As a daily gym-goer I've noticed that sometimes people's best workouts lead to their worst breakouts! No good deed goes unpunished, right? Well, I've got good news. Hitting the gym or yoga class doesn't need to result in unsightly acne. In fact, I've put together a list of rules for you to follow to prevent your skin from rebelling against your fitness plan.
Shower before hitting the gym.
Yes, you read that right! Contrary to popular belief, it's smarter to cleanse your skin before exercising so the sweat that builds up on your skin is clean. If not, your risk of getting acne (and worse yet, body fungus-yeesh) increases drastically. But, don't exfoliate first! Doing so can seriously irritate your skin, causing redness and sensitivity and no one wants that.
Be SPF Savvy
Of course you slather on the SPF first thing in the morning, right? While this is so important to prevent premature skin aging, it is just as important to choose a lightweight SPF to avoid clogging your pores. When those heavy, greasy SPF's mix with your sweat it creates a perfect environment for a bad breakout. Better yet, remove any makeup, cleanse your face and then apply a lightweight SPF with minimal coverage, like Dermalogica's Sheer Tint, and workout to your heart's desire.
Dress the part.
First things first-please don't let any exposed skin touch gym equipment! This means try to cover up the best you can or lay a clean towel down on any surfaces you come in contact with to avoid skin to equipment exposure and please, never let your face touch a yoga mat. Why? A lot of people used the equipment and yoga mats before you! Sadly, not everyone cleans the equipment after using it. If you don't follow these two simple rules you could discover a bad breakout or worse, pick up a skin infection from the lingering germs. Also, if you use a lot of hair products, wear a headband to absorb sweat to minimize hairline breakouts.
Don't rely on sanitizer.
Yes, sanitizing wipes can wipe away some bacteria that cause viruses and colds, however using these wipes on equipment doesn't really help to prevent breakouts. Just as I mentioned above, the best way to keep your skin in-the-clear is to avoid contact with the equipment all together.
Cool down after your cool down!
Wash your face and body post-workout with a gentle cleanser to avoid irritation because your skin is typically much more sensitive after you exercise. Follow with a soothing lotion after you dry off and always remember to exfoliate at least twice a week to keep your skin fresh and glowing.
