If you go to the gym, you need a skincare routine. Why? Especially since your gym bag and training equipment are magnets for all kinds of unhealthy germs, which cause unpleasant skin conditions. A two-minute hot shower after a workout is not enough.
Imagine: you are finishing a session in the gym. You lifted weights, got on a spinning bike, and stretched on a mat. However, your old T-shirt clings to you, is covered in sweat, and if you look around, the others are too. You shower, wipe yourself dry with a still-damp towel, and rush to work, but you still can’t stop sweating.
Does it sound familiar to you? If so, you should implement a post-workout skincare routine. Today we show you five tips to go from a dermatological nightmare to a skin care expert.
Kill bacteria after your workout
A post-workout skincare routine begins during training. Not to be underestimated is the number of people who run their hands through their hair, wipe the sweat off their forehead, and then grab the same weights they are using. A study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found that gym training equipment contains 25 different types of bacteria, including nasty ones like salmonella.
If you use weights, yoga mats, or handle anything else in the gym, it’s obviously not practical to get away from your workout and wash your hands every five minutes. However, you can keep a small bottle of sanitizing gel with your water bottle and a towel, and use it occasionally during and after long gym sessions.
Wear clothes that sweat
Exercising in an old T-shirt is fine when you first start, but while jetting can be good for your ego, it’s terrible for your skin. Wet clothing causes friction, causing skin pain, irritation, and increased body odor, as sweat is trapped against the skin.
However, good sweat-wicking fabrics don’t have this problem, and your choice should contribute to your skincare routine. They are designed to be non-absorbent at all: Instead, sweat moves and pushes through small gaps in the fabric to the outside of the shirt, where it can safely evaporate. The end result is a cleaner and more hygienic workout that is better for the skin.
Nike’s Dri-FIT range is perfect for this, as is Adidas’ Freelift Sport range.
Don’t sweat after your shower
If you’ve ever sat at your desk after an early morning gym session just to feel your shirt darken, you’re not alone. We sweat not only during exertion, but also when our bodies overheat to regulate the temperature. After a demanding workout, getting into a hot shower and then walking into a warm caped office will only make us sweat more than necessary, through our clean clothes, causing all the trouble we were trying to avoid with sweat.
There are a few things we can do to mitigate this. First off, take time to cool off between exercising and showering. Take 10 minutes to stretch (something you should be doing anyway) and cool down after a workout, perhaps doing some gentle yoga poses. Then go to the shower with a warm temperature, which will help you regain the temperature of your body where it should be and avoid post-shower sweats.
Exfoliate yourself
Exfoliation has always been a vital part of a good skincare routine. It may have its detractors, but a study in the journal Functional Plant Science And Biotechnology found that regular peeling ” improves the absorption and retention of moisturizing agents and restores the skin’s natural moisture factor .”
Since your skin has just finished removing a lot of moisture from your body after a workout, a good scrub prepares it to replenish what it loses. It also unclogs the pores, stopping the formation of black spots.
In addition, exfoliation of the skin ” improves the quality and tone of the skin by helping to remove dead skin cells from the surface .” Sweat drops can capture and redistribute dead skin in places you don’t want it to go, like the eyes and mouth, so regular exfoliation is key to ensuring your workout stays sanitary.
Use a dry towel, not a wet one
So you’ve kept your hands clean, chilled before your shower, and exfoliated while you’re there. You go out and grab … your dirty and damp towel that has been living in the bottom of your gym bag for a week! That is no way to end your skincare routine.
Bagged wet towels are a warm, humid climate that will encourage microbial growth. Residents include E. coli and dermatophytes, fungi that contribute to athlete’s foot, and you’re rubbing them all over your face and body. A simple way to solve this problem is to change the towel every time you train, but if you are a five-day gym bunny, you will quickly end up with a mountain of clothes.
To keep your towel in good condition for various uses, go for a quick-drying microfiber one. They are highly absorbent and dry quickly. Just remember to hang it between uses.
