Exercise, as you probably know does wonders for your body; it keeps you healthy, tones your body and generally keeps you feeling good about yourself and able to cope with the stresses of everyday life.
When it comes to taking care of the skin, regular exercise is an important ingredient in your weekly skin care routine.
Exercise boosts your circulation which improves the look of your skin because it helps to detoxify your system leaving you with healthy and glowing skin. Do this alongside a good daily skin care regime and you’re golden.
Exercise is also such an amazing stress release too and helps to keep those worry lines at bay.
Relieving stress can mean preventing blemishes, skin conditions, colour loss and under-eye circles.
Another benefit of exercising is sweating; sweat is made up of water, salt, sugar and a small amount of ammonia and when you sweat these are flushed out of your skin. Even people that are prone to acne can benefit from exercising because the increased blood flow helps to unclog pores, and preventing stress as a result of exercise can all benefit the acne sufferer.
Always make sure that you remove any make up when exercising, as you want to give your skin room to breathe. Also try not to touch your skin as this increases the risk of clogging your pores with bacteria and oils.
Wash your hands before and after working out, and try not to touch your face or wipe hair away from your eyes.
When you have finished exercising, change out of your sweaty clothes and shower as soon as possible, as you know sweating unclogs pores, but once sweat evaporates, it leaves behind salt that can clog them again. Sweat can be a serious irritant for people with eczema and dermatitis so it’s a good idea to also wear the right clothing when exercising; try materials that wick away the sweat.
Exercise also boosts cell renewal, which is awesome but if you don’t wash the dead skin cells off your skin’s surface the cells will start to clog again, which is something that you want to avoid.
It you exercise outdoors, this may increase the likelihood of your skin being damaged by the sun. Try to exercise in the early morning or around dusk, avoiding the middle of the day when you’re at highest risk of UV exposure and always wear a strong sunscreen to protect your skin.
If you happen to have rosacea then it is wise to do low intensity workouts such as regular walking, yoga, Pilates, Tai-Chi, and swimming all of which will stop you from raising your blood pressure too hard & fast and exacerbating your condition.
Ensure that you also drink plenty of water, especially when being more active. Good hydration is one of the most important skin care treatments you can give yourself and it costs you virtually nothing.
So get yourself moving for at least 30 minutes a day around 3 to 5 times a week and remember to also stay well hydrated with lots of fresh filtered water.