If you know me, you know fitness is a huge part of my lifestyle! Fitness is non-negotiable for me, but so is taking care of my skin! Working out is not only great for your physical and mental health, but it has great benefits for your skin too! Let me tell you, working out helps maintain youthful skin. When we exercise, it improves our oxygen to the skin, which in turn helps improve skin elasticity. A common question I get is how do you incorporate your skincare routine with workouts? Not only am I going to recommend my favorite pre/post skincare products, but this blog is filled with tons of tips for maintaining healthy skin while working out.
If you work out a lot, chances are you sweat a lot. Maybe you go to the gym and touch equipment. Then there’s the inevitability of touching your face, potentially spreading germs and bacteria (and maybe other people’s sweat) onto your own skin and into your pores. Other factors, like your own hair and even your towel choice, can affect whether you experience breakouts or dryness.
Going to the gym will not destroy your skin so you absolutely don’t have to and should not avoid it. Working out should be part of everyone’s life and it is healthy for the skin to sweat. We just have to know the right way to care for it before and after. There are a few things to keep in mind if you love getting your regular sweat sessions in, but also want to keep your complexion clear and healthy.
My Favorite & MUST-HAVE RFA Products Pre/Post Workout
- Gentle Foaming Cleanser
- Mandelic 5% Pads
- Clear & Calm Serum
- HA Peptide Serum
- Tinted Protect or Sheer Protect
Embrace your gym or workout routine, while preserving your skin’s complexion and health through RFA Skincare and these impactful tips:
Skip the makeup when possible
It is always best to workout with a clean face when at all possible. When your body heats up during a workout your pores open and you don’t want makeup settling back into those pores. When you workout, we want your skin to be able to breathe! If you are working out midday or on your lunch break, it is optimal if you can do a quick cleanse and remove makeup with a gentle cleanser before you workout. I suggest our RFA Gentle Foaming Cleanser. You do not need to apply any other products at this time. I would suggest you cleanse, workout, and then we can apply skincare and makeup if applicable afterwards.
If you are someone who is not comfortable going to the gym with a completely bare face, I would suggest using non- comedogenic makeup or my favorite, a tinted moisturizer to give you some nice coverage. RFA Tinted Protect SPF is a great choice for those who do want to throw something on before hitting the gym. If you are an outdoor workout person, make sure you never forget your SPF!
I typically workout first thing in the AM. I do not typically wash my face before I workout because I did my skincare routine right before bed and my skin is still clean. I workout and then cleanse and perform my morning routine after the workout.
Regardless of whether or not you wore makeup during your workout, one thing is for sure and this brings me to my next tip….
ALWAYS cleanse your skin POST workout
It is so important to gently cleanse your skin after a workout. Your skin acquires sweat residue and bacteria during a workout, so whether or not you wear makeup during your workout you need to cleanse your skin clean afterwards. A nice gentle cleanse with RFA Gentle Foaming Cleanser and cool water will also help to cool the skin and reduce heat and redness post workout.
RFA Mandelic 5% Pads are the perfect post workout product to always have in your gym bag. You would use this after your gentle cleanse. The powerful synergy of Mandelic Acid, Lactic Acid, Antioxidants and Niacinamide work together to deliver anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits. From treating acne, regulating oil production, improving skin texture and brightening your complexion, they are a show stopper. Because of the unique blend of key ingredients, these pads are gentle enough for daily use.
If you are able to wash your face immediately, then you would cleanse first and then use the wipe. If you don’t have access to wash your face until you get home or for at least 30 mins to an hour, then use a Mandelic Pad immediately post workout. Be sure to use the pad over your entire face, neck and chest. You can even have someone help rub the pad on your back if you’re someone that struggles with “backne”
Topping your skin with our RFA HA Peptide is a great option to maintain hydrated skin, after a sweaty workout or hot yoga! Hydration is vital to our skin health. HA Peptide is going to give your skin that big drink of water it needs post workout! And of course, don’t forget to drink your water.
Bring your own gym towel
There is such a thing as the perfect gym towel. If you sweat a lot, this one is a must. Yes, some gyms do provide towels but we can’t be sure they are clean or that your skin won’t react to the type of detergent they use. I don’t recommend a super fluffy type towel because those tend to hold on to bacteria more easily. Instead, I recommend a medium thickness towel without a ton of nooks and crannies that can hold bacteria. I recommend cleaning your gym towel after every workout sesh.
Do not touch or pick at your face
This one is very important! This applies to everyday skincare, but especially when we are talking about gym and fitness. The gym is full of sweat, debris, and bacteria. If you are touching a workout machine or weights and then touching your face, you are spreading bacteria to your skin. Try your best to create a habit of not touching your face during a workout. Keeping your hair out of your face is just as important—strands falling in your face can carry product residue, oil, and bacteria, which can transfer to your skin and lead to breakouts. Our RFA hats are the perfect addition to your workout routine to help keep hair off your face in the cutest way! They are super durable and water resistant. Once you finish, immediately wash your hands, and then cleanse your skin and/or apply your Clear & Calm Serum to clean your skin.
Calm Inflamed, Red Skin
If you are someone who gets extremely red or flushed post workout try this trick, suck on an ice cube post workout! The nerve endings in the hard palate (the upper part of your mouth) directly affect the blood vessels in your face – the cold from the ice cube sends a message through the nerve endings that the vessels in your face need to constrict, thus decreasing the redness. Another great RFA Product to keep in your gym bag is Clear & Calm Serum. This is a powerful serum featuring medical-grade botanicals like Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel, Willowbark Extract, and Green Tea. The properties of these ingredients clears inflammation, irritation and breakouts.
Now, go get your sweat on and keep these fitness focused skin care tips in mind!
XO-
Racquel
