Wearing makeup to the gym or a jog in the park seems like a usual thing. Most women put on makeup whenever they go out, so it’s a natural routine for such occasions. However, in the case of physical activity and workouts, they could not be more wrong. Cosmetologists say that wearing makeup for training can cause both short-term and long-term damage to your skin and is, in many regards, unnecessary and harmful.

Why Makeup During Training Is Not a Good Idea

When we work out, there are several things that happen to our skin.

First of all, we sweat. Sweating in itself is a very useful process. It is a natural way of getting rid of toxins and harmful substances that our cells contain. Allowing your skin to sweat freely means rejuvenating the cells and getting a fresher look as your skin purifies itself. Sweat also contains an antibacterial chemical called Dermcidin, which helps clear the skin surface of bacteria and keep it healthier.

Secondly, our pores open up and enlarge in order to let the sweat out. This happens because your body temperature rises and the pores release the heat together with the sweat. As you cool down, however, your pores need to close back again, taking in whatever it is on your upper skin layer.

So, when we put makeup on and go training, here is what happens:

• The sweat released while you were training gets trapped under the thick layer of toner and powder. The bacteria and toxins released with the sweat stay on your skin for a while, which causes the bacteria to proliferate. This results in rashes and breakouts, bacterial acne, and can even lead to more severe skin infections if your skin is particularly sensitive or prone to irritation.
• The excessive sweat that stays on your skin undermines its pH (the balance between acids and bases) and makes the skin surface more acidic. Acid can cause skin irritation, redness, and uneven color.
• As the pores close after a workout, they take in all the sweat and bacteria back, together with the makeup layer. This results in numerous black spots and acne. Moreover, all of the toxins released with sweat go right back in. This causes your skin to age much faster. It may look bleak and unhealthy, especially during winter time, when there is no suntan effect.

Skin Care During Workouts

As you can see, in the long run, wearing makeup while working out undermines your skin health and makes you age faster. The solution to this problem is simple: do not wear makeup while training.

Instead, it would be beneficial to take care of your skin before and after the workout in the following ways:

• Apply a light serum which contains antioxidants approximately 1 hour before a workout. It will help your skin get rid of the free radicals and bacteria emitted together with the sweat and will make sure that your skin stays radiant throughout your workout and afterwards. Before applying the serum, wash your face to get rid of the makeup if you have it on.
• Apply light creams with SPF protection if you train outside since sun rays contribute to premature aging and are not good for your skin without proper protection. Be careful with heavy creams, as they will sweat down during the workout, creating spots and making your skin look uneven.
• Cleanse your skin before and after the workout. After the workout, the cleansing must be done as soon as possible because all the sweat with bacteria and toxins must be immediately removed. Use cleansing wipes with natural ingredients.

Good skin hygiene is more important for your health and beauty than makeup. Thus, it is essential not only to try and avoid makeup, but also to apply special products for skin care before and after training. You can put on some music on Spotify or browseVogueplay while going through your skin care routine. It doesn’t have to be boring.

Some Practical Gym Makeup Tips

If you are still not convinced that makeup during a workout is harmful or you simply cannot imagine leaving home without just a tiny bit of toner or concealer on, here are a few tips for a gym makeup that may be less toxic:

• Mascara will not do much damage to your skin, so you can apply it. Make sure that the mascara is tested and of a good quality, otherwise, it may run down your cheeks.
• It is ok to use a light tinted moisturizer, which will not block your pores. It is important to look for cosmetics that are non-comedogenic (do not block pores) and are oil and lanolin free. A lot of tinted moisturizers also provide SPF protection. You can ask a cosmetologist for advice on the best-tinted moisturizer that will match the type of your skin since sometimes, it is difficult to figure it out on your own.
• For lips, the best solutions are a lip balm or a lip tint, which will let your lips breathe. The lip balm must not be heavy because it can leak due to heat and sweating. Avoid lip glosses and lipsticks: they are both comedogenic and heavy.

As you can see, avoiding makeup is the best thing you can do for the health of your skin. We all may sometimes be insecure about how we look in public. However, if you try working out without makeup on and take good care of your skin, you will notice positive effects of healthy sweating: your skin will glow and have even color and texture. It will make you look more attractive even without makeup. After all, beauty is not always about wearing makeup and fancy clothes. It is about staying confident in your skin and keeping healthy. Some things are more attractive than cosmetics in the eyes of others.