout skincare routine and ensuring your skin gets the pampering it needs after those sweaty sessions.
THE PURPOSE OF MY POST WORKOUT SKINCARE ROUTINE
After my workouts, my skincare routine serves two key purposes: (1) to restore my skin to its clean, refreshed state, and (2) to cool it down and maintain its calmness, especially when it’s been exposed to excess heat and bacteria.
While sweat is a sign of a productive workout, it’s no friend to our skin. The moisture created by sweat becomes a breeding ground for bacteria and yeast, potentially leading to clogged pores, skin irritation, acne flare-ups, and even eczema flare-ups if left unaddressed.
Keeping this in mind, here are some indispensable steps in my post workout skincare routine.
POST WORKOUT SKINCARE ROUTINE STEPS
1. Ditch Your Clothes
While we’re all about sleek and stylish workout outfits, like snug leggings and compression tops that keep everything in place, they might not be the best for your skin. Tight, moisture-wicking fabrics often lack breath-ability, trapping sweat, oil, and dead skin against your body for prolonged periods, creating an ideal breeding ground for post workout breakouts. So, as soon as you’re done sweating it out, try to get out of those tight clothes and give your skin some room to breathe.
MY FAVORITE WORKOUT SETS:
2. Wash Your Face ASAP
Seriously, wash your face as soon as you’re done working out. We want to remove sweat, debris, and dirt that could do damage to pores if its left on your skin for too long. Personally, I reach for a gentle gel cleanser or a cleanser with enzymes after post workout. These formulas gently yet thoroughly cleanse and dislodge the pores from debris, sweat, and oil to prevent breakouts.
But hold off on the vigorous scrubbing, please. Your skin is delicate, especially post-workout, and a harsh exfoliant can cause microabrasions. And to ensure you’re not reintroducing bacteria to your skin, use a disposable face towel. You know that not using a clean washcloth on your face can be an unlikely culprit for breakouts in your skincare routine.
MY FAVORITE CLEANSERS & CLEANSING TOWELS:
3. Apply a Soothing, Hydrating Serum
Now its time to focus on replenishing and calming the skin, reducing any redness that may have crept up. I swear by a hydrating serum post-workout to hydrate my dehydrated skin and restore its natural radiance. My stash includes a couple of trusty hyaluronic acid serums that I apply before moisturizing. Lately, I’ve also been revisiting the Bioeffect EGF Serum quite a bit. It’s packed with epidermal growth factors, vegan proteins that kickstart cell turnover and nurture the skin’s healing process, leaving you with a rejuvenated complexion.
MY FAVORITE HYDRATING SERUMS:
4. Sun Protection is Non-Negotiable
If you’re going outside, whether it’s for another round of outdoor exercise, a gym class, or just to run errands, don’t forget your sunscreen. This step is practically the cornerstone of my pre workout skincare routine.
Dermatologists are unanimous on this: sunscreen is your skin’s best defense against UV damage, which can prematurely age your skin by breaking down collagen, the protein responsible for maintaining its youthful elasticity and smoothness.
Whether you work out in the morning or evening, make SPF application a non-negotiable step in your skincare routine. If you’re hitting the gym in the morning, follow up your post-workout skincare routine with SPF. If you’re working out in the evening, save the SPF for later and stick to your usual nighttime skincare routine after working out.
MY FAVORITE BROWN SKIN FRIENDLY SUNSCREENS:
5. Don’t Forget About Your Body
Let’s talk about something we often overlook: back acne, aka “bacne”.
There’s so much bacteria in gym facilities! With all the bacteria lurking in gyms, it’s no wonder our backs can act up. I learned this the hard way when I started noticing breakouts after my kettlebell classes. My commute home didn’t help either—it’s a good 25-minute ride on the subway with sweat clinging to my back.
Enter Prequel’s Universal Skin Solution—a lifesaver for post-gym skincare. This hypochlorous spray purifies, calms, and soothes reactive, sensitized, or compromised skin, helping to prevent those pesky post-workout breakouts.
I also like to incorporate body cleansers with mild exfoliants like mandelic, lactic, or salicylic acid into my routine to gently keep breakouts at bay.
For more body skincare tips, visit my Body Skincare Routine blog post here.
MY FAVORITE BODY CLEANSERS & SPRAYS:
EXTRA CREDIT: Incorporate Some LED
LED therapy is a game-changer when it comes to tackling inflammation and boosting collagen production. And let’s face it—after a sweat session, especially in the midst of all that gym or studio bacteria, or even just braving the elements outdoors, our skin could use some extra TLC.
That’s where incorporating an LED mask into your skincare routine comes in handy. Curious about the benefits of LED therapy? Dive into the details in my dedicated blog post here.
Personally, my go-to is the Currentbody LED Face Mask. It’s been a game-changer in keeping irritation and eczema flare-ups at bay, leaving my skin feeling rejuvenated and refreshed after every use. Get 15% off using my code BEAUTYINCOLOR.
MY GO-TO LED MASK:
BOTTOMLINE: YOU NEED A POST WORKOUT SKINCARE ROUTINE
Taking care of your skin post-workout is as important as nailing that last rep or conquering that final yoga pose. By implementing a tailored post workout skincare routine, you support your skin’s health and enhance your overall well-being. Remember, sweat may be the badge of a good workout, but it shouldn’t be the bane of your skin’s existence. So, prioritize your skin post-exercise. Your skin will thank you with a radiant, glowing complexion that mirrors the strength and vitality cultivated through your fitness journey.
Do you have a post workout skincare routine? Let me know if I missed any good post workout skincare tips below.
