Skin Care
Sweating, heat or even germs on gym equipment can cause spotty outbreaks, red patches, or dry skin. So taking care of your skin during and after a work-out is important. Physical activity raises our body temperature, dilates our blood vessels, and increases our heartbeat. To stop ourselves from overheating, our bodies sweat and our skin reddens. Here are a few quick and easy steps to follow during and after a workout to calm reddened and flushed skin.
Face Mist
You must remember to refresh yourself after a workout to avoid flushed skin and to keep your body temperature down. Invest in a mist so that you can spritz your face whilst you exercise.
Stay hydrated
Drink lots of water before (and after) your work-out! When muscles contract, they emit heat and lose water. They need to be rehydrated. Ditto for our skin, if we don't want it to dry out. So keep your water bottle to hand during and after your work-out, so that your body stays well-hydrated.
Stretch
A good stretch lowers body temperature, cools a flushed face and prevents stiffness. As your heart rate calms, so will your skin!
Pamper your flushed face
Sweating causes water-loss, so treat yourself to a soothing mask designed to calm and deeply moisturise your skin. Opt for sensitive skin products, packed with ultra-soothing ingredients. Products that contain thermal water, zinc, or licorice extracts work a treat on red skin.
For example, you can try the L’Oréal Paris Hydra Fresh Anti-Ox Grape Seed Hydrating Aqua Balm to hydrate your skin. The powerful antioxidants in the Anti-Ox Grape Seed Aqua Balm fights against dryness, dullness and fragility, keeping skin moisturised, resilient, and radiant.
Alternatively, you can reduce flushing by misting your face with rose or green tea water or apply some aloe vera gel for its refreshing, calming, anti-inflammatory action.
Chill out
Cold lowers skin temperature, so place a cool, wet flannel on your face for a few minutes to de-flush your complexion. If you can bear the freeze, wrap some ice cubes in a towel and press it on your neck. You can also replace ice cubes with a bottle of ice-cold water if you need to. It'll cool the blood that reaches your face and stop flushing in it tracks!
Even though sweating is a good way to flush out the toxins from your skin, leaving your flushed and sweaty skin as it is after a workout can cause you to breakout and can also irritate your skin. Follow the simple tips mentioned above to care for your skin while you stay active and healthy.