If you’re sweating up a storm at the gym or in the great outdoors, you’ll want to ensure your fitness efforts don’t come at the cost of your skin! Follow these simple tips for both #fitspo and #skinspo
Tip 1: Cleanse
When you’re about to go and get your sweat on, it’s better if you do it sans-makeup. A quick cleanse before you begin will ensure you’re not clogging your pores with product and grime which have combined with your perspiration.
Of even more importance, however, is the post workout cleanse. Our sweat is salty, and salt can alter the pH of our skin which upsets your skin’s protective barrier, resulting in potential breakouts and irritation. By cleansing with a product that returns your skin to its natural pH, you can keep those breakouts at bay. If you’ve left your cleanser out of your gym bag, don’t stress; simply washing your face with water is better than leaving the sweat sitting, brewing up blemishes.
Of course, this isn’t just the case for the skin on your face; we recommend jumping in the shower and washing the sweat off your whole body to avoid breakouts in other random places!
Alpha-H’s cleansers are all great for use post workout, as they will return your skin to its natural, slightly acidic pH. If you’re battling breakouts on your body, you may find our Clear Skin Daily Face and Body Wash is a great multi-tasking choice for a post-workout freshen up that’s suitable for your whole body.
Tip 2: Protect
Did you know that 80% of skin ageing is caused by your skin being exposed to the sun just through everyday activities? By applying an SPF before you hit the pavement or the park for your workout, you can minimise UV damage to your skin, keeping pigmentation at bay. Just be sure to choose a broad-spectrum formulation which won’t clog your pores. Our Protection Plus Daily SPF50+ not only provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection, but its non-whitening formula also features New Zealand Pine Bark Extract, which gives it a light blurring effect; perfect if you feel a little unsure about working out sans-makeup.
While we all know to protect the skin on our face and body, it’s also important to not forget your lips! This super sensitive area of our skin lacks sweat and sebaceous glands, which means any moisture in them evaporates very quickly, leaving them dried out. Our natural reaction is to lick our lips in an effort to rehydrate them, but this can just make matters worse.
Our Absolute Lip Perfector Nude Blush combines super nourishing ingredients with the environmental protection of Zinc Oxide, helping to keep your lips looking perfect and protected, even when you’re panting for breath after a workout.
Tip 3: Hydrate
We all know how important it is to keep our body hydrated during and after a workout. Water truly is the elixir of life! It’s also super important for your skin. Without the presence of moisture, our skin’s normal cellular activities don’t occur, and this can lead to premature ageing. Be sure you’re not only drinking plenty of water, but also giving your skin its own topical source of moisture. If you’re using one of our moisturisers with SPF when you work out, you’re both protecting and nourishing your skin in one simple step! Of course, you don’t need an SPF for overnight; explore our full range of moisturisers, or discover what we recommend for different skin types.
Tip 4: Give your skin a workout of its own!
Our skin, just like our bodies, can become complacent if it’s not regularly being challenged. Once we reach our mid to late 20s, our skin’s natural cellular processes begin to slow, meaning the shedding of dead cells also slows. This can result in a layer of dead, greying skin built up on the surface which could be up to several months old.
The answer to this problem is giving your skin a workout of its own with exfoliation. Just one application of our cult favourite Liquid Gold left to work overnight leaves your skin noticeably smoother and clearer when you wake. By removing dead skin from the surface, your skin gets a signal that these old cells have left and need to be replaced with new cells. This produces a cascade effect through the living layers of the skin and encourages cellular renewal.
Read more about exfoliation and the types of exfoliants
Alpha-H are global leaders in exfoliation, resurfacing and skin renewal. For more than 25 years, we have created formulations which challenge the skin and deliver amazing results.
