Five easy ways to care for your skin before and after a workout

Working out is great, after a run or a good gym sesh we feel energised, fitter and in much better shape than before. The endless health benefits and improvements to our self esteem are excellent, however all that heat and sweat can really wreak havoc on our skin! Follow these simple tips to make sure you’re taking the best care of your skin and avoiding those nasty post workout breakouts.

Go make-up free

Many of us never leave the house without our make-up on, the thought of doing so is nothing short of a nightmare! Problem is, when we get hot the pores on our skin open up to cool us down. Our make-up then sinks in, blocks them and causes our skin to break out. So although you can’t imagine stepping out in a state that feels like you’re basically naked, once you’ve taken the leap once, you’ll honesty start to see the benefits on your skin and wonder why you haven’t done it before!

Protect your skin

Working out outdoors? Once your face is clean, dry and free of make-up, reach for the sun cream. Especially in the warmer weather you may think it’s not hot enough to bother with this step but sun rays know no bounds! Even if your skin doesn’t burn the sun does damage we can’t always see.

Hands off

Touching your face during a workout can transfer dirt from your fingers or gym equipment in to your open pores. Use a towel to dab your brow and make sure your hair is tied up securely to avoid the need to keep sweeping it away from your face.

Wash your face

Making sure you remove all sweat and residual dirt will prevent it from sinking in to your closing pores. So, immediately after your workout, wash your face with a gentle cleanser. Use lukewarm water and finish with a few splashes of cold to help close your clean pores. If this isn’t an option then cleansing wipes will do a similar, if not as thorough, job until you can wash your face properly with water.

Moisturise

Keep your skin moisturised by patting excess water off with a clean towel and allowing the rest to dry naturally. Once it has, delicately apply a light layer of face cream to replenish any lost moisture.

Sophie Cook