We all know exercise has a positive effect on your body. Your lungs, heart and emotional state all benefit from exercise, but did you know how beneficial it is for your skin?  Daily exercise keeps us healthy from the inside out and has an impact on the health of our skin.  Exercise increases circulation in your body.  This increase in circulation helps nourish the skin by bringing oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells resulting in cell renewal and detoxification.  So after your workout, when your skin appears to have a healthy glow, it does.  When you think you cannot make it through your spin class or your run seems a little too long, just remember, exercise helps you stay looking youthful.

We have a few simple steps you can take to make your workout even more beneficial to your skin.

Don’t wear makeup when working out!  Wearing makeup, along with any bacteria that is on your skin, will clog your pores.  Before working out, make sure you cleanse your face with a gentle face cleanser or cream wash.  This will help keep your pores open and help you avoid an acne breakout.

Stay clean!  The one thing you should always do is wash your face immediately after working out.  It is important to not let sweat, dirt and bacteria sit on your face.  The longer you wait to wash your face after a workout the more likely your pores will clog, again resulting in a possible acne breakout.

Cleansing Tip:  Keep face wipes in your gym bag.  Use the wipes immediately after exercising to remove sweat, dirt and oils that build up during your workout routine and clog your pores.

We all worry about our face but we must keep the rest of our skin healthy as well.  Once you finish your workout, change out of your gym clothes and take a shower as soon as possible. You want to remove any excess sweat and bacteria from your body to prevent a skin irritation on your arms, legs and body.  After your shower, if your skin feels irritated, dry or chapped, moisturize your skin. All natural moisturizers such as 100% Coconut Oil, 100% Cocoa Butter or 100% Shea Butter are great alternatives to a traditional cream or lotion.

If exercising outside in cold temperatures, make sure to cover up with adequate clothing.  Cold temperatures and wind can take moisture out of your skin causing your skin to dry, chap and burn. If you dress properly and reduce your skins exposure to the outside elements, you will help decrease the risk of losing moisture from your skin and reduce the damage moisture loss will cause. After exercising, moisturize your skin with a moisturizing cream, lotion or body oil to add moisture back to your skin.

During the spring and summer when the sun is at its peak, make sure to wear an SPF sunscreen.  The UV rays from the sun can be damaging and cause premature wrinkles, sunspots and sunburn.  While exercising in the heat, your perspiration level may increase causing some of the sunscreen you applied to drip off.  To help offset this loss it is always wise to cover up as much as possible.  Wear clothing that absorbs perspiration and that will protect your skin from the sun.  Most importantly, wear a hat.  A hat will protect your face from those damaging UV rays.

As we always say, drink lots of water!  When you exercise your skin loses moisture leading to dehydration.  This can cause your skin to dry, crack and prematurely age.  Adding water back to your body and staying hydrated is an easy way to ensure your skins health.

By following these few simples steps your workout routine will help keep you fit and healthy from the inside out.