The Best Tips & Routine for Pre- and Post-Gym Skincare

Body by Bellavana: Our Top Tips + Product Picks for Skin Care When You Work Out

Resolving to hit the weights in 2022 or already a seasoned gym-goer? Don’t forget to build a routine for your skin while you’re at it!

It’s a common misconception that if you’re active or always on-the-go, that you don’t have time for skin care. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, it's when we work up a sweat that we need skin care the most. Without it, your complexion can become a breeding ground for bacteria - leading to breakouts, fungal acne, rashes, skin irritation and more.

Plus, if you think about it, your skin is just like any other part of your body. It deserves your time and commitment to stay in shape. Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered. Here is a step-by-step guide for keeping your skin as fit as the rest of your physique.

What To Do Before You Work Out

For Your Face:

• Take off your makeup - We all know better than to sleep in our makeup, but before your training session is another time when makeup removal is extra important. So that products like foundation don’t end up clogging your pores or contributing to blackheads, we recommend going bare-faced or including cleansing to your pre-workout ritual. Try using a gentle makeup remover such as our Bella Glow Makeup Melt Cleansing Oil.

• Grab a clean disposable face mask - A clean, disposable face mask is ideal to prevent "maskne" or additional breakouts as a result of sweating under your face covering. A best practice might be to keep a pack of spares in your gym bag, so that you’re always prepared.
  
  
• Apply a protective balm for your lips - Whether you workout indoors or outdoors, it’s never a bad idea to hydrate your lips, which can become extra dry and chapped when you're on the move. A simple fix for this is to layer on a little gloss or balm for extra protection.
  
  
• Don’t forget sun care - When running, power walking or playing team sports outside, SPF is a must! Exposure to UV rays can cause a number of issues for your skin - from sun damage and dark spots, to more serious consequences like skin cancer. As a good rule of thumb, we suggest looking for products with an SPF of 30 or more and re-applying every two hours, for as long as you’re outdoors.

For Your Body:

• Choose a looser fit for your workout gear - We all love our cute gym outfits, however, tight fitting clothing can sometimes be the culprit behind body acne because it traps sweat, dirt and bacteria super close to the skin. If you struggle with back breakouts or body acne, consider wearing more loose-fitting layers.

• Take all your essentials to-go - For executing consistent self care, preparedness is key. Another tip we love is to always make sure your bag is well-stocked with everything you need to wash up and change at the gym. To help you out, we created our Bella Travel Bag to be the perfect portable companion. It’s cute, convenient, and will help you stay organized wherever you go.

• Put your hair up - One often overlooked factor in contributing to breakouts is impurities in our hair. Loose hair can easily transfer dirt, oils and bacteria back and forth, leaving unwanted debris on your skin. An easy way to prevent this is with a good hair tie, to keep your hair in place and out of your face.

What To Do While You Work Out

For Your Face:

• No touching! - Guilty of wiping away perspiration with your bare hands? It’s an easy mistake to make when you’re laser-focused on the task at hand. However, touching your face is one of the quickest ways to transfer everything else you’ve touched right on to your skin. So as much as possible, avoid this move at all costs. Instead, try keeping face wipes or a clean gentle cloth nearby, for the times when you absolutely need to towel off.

For Your Body:

• Wipe down ALL equipment - Another invisible breeding ground for bacteria is on shared surfaces. So, to avoid swapping germs and acne-causing bacteria with your fellow gym-goers, always wipe down mats, weight benches, bands, machines and other equipment. A best practice is to do this both before and after you use each item. If you can use your own equipment, that’s even better. But you’ll still want to wipe everything down, to be on the safe side. As an extra layer of protection, you can also carry around a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer. 

What To Do After You Work Out

For Your Face:

• Wash up ASAP - If there’s one tip we can’t stress enough, it’s to wash your face immediately after you finish your routine. This is the best preventive move you can make for happy, healthy skin, so head straight to the sink with your favorite face wash. Our gentle Clarifying Gel Cleanser would be a great option for purifying your skin post-workout, as it helps to break down any unwanted debris and leaves your complexion feeling refreshed.

