Pre-workout and Post-workout Skincare
A Good Skincare Routine Provides for Healthier Skin!
Most of us are very diligent with washing our face in the morning when we wake up and at night before we go to bed. However, we tend to not think about taking care of our skin before and after a workout session. In fact, proper skincare done pre- and post-workout noticeably improves mood and performance. Moreover, individuals who suffer from inflammatory skin conditions reduce the likelihood of flares with proper skincare routine. Read more below.
Pre-Workout Skincare
During everyday life, each organ of the body performs certain functions. Together the organs allow the body as a whole to accomplish an objective. For instance, the skin, which ranks as the largest human organ, serves many purposes including protection, heat regulation, secretion, excretion, sensation and absorption.
Take a workout session, for example, the skin helps to protect the body against harmful elements (ultraviolet light, organisms, trauma, etc.). In addition, the skin also regulates the body temperature through secretion of fluid via sweat glands. Therefore, try to at least cleanse the face and neck very well before working out. Clearing the skin of make-up and rich skincare products allows the skin to breathe. Clean skin facilitates the secretion of sweat which allow for better control of body temperature. Moreover, opened pores decrease the buildups of oil, dead cells and bacteria which can create a perfect environment for inflammatory conditions such as acne and rosacea.
The bottom-line is to use a gentle cleanser to keep the skin fresh with the right levels of hydration.
Post-Workout Skincare
If cleansing the skin with a gentle cleanser makes sense for pre-workout, then the same principle definitely applies after an exercise session. The evaporated sweat leaves behind waste residues that can intermixed with bacteria and oil creating the perfect condition to irritate the skin. Therefore, washing the skin as soon as possible is an integral part of any post-workout routine.
At minimum, use a gentle cleanser and lukewarm water to wash the face and neck even if time does not allow for a full shower. Not everybody returns to normal body temperature quickly. For this reason, after cleansing, avoid heavy skincare products so the skin can continue to breath and cool down. In general, the use of skincare products with occlusive ingredients should be avoided.
Instead, use a nourishing serum for relief of redness or dehydration due to sweating. Opt for lightweight products that contain vitamin C or hyaluronic acid in order to protect and moisturize the skin as it recovers from sweating.
