How Working Out Affects Your Skin

Naturally flushed, rosy cheeks and glowing skin without any makeup? Yes, please! We all know the health benefits of exercise for our minds and bodies are numerous, but it also affects our skin. Scroll down for the good (and bad!) impacts that working out has on your largest organ.

Because exercise increases your heart rate and blood flow, it helps to deliver oxygen and nutrients to your skin while speeding up circulation and the removal of free radicals that damage skin—hello, undeniable glow. 

But that’s not the only thing working out does for your complexion. Research has shown that you can stimulate your own collagen production through working out, which keeps your skin firm and healthy. Exercise also promotes cell growth and replication and increases cellular turnover, therefore reducing signs of aging. Additionally, it increases your body’s production of antioxidants. An added bonus? Working out helps to reduce your anxiety and stress that causes acne and breakouts.

Although the benefits of exercise far outweigh the negatives when it comes to your skin and overall well-being, there are a few ways that working out can negatively impact your skin if you don’t take proper care. 

While working out doesn’t cause rosacea, eczema or other skin conditions, it can temporarily aggravate them or exacerbate them. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, the sweat you excrete while working out can result in clogged pores or extra pimples. And exercising outdoors (especially without proper sun protection) can lead to sunburn or trigger other reactions from those with skin sensitive to heat. 

The good news? If you take care of your skin after getting your sweat on, you can avoid the bad.

Before working out, remove any heavy makeup on your skin (like foundation) to prevent the buildup of bacteria and oils when you sweat. Our biodegradable Cosmetic Wipes make it easy to clean off your face before (and after!) exercising if you’re on-the-go. Following your sweat session, wash your face with a gentle cream cleanser—like our Balancing Cleanser—to rebalance, strengthen, and gently exfoliate your skin. Next, apply our Balancing Tonic to soothe remove any residual impurities and then our Advanced Polypeptides Searum to maintain your skin’s moisture level and protect it from environmental damage. Finish with our Balancing Moisturizer to rehydrate your skin.

And it goes without saying that drinking water is key, so guzzle down that H2O! For more tips on how to improve your skin from the inside out, check out this post.