Healthy Skincare for Active Sports

The athletic lifestyle is hard on the body. In addition to intense training, active sports participants’ skin takes a beating. Increased environmental exposure, sweat, and frequent cleaning leave skin vulnerable to damage, breakouts, and irritation. You may find that basic skincare routines are insufficient in maintaining healthy skin.

Products that once worked fall short of claims leaving you too dry, too oily, or too dirty. You don’t have to resign to blemishes and breakouts. Small modifications to your skincare routine during training and performance seasons can protect and rejuvenate your largest organ.

Behavior changes are the most effective way to keep the active person’s skin smooth, clear, and healthy. Small adjustments to hygienic and training routines can make a big difference to the complexion.

Pick one of the following helpful tips and commit to incorporating its practice into your skincare routine. Once the habit has taken root, select another. Work through the list for fresh, clear, healthy skin even at the peak of your performance season.

You get what you pay for and the quality of skincare products matters. Careful consideration should be given to every product that’s used in or on your body – including makeup. Synthetic chemicals, artificial dyes, and fragrance additives do more harm than good particularly for those engaged in active sports.These ingredients act as irritants and strip sebum from the epidermis. As athletes spend more time washing, extra care must be given to their skin care routines to maintain young and healthy skin.
Active sports participation calls for frequent cleansing. While your ideal cleanser’s formulaic composition varies based on skin type, one feature is universal – go gentle. Glycolic acid and charcoal cut through greasiness and remove impurities for oily skin types. Dry skin benefits from an oil-based nourishing cleanser fortified with ceramides to support skin’s barrier functionality. Chamomile and aloe vera help soothe, hydrate, and maintain sensitive skin types. Everyone else is best served by a gentle non-soap cleanser that leaves them refreshed neither dry or oily.
Makeup choice is important. Intended to rest on your face for hours, look for a product that uses high-quality ingredients, avoids synthetic materials, and allows the skin underneath to breathe. Cheap products often use plastics which create a barrier between you and the environment. This barrier interrupts proper sweat function and can seep into open pores causing breakouts and infection.
Proper moisture levels must be maintained to preserve the skin’s health. Commit to using high-quality moisturizers, lotions, and serums, daily. Internal hydration is just as important as it contributes to supple, healthy skin. Be sure to drink plenty of water, particularly after training, to replace moisture expelled through sweat.
Don’t forget sunscreen – especially if your active sport keeps you outdoors for extended periods. Prolonged sun exposure increases skin condition risks. Regardless of current fashion trends, a tan – at any pigment – is your skin expressing its sun damage. Be sure to select a high-quality brand that blocks UVA and UVB rays.A water-resistant variety is necessary for protection despite sweating. Some athletes complain that sunscreen feels heavy, prevents normal sweating, and impacts performance. Shop around for a light but effective product, use clothes to cover up as much as possible, and don’t leave yourself unprotected.
Despite being indoors, the skin is still vulnerable at the gym. Busy schedules require that the training be wedged between the day’s obligations. Despite always wanting to look our best, never work out in makeup. Makeup acts as a mask covering your face’s pores and hampering sweat. Sweat is a natural coolant that pushes toxins and excess oil out the body. Left on the skin, sweat breeds bacteria and clogs pores leading to breakouts. Take a moment to wipe away excess sweat during training and rinse off as soon as possible.
Freshly washed hair feels great after a workout but may contribute to dry skin and dandruff. Excessive shampooing strips natural oils from the scalp. Lacking moisture, the scalp cracks and flakes causing itchiness. Save your high-quality cleansing shampoo for periodic use. Simply rinse the sweat away and apply a moisturizing conditioner to ends.
Are you drying off with your old purpose-selected training towel? Towels are bacterial breeding grounds in the best circumstances. Covered in stale sweat, your gym towel is the most contaminated. When the course contaminated fibers are rubbed across open pores, bacteria is introduced into the bloodstream. Regularly renew your training towel. Not only will you minimize bacterial contact, but old towels also are rough and can cause micro-abrasions to delicate wet skin.
When quick showers are not available, protect yourself by changing out of training clothes as soon as possible. This minimizes contact with potentially harmful microorganisms and keeps buildup from pooling on and clogging your skin.

Athletes train hard to perform their active sport at optimal levels. Training is metered skill development mastered over time. Your skin care routine is just like a training skill. At first, practice is difficult, with dedication it becomes easier, and with time new habits become second nature.

Understandably, acquiring a new habit takes time, but with patience and education, success is possible. Product selection is the first step toward a health-promoting skin care routine. More than skin type, athletes must consider training habits when selecting skincare products and addressing unhelpful practices. Be mindful that not all products, even those designed for specific skin types, will work for all people.

Some trial and error is normal and necessary. If you already have the right products, you’re more than halfway there. Behavior modification seems daunting when taken at once but is manageable when broken down into actionable parts. Review this list and select the most natural behavior modification. Commit to its practice for a month and note your skin’s improvements.

Once you’re comfortable with that step, look for another. Keep building and don’t give up on clear and healthy skin.