Post-Workout Skincare Hacks

Forgoing the shower after your workout isn’t just a problematic for basic hygiene, it has ramifications for your skin too. That’s because the build-up of sweat, dirt, oil and makeup residue sitting on the surface of your skin can quickly clog pores, leading to inflammation and breakouts; if you enjoy working out outside then you can also add environmental pollutants to the mix, which can accelerate skin ageing and exacerbate lines and wrinkles. Follow our tips for the post-workout skincare routine you need to follow.

Cleanse your skin

In case you don’t already, always make sure you wash your face right after you’ve finished a session. Even if you don’t feel like you’ve broken a major sweat, your skin will have accumulated extra oil, grime and pollutants - especially if you’ve been swimming or running outside – and washing is the only sure-fire way to get rid of it.

Choose your cleanser carefully 

Working up a sweat during exercise can often make skin feel more sensitive, so always ensure you’re cleansing using the gentlest most effective cleanser you can. Stay away from drying, stripping formulations that contain sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate and look for formulas that will nourish and hydrate skin as well as cleaning it thoroughly.

Opt for cool water 

Sweating causes your pores to open so make sure you wash your face using cool or tepid water. Not only will it help cool you down, if you’re feeling the heat, it’ll help your pores to close too. 

Forget the scrubs

Post-workout skin is more delicate than at any other time so avoid scrubbing at your skin with a physical, granular exfoliator and save exfoliating acids for later.

Use a mist

If your skin is prone to redness while you exercise, you might want to use a mist to help cool you down afterwards. As well as imbuing your skin with moisture, many of them have added skincare benefits which can help deal with breakouts and irritation as well.

Avoid active skincare

Whilst adding a layer of moisturiser or serum after you cleanse is a great idea to nurture and soothe skin, avoid applying anything too active such as vitamin C or retinol. Even normal skin can be left feeling sensitised and irritated after a workout session so hard-hitting actives are best applied once skin has reverted to normal.