It is generally recommended to wash your face after working out, especially if you sweat heavily during your exercise session.
Discover why washing your face after a workout is crucial for maintaining clear, healthy skin and slow skin aging. Read ahead to learn why washing your face post-workout is beneficial.
Why should you wash your face after working out?
When you workout your skin gets more blood flow that helps regulate your body temperature, which also dilates your skin pores and makes them more vulnerable to outside contaminants. Your face contains around 400–900 sebaceous glands (pores)/cm2 which produce sebum, a natural moisturizer for your skin. You can find more scientific information regarding the production of sebum in this article.
Genetically your sebaceous glands can overproduce this sebum and cause oily skin that is more prone to pimples. These factors block your pores if left in your skin for hours and humidity created from your sweat harbors bacteria that leads to many skin concerns. Washing your face post-workout removes all of these skin irritants, bacteria, and fungi that damage your skin health.
Some of the benefits of washing your face post-workout are listed below:
Removes sweat
The function of sweat is to help you lower your internal temperature by evaporating and releasing heat. Even if you aren’t acne-prone, the quantity of pores that are in contact with sweat can get blocked if you don’t cleanse your face post-workout.
Removes other build-ups on your skin
Sweat usually gets mixed with makeup (it is better to skip makeup and only use sunscreen), bacteria, dirt, and many other contaminants while you workout.
Washing your face not only removes sweat it will also protect your pores from these build-ups that cause sweat pimples, acne, and skin aging.
For more information be sure to check out our blog post on Does Sweat Cause Acne and Sweat Pimples? where we explain the topic in more detail.
Many build-ups contain free radicals that damage your skin and cause premature aging.
Athletes are at risk of aging faster from sun exposure and contact with different contaminants that cause free radicals. Making it detrimental to always cleanse your face post-workout.
Removes dead skin
Athletes should clean their faces day and night to remove dead skin cells and excess sebum production that accumulate during sleep. Cleansing your face removes them prevents your pores from clogging and reveals fresher and brighter skin underneath.
Hydrates your skin
While cleansing doesn’t hydrate your skin, using a syndet soap makes the difference. Syndet soap allows you to clean your skin without removing the essential oils that allow it to hydrate and moisturize your face without making it dry or oily.
The moment that you try a syndet soap, like a face wash for athletes, you will tell the difference with a regular soap.
Maintains healthy skin
Regular post-workout cleansing that can substitute your am or pm cleansing or you can make a third cleaning, can contribute to overall skin health by helping maintain a clear and radiant complexion without all the previous factors.
Cleans & hydrates the skin under the beard
As athletes, we are in constant motion and sometimes we think we can’t make time to cleanse our faces, especially men. If you enjoy a breakout-free beard, cleanse your beard with a face wash for athletes to remove all the bacteria and contaminants that if left in contact with your follicles can cause inflammation.
Removes makeup
We usually use makeup to hide skin imperfections like acne during our workouts. But, did you know that makeup is one of the main causes of acne post-workout? The ingredients in makeup are made to cover but also to block your pores. The increased blood flow to your skin and the opening of the pores caused by the exercise “brings” makeup in and results in breakouts. Prevent breakouts by cleansing your skin post-workout and removing makeup. If you have a breakout use our spot-on treatment - a gel for workout acne that is specially designed for athletes' skin and doesn’t irritate your skin.
Best face wash for after-workout
a face wash for athletes is a syndet soap that cleanses your skin of all the factors that athletes encounter during their workout, without stripping your skin of its essential oils. It is designed to remove all your sweat, build-ups, and makeup. Cleans skin deeply without causing irritation or dryness. Keeps pores open, healthy, and clean.
All of our product line was created to target active people’s skin needs. Having experienced the conditions ourselves, we developed a product line designed to tend to athletes’ skin. Our brand is unique, created, and designed by a dermatologist and a chemical engineer, who are also athletes. We used our knowledge, personal experience, and passion for staying active, to create these products that will help you remain active and conquer healthier skin.
How to wash your face?
I recommend cleaning your skin by simply massaging a face wash for athletes, with your fingertips and rinsing with water. Cold water is better for closing your opened pores post-workout and preventing irritants from damaging your skin.
For more information regarding using cold vs. hot water read our blog post Showering After Workout to learn which water temperature is best for your skin.
Vigorous rubbing is not recommended since it may cause irritation by damaging the protective layers of the skin. When you rub excessively or frequently with sponges or cleaning brushes, you're not only removing the protective natural oils of your skin, you're sending a message to your skin that it needs to be protected. This response can trigger through time the release of pigment and it will look like sunspots on your face.
Why would you use a sponge or brush on your face when you clean your hands without them they are way dirtier and have thicker skin.
Conclusion
Athletes should always cleanse their face post-workout to remove skin irritants that lead to premature aging and breakouts. Incorporating this simple step brings you closer to more healthy skin. a face wash for athletes is the perfect cleanser for active skin. It is a syndet soap that doesn't remove your natural oils but it is tough on sweat and dirt. You can feel the difference once you try it.
Take control of your skincare - take our skin quiz to know which products are better for you.