Post-Workout Skincare Routine Tips

It’s common knowledge that regularly exercising is so important for human health. Not only does this keep the body in shape physically, but exercise plays a big role in supporting mental health too.

Of course, working out is great for your skin too. It boosts circulation, encourages the removal of toxins, reduces the appearance of aging, and more. The only downside is the sweat and dirt that covers the skin once you’re done exercising. This is why it’s crucial to have a good post-workout skincare routine in place. If yours could do with a bit of improvement, read on as Lionesse shares some top tips:

Cleanse Your Face Immediately After Working Out

The biggest skin problem that people face after working out is the excess sweat that lingers on the skin. This becomes even more of an issue when it mixes with the dirt, dust, and bacteria that the skin tends to pick up while you’re exercising. Allow all of this to linger and it won’t be long before your pores end up clogged. This then means that acne breakouts won’t be far away.

This is why a thorough cleanse should always be your priority once you’ve finished your workout. You’ll need to find a cleanser that’s capable of removing all of these impurities but without irritating your skin, just like the Lionesse White Pearl Facial Cleanser. 

What should you do if you’ve been exercising outside and aren’t able to use a cleanser as soon as you’re done? Take some facial cleansing wipes with you. Give your skin a quick once-over with these immediately after working out and then follow up with a proper cleanse as soon as you’re able to.

Cleanse Your Body As Soon As Possible, Especially After Swimming

It’s not just your face that needs cleansing after a workout – the skin on your body will also end up covered in sweat and grime. This is why, in addition to cleansing your face after exercising, your body will need the same treatment.

This becomes even more important if your workouts involve swimming. Chlorine is a common skin irritant. Not only can it cause contact dermatitis but it also has a very dehydrating effect on the skin. Ideally, you want to remove any traces of chlorine as soon as possible.

Again, what should you do if you aren’t able to jump into a shower immediately after working out? Follow the same advice as above in terms of giving your body a wipe down with some cleansing wipes. Changing out of your workout clothes into clean and loose alternatives can also be helpful as your clothing will be harboring a large amount of sweat and dirt too. Then, as soon as you can, take a shower and give your body a more thorough cleanse.

Keep Dirty Towels Away From Your Skin

It’s common for people to take a towel with them when they’re working out. They use it to dab away excess sweat during their workout. They then often use that same towel to dry their face and body after cleansing/showering.

However, there’s a problem with this. As soon as your towel touches sweaty skin, a large amount of that sweat then ends up on the towel. After all, soaking up sweat is one of the benefits of having that towel to hand. So far, no issues, but when you then go and use that sweat-soaked towel on your freshly cleansed skin, you’re only going to end up transferring all of that sweat and dirt back onto your clean complexion. This quickly counters the benefits of a post-workout cleanse, meaning that you would need to start your skincare routine all over again.

If this is a habit that you’ve fallen into, it’s time to start packing more than one towel. Delegate one to be used during your workout and another one for post-workout use. This way, you’ll always have a clean towel to turn to after your post-workout cleanse, which will keep your skin looking so much healthier!

Skip the Exfoliator

Although there’s no denying the multiple skin benefits of regular exercise, there’s also no getting away from the fact that a workout can often leave the skin more vulnerable to irritation. This is down to a few different factors, from the extra sweat on your skin to the fact that your pore openings will be dilated, allowing more bacteria to enter your skin.

Either way, when your skin is feeling delicate, exfoliation is the last thing that you should be doing. Granted, it will give your skin a much deeper cleanse but it will also likely leave your complexion inflamed.

Instead, skip the exfoliator in your post-workout skincare routine. Go ahead and exfoliate a few hours later, or even the next day, but avoid doing so immediately after exercising.

Consider a Post-Workout Face Mask

One effective way to give your fragile skin some TLC after a workout is with a face mask. As we mentioned above, pore openings tend to dilate after exercise. This means that all of the highly concentrated ingredients in your face mask of choice will be able to make their way into your skin much more efficiently.

The key is in choosing the right mask. As we discussed, the skin can be quite sensitive after a workout. As a result, you don’t want to use anything overly potent that’s going to cause irritation.

A hydrating sheet mask, just like the Lionesse Diamond Rejuvenation Facial and Eye Mask, would be a good alternative. Its short ingredient list minimizes the chances of irritation while the super-hydrating serum that the mask has been soaked in, which contains the likes of hyaluronic acid and algae extract, will instantly quench your skin. 

Soothe Your Complexion With a Toner

Even if you don’t usually use a toner, this is still a very useful product to have in your post-workout skincare routine. Toners are revered for how they rebalance the pH on the skin’s surface – something that exercising, as well as cleansing, can throw off.

Toners are also helpful for soothing the complexion. This will counter the feeling of any post-workout irritation or inflammation. Plus, they’re fantastic for hydrating the skin too, which, as you’ll find out in our next tip, is so important post-workout.

With that said, many toners can be quite drying, so make sure that you pick one that’s capable of doing all of the above. The Lionesse White Pearl Skin Toner is one that definitely meets the mark. It feels so refreshing when applied to the skin and will help to prolong that gorgeous post-workout glow!

Focus on Rehydration

You’re probably aware of how important it is to keep your body hydrated while you’re exercising. All of that sweating that you do means that your body is losing large amounts of water, so replenishing this is crucial.

However, even if you keep pausing for sips of water, the water that you consume internally takes a very long time to reach the outer layers of your skin. If you’re particularly dehydrated, then it’s likely that your skin will receive very little of that water anyway.

This is why topical hydration should be one of the focuses of your post-workout skincare routine. This is best done with a serum, ideally one that contains plenty of humectants. These ingredients, which include the likes of sodium hyaluronate, collagen, glycerin, and peptides, have moisture-binding properties that instantly hydrate the complexion. You’ll find all four of those humectants in the Lionesse Morganite Transforming Serum. It also contains vitamin C and diamond dust to ensure that your skin looks luminescent!

Moisturize Your Face and Body

Now that you’ve hydrated your skin, the next step of your skincare routine should be to lock all of that hydration in with a cream. Lightweight formulas are usually preferable after a workout, with the Lionesse Black Onyx Cream being a great example. This moisturizer feels silky when applied and disappears into the skin quickly, leaving it looking plump and smooth.

Of course, your body will need to be moisturized too. If your skin type is dry, the Lionesse Body Butter won’t let you down. It’s a rich formula infused with shea butter, which leaves the skin feeling supple. It will soften the feeling of dryness, leaving your complexion much smoother to the touch.

Meanwhile, if your skin type is oily and you’re prone to body acne, give the Lionesse Body Cream a try. It isn’t as thick as the body butter, making it perfect for providing a lightweight layer of moisture. Try applying it to your skin while your skin is still damp from the serum that you previously used and you’ll be able to boost your skin’s moisture content even more!

Don’t Forget to Reapply Your SPF

If you work out in the morning or during the day, then, after carrying out the above steps, you’ll need to also reapply your SPF. Hopefully, you were already wearing sunscreen when you started your workout. Now, it will all be cleansed away, so it’s time for a fresh layer.

General recommendations are to go with SPF 30, unless you have very sensitive skin that needs something stronger. Apply a sufficient amount to your face and neck, as well as to any exposed areas of your body. 

Creating a Post-Workout Skincare Routine With Lionesse

If you don’t have a good skincare routine to follow after working out, then it won’t be long before your skin starts to suffer the consequences. Everything from dullness and congestion to acne breakouts will soon start to plague your complexion. However, follow the tips that we’ve shared above and you’ll be able to avoid this, with each workout doing wonders for both your body as well as your skin.

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