Just as a woman ought not perform high kicks in high heels or push-ups in a push-up bra, it’s equally not a good idea for her to do heavy bag training wearing heavy makeup. The gym is no place to be all dolled up - when you’re here it’s time to be (mostly) serious. It’s time to work and sweat. And makeup and sweat never mix very well.
the best thing you can do for your skin is
remove your makeup once in a while.
As you exercise your pores open up to allow sweat to escape. Any excessive foundation or powder could combine with the salt and toxins from your sweat. When you finish working out your skin cools back down and your pores will tighten and could become clogged with trapped makeup and such. The clogged grime can form blackheads or cause your skin to break out. Additionally, if your skin can’t “breathe” it can cause inflammation, which could lead to premature skin aging. And another side effect of sweating while made-up is that the makeup can streak off, especially as you wipe your face - the splotchy skin look is not a good one!
In preparation for your workout day the smart thing to do is to remove most of your applied cosmetics with some gentle cleansing. Be sure to use a cleanser that is free of both sulfates and synthetic fragrances to avoid inflammation and dry skin (although it’s unlikely your skin will be dry for long anyway). Did you know you can use olive oil to remove most eye makeup?
A woman wants to look her best when she’s working out, just as she does the other 23 hours in a day - if not, why spend so much money on cute outfits when a $7 pair of sweats would do the job?! Nothing beats the glow of a fresh face during a workout, but you don’t have to go completely naked, it is acceptable to wear a modicum of cosmetics for training.
Eye shadow can smear and run into your eyes when you sweat. If you must wear shadow, try a matte formula and use primer. If you can’t live without eyeliner use waterproof liquid or gel liners. And if you have a really good reason to wear mascara at least be sure it’s waterproof and smudge-proof, although don’t be surprised when it smudges anyway. Want to wear lip color? Go for it. Skip the cheek color though because, let’s face it, you’re going to be wearing plenty of natural rouge anyway.
Going bare-faced is best, but again, if you must, skip the heavy foundation and try a tinted moisturizer instead. But keep in mind that if your skin gets irritated it can lead to acne and aggravated skin conditions, which could invoke heavier makeup use outside of the gym.
There’s a ton of products you can use and countless routines you can perform to take care of your skin on a daily basis, but the best thing you can do for your skin is remove your makeup once in a while. If you’re heating up and sweating all the more reason to give your skin a break.
Oh, and if you get dinged up don’t forget your Ouchy!