• Treat with the right serums for your skin - Did you know that skin care products work best when your skin is warmed up? It’s true! When there is more blood supply rushing to the face, your skin likes to soak up extra nourishment, so it’s the perfect time to apply your favorite formulas. Also be sure to follow with a moisturizer to lock in hydration.

• Grab another clean face mask - If you masked up beforehand, there’s a good chance your mask isn’t so clean anymore in the aftermath. Rather than allowing all of the sweat, oils, and bacteria to be transferred back onto your just-cleansed skin, be sure to swap out your face covering for a new disposable one, or a freshly-laundered cloth mask.

• Re-up on sun protection - Even if you worked out indoors, you will still need to protect your skin for the commute home. At this point, any sun protection you might have applied earlier, will have been sweated off or cleansed away, so it’s time to layer up again.

For Your Body:

• Change and hit the showers - It’s great to wash your face after training, but don’t forget about the rest of your skin. As soon as you finish up and change, it’s time to hop in the shower and cleanse all over. If you are acne prone, we recommend an active wash with breakout-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid. Or you could use one of our Cream Body Washes for a gentle, purifying cleanse. We also recommend showering with lukewarm or cooler water to avoid stripping or irritating your skin.
  
  
• Exfoliate a few times weekly - While we don’t need to exfoliate every day, incorporating some all - over exfoliation a few times per week is recommended to prevent a build-up of dead skin, dirt and debris. For this, one of our nourishing body scrubs will work perfectly to promote softer, smoother skin and polish away break-out causing congestion.
  
  
• Replenish lost moisture - When we sweat, our skin tends to lose vital moisture, which can leave it looking dull and feeling dry. The fix for this is to treat your skin to products that are deeply hydrating and nurturing. Some options we love are our Bellavana moisturizing body butters and illuminating oils.

• Shampoo and condition - As we’ve already discussed, hair that isn’t clean can create problems for your skin on contact. While you don’t need to wash your hair every single day, shampooing after a sweat session is always the right idea, to prevent back acne and body breakouts. If you struggle with dry or delicate hair, follow with conditioner and other moisturizing hair care products, and you’ll be good to go.

A Few More Important Tips Before You Go

• Strive for balance in your diet - Because our skin is a reflection of our overall wellness, eating healthy also supports better skin. By paying attention to things like gut health and incorporating lots of nutrient-rich foods, you’ll be providing a boost for your body and your natural radiance factor.
  
  
• Choose clean skin care - Just as we pay a lot of attention to what goes in our body with clean foods, it’s just as important to be mindful of what goes on it. At Bellavana Beauty, we created our products to be free of “junk” skin ingredients, meaning we don’t use those that are hazardous, toxic or questionable in any of our formulas.
  
  
• Apply makeup products afterwards only - If you regularly wear makeup, one way to avoid over-cleansing and irritating your skin is by skipping a full face pre-workout. This will ensure that you’re only having to perform a full cleansing routine afterwards and aren’t stressing your skin with extra scrubbing.
  
  
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate - Lost H2O is hard on the skin, and can leave you feeling extra depleted. As a fix for this, we recommend carrying a water bottle everywhere you go and drinking up often to stay fully hydrated inside and out.
  
  
• Clean clothes only - Whatever you do, don’t get back in those sweaty, dirty clothes or sit in your sports bra all day! Clean, sweat-wicking clothes should always be in your gym back and put on before you move on to the rest of your day.
  
  
• Treat yourself to professional care - If you have the means to visit a facialist, professional treatments are great for deep cleaning, extra moisture and troubleshooting struggling skin. However, if you can’t make it to the spa, you could also use a detoxifying face mask once or twice per week for some extra pampering.
  
  
• Grab one of our wellness bundles - At Bellavana, we encourage everyone to lead an active lifestyle for both physical and mental well-being. The benefits of fitness are too numerous to list them all, so to support you on your journey, we created our Wellness Essentials Bundle. This special product package contains all the products you’ll need for staying fit, while also practicing consistent skin and self care. Don’t forget to grab yours next time you shop with us!