Getting regular exercise is great for your mind, body, and skin! Here are a few skin care tips you should keep in mind before, during, and after you exercise for a glowing, healthy complexion.
1. Adjust Your Skin Care Routine Based on When You Work Out
You will need to slightly adjust your skin care routine, depending on whether you usually work out in the morning, afternoon, or evening.
If you work out in the morning:
There’s no need to wash your face, unless you are an oily skin type. Instead, just use a little GCP Pre and Post Procedure cleanser to protect your skin and hands from gym bacteria, and then cover your skin with SPF.
After your morning workout, shower as soon as possible, and then apply your prescribed morning skin care regimen, which corresponds to your Baumann Skin Type®.
If you work out in the afternoon:
Follow your normal morning skin care regimen in the morning. Before you work out, completely wash your face with a foaming cleanser to remove all makeup. Then apply SPF 50+ if planning to work out outside. (sunscreen feels heavy and can sting eyes so it is ok to skip it during indoor exercise).
After you exercise, shower and wash your body with a foaming cleasner to remove sweat and oil and follow with an antibacterial cleanser such as GCP Pre and Post Procedure cleanser. Wash your face with the cleanser in your evening face regimen and then follow the rest of your morning regimen, other than the cleanser choice. At night, follow your full evening skin care regimen.
If you work out at night:
Follow your normal morning regimen. Before you work out, completely wash your face with a foaming cleanser to remove all makeup. Apply a light moisturizer like hyaluronic acid based moisturizer. After your workout, shower and follow your evening skin care regimen.
2. Avoid SPF with Avobenzone
Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis is crucial for excellent skin health, no matter which Baumann Skin Type® you are. However, avoid using a sunscreen that contains avobenzone if you are going to exercise and work up a sweat. Avobenzone- also called Parsol- can burn your eyes when you sweat.
Instead, use a physical sunscreen such as EltaMD Physical, which contains zinc oxide instead of chemical SPF ingredients like avobenzone. If you are working out indoors with no sun exposure, it is ok to skip your sunscreen but make sure you apply when you are outside again.
3. Choose a Water-Resistant Sunscreen
If you sweat a lot when you exercise, or if you are swimming, choose a water-resistant sunscreen. I like the SkinCeuticals Sport UV Defense SPF and the Obagi Sunshield SPF.
4. Try GCP Pre and Post Procedure Cleanser If You Get a Rash
If you get a rash on your backside from your leggings, try GCP Pre and Post Procedure cleanser. I have seen this rash a lot lately with Lululemon leggings in particular. If the rash is not better after a week of using GCP cleanser, see a board-certified dermatologist. You might have a fungal infection called pityrosporum folliculitis, which requires an oral antifungal medication.
To prevent this rash from happening again in the future, change your workout clothes immediately after exercising. If you cannot change out of your wet clothes immediately, you can cover your skin with GCP cleanser before working out to help prevent bacterial growth.
5. Rinse off Chlorine Immediately
If you are a swimmer, rinse the chlorine off your skin immediately after getting out of the water, and then apply a barrier repair moisturizer to prevent damage to your skin’s protective barrier. I like Zerafite Barrier Repair Moisturizer.
6. Spritz on Element 47
You can spray Element 47 Skin Fortifying Mist on your skin to help prevent bacteria and fungal infections. You can also spray it under your arms and put it on your feet to kill odor-causing bacteria. (You could also use GCP Pre and Post Procedure cleanser for this.)
7. Bring Your Own Towel
If you have sensitive skin, bring your own towel to the gym so you do not react to the detergents that may have been used to launder the ones that are provided there.
8. Bring Your Own Mat
Similarly, if you have a lot of skin allergies, bring your own mat to yoga, pilates, or other workout sessions, because the mat cleansers have all kinds of allergens in them.
Bottom Line
If you are going to make working out one of your New Year’s resolutions (which is a great idea!), make sure you also adopt these skin care resolutions so you don’t throw your skin off balance with your new exercise regimen.
For more skin care tips and tricks from Dr. Leslie Baumann, follow Baumann Cosmetic on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Wishing you great skin and happy holidays!
©2018 Metabeauty, Inc.