Sometimes, that post-workout “glow” doesn’t exactly live up to expectations. Instead of a healthy flush, we end up completely red in the face, complete with irritated skin and pores.
Exercising does more than just burn calories and build muscle. As our heart rate goes up, more blood flow goes to our muscles. Our capillaries expand to carry needed oxygen throughout our bodies, which leads to that tell-tale flush in our face.
When our blood vessels dilate to carry more blood (read: more heat) near the skin’s surface, it’s actually activating our natural way of cooling off a.k.a. sweating. So between sweat evaporating (read: moisture evaporating) and jumbo capillaries, no wonder we’re all red in the face!
Luckily, we’ve noticed it’s actually our post-workout skincare routine that makes the biggest impact. Our picks are targeted to not only soothe & rehydrate skin to cool us down, but also to control inflammation & irritation for taming excessive redness.
Cleanser
We love this foaming cleanser because it’s combination of aloe vera and tea tree oil leaves skin purified without uncomfortable dryness. Stick to a foaming or lathering cleanser instead of a scrub post-workout because any harsh exfoliants will only exacerbate your skin. Tea tree oil calms any acne flareups, and since sweating causes a lot of moisture to evaporate, the aloe vera acts as the first point of rehydration after a killer sweat session.
Toner
Balancing your skin’s pH level is crucial to help with calming any inflammation. Skin’s ideal pH is 5.5, but in more relatable terms, lower than 5.5 results in redness and breakouts while higher results in dryness and sensitivity. This toner uses tea tree oil and chamomile oil to both keep acne at bay and calm irritated skin - plus it’s formulated with 93% aloe vera extract, so you’re not just getting a bottle of water as a toner.
Essence
After sweeping toner all over the skin, apply a hydrating essence (or serum!) to deliver much needed moisture. This Mizon essence soothes skin with snow algae extract while creating a moisture barrier with hydrasalinol and ceramide. We like to pop our essences and serums into the fridge right before we head out with a workouts - the cold feels ah-mazing after a run!
Moisturizer
Post-workout sweat isn’t problematic only for acne-prone skin. All the sweat can leave your skin dry, and if you’re like us, you’ve experienced tender skin from constantly wiping away your sweat. This lightweight gel cream packs intense moisture without feeling like a mask. Needless to say, we never forget to pack this into our gym bag.
Sheet Mask
If you plan on relaxing after your hot yoga session, apply a sheet mask first! This one from Cremorlab hydrates with algae extract and clarifies with a potent combination of minerals, vitamins and amino acids. Again, make this mask even more enjoyable by chilling it first. Our after gym routine includes a cold sheet mask and a green smoothie at least twice a week.
Go ahead and sign up for that monthly spin class pass, you’ve got this!
