Unpopular Opinion: No Makeup at the Gym
Do you walk into the gym with a full face of makeup? Or do you role au naturale? If you tend to breakout after you workout, you need to consider the former.
Yes, a fresh-faced trip to the gym is much better for your skin. If you’re rolling your perfectly lined cateyes at us, just listen. When you workout, your body produces sweat and heat, which in turn opens up your pores. If your face is covered in makeup, those particles can move into those wide open pores. Which creates blockages. Which produces those darling little red and white spots all over your pretty little face.
To make matters worse, all that bacteria on the borrowed yoga mat, weights, machines, handlebars, and the other equipment is crawling with the bacteria that causes acne. (How much does that passive spritz and paper towel rub down really do?) And unless you’re a die-hard when it comes to cleaning your makeup brushes, those are a veritable petri dish, too.
Then, consider that your hands, that have been all over everything in the gym, touch your face 3.6 times every hour! For real, this is a big contributor to self-inoculation of the flu and other viruses.
Girl, you’ve gotta wash your face.
Keep your favorite face wash or face wipes in your gym bag. This will make it even easier to take care of when you walk into the gym straight from work. It also doesn’t hurt to clean your face of all the sweat and bacteria before you head back out.
Remember, the increased blood flow from working out is going to give your skin its own natural, rosy glow. But if you don’t feel like yourself, lack confidence, or can’t bear the thought of walking in there without your face on, there are some caveats.
Use natural mineral makeup products, which don’t tend to bind with sweat and clog pores the way standard makeup does.
Exfoliating 2-3 times each week (only once for sensitive skin), will keep your pores deep cleaned.
Wash your face as soon as you’re done with every workout.
Clean your makeup brushes at least monthly.
Consider going minimal with just mascara and lip gloss at the gym.
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