Whether you’re working out at the gym or relaxing in a sauna or steam room, sweating gives you a full range of skin benefits. It purifies, protects, and rejuvenates your complexion, helps balance the water in your body, detoxifies environmental toxins and heavy metals, increases circulation and lymphatic drainage, and contains a natural moisturizing factor that keeps your skin hydrated and healthy.
Since your skin is constantly changing and evolving with the seasons of the year — along with the way you choose to care for it — getting your sweat on regularly is the one thing you can do year-round that will make a big difference in the way your skin looks and feels.
It goes without saying that sweating while working out gives you additional benefits. It skyrockets your energy, lifts your mood (hello endorphins), helps with sleep, and improves your overall health. It’s also been shown to increase your skin elasticity and even combat skin conditions like acne. But the chill-out benefits of a good infrared sauna or steam has its own benefits. It gives you that calm and relaxed feeling, helps your body cope better with stress, and improves your mental health.
As your circulation and blood flow increases, a greater amount of oxygen and nutrients gets delivered to your skin. You also get a nice boost to your collagen production. So, choose a fun workout, go for a hike, or relax in an infrared sauna. Commit to 20-30 minute sessions at least five times a week to get the full benefits of sweating. That, combined with eating nourishing foods and hydrating smarter can completely transform the health of your skin.
For me personally, sweating makes my skin brighter, vibrant, and more plump, so it’s been a priority in my wellness routine.
To keep that natural, dewy, glowing effect all day, here are some simple tips:
Four tips for flawless post-sweat skin
01 | Hands off
Hot, sweaty environments like gyms are perfect places for bacteria to thrive. Direct skin contact with contaminated surfaces, like weights, machines, mats, bikes, lockers, etc. can spread bacteria and fungi, which can easily be transferred to your nose, eyes, and mouth. So, if you want to avoid skin inflammation, breakouts, clogged pores, or even staph, don’t touch your face. And of course, wash your hands after your workout.
02| Wash Your Face
We all know that some bacteria on your face is good. But don’t wait too long to cleanse after a sweat session, because everything you sweat out will reabsorb back into your skin. Use a gentle cleanser to get rid of pore-clogging bacteria and dirt without stripping your skin of its natural oils. Resists the urge to scrub. Then apply a hydrating mist and moisturizer to keep your complexion dewy and hydrated.
03 | Load up on SPF
Apply sunscreen before you hit the pavement. Sun overexposure damages your skin and causes premature aging, wrinkles, and skin cancer. It’s absolutely crucial to protect your skin, especially If you’re out in direct sunlight. Apply sunscreen (with UVA and UVB protection) 15-20 minutes before going outdoors, reapply throughout the day, and load up on foods that help protect your skin. It’s so much easier to prevent skin damage than it is to treat it later.
04 | Drink up
Hydrate with filtered water before and after to maintain optimal fluid balance and prevent major water deficits and energy dips. A good goal, whether you’re getting your sweat on or not, is to divide your body weight in half and drink that number of ounces of filtered water throughout the day. For optimal hydration and additional skin benefits, add lemon slices, cucumber, or soaked chia seeds.
