Apres-gym skin and hair tips
We’ve found just what your skin and hair needs after a workout
As the world begins to reopen and we settle into a new routine, an age-old dilemma has returned: how do we look presentable after going to the gym?
The problem of when to workout is a real catch-22. You’ll gain the mood-boosting benefits of exercise – as well as the glowing skin and fresh complexion – but the same benefits can’t be said for your hair. Even the most luxurious gym bathrooms aren’t exactly the ideal setting for washing, drying, and styling your hair if you’re planning on heading out anywhere remotely public afterwards.
Or are they? We’ve done a little digging and have found some of the best ways we can look after our skin – while keep our hair presentable – both before and after you’ve pumped that iron.
BEFORE YOU WORK OUT
Whether working out in the morning or evening, we can prepare our skin and hair for any seriously-sweaty sessions with these quick and easy steps:
For skin:
- Try to remove any makeup you have on before you start your exercise for the day. No-one likes mascara-induced panda eyes!
- Once you’ve removed your makeup, try to use a gentle cleanser and a lightweight moisturiser. Although you will sweat, your skin will react better to loosing moisture through sweating if it has a protective moisturising base layer on it. If you find moisturiser too heavy on your face, we recommend using a facial spay. They’re a great way to boost your skin’s hydration levels, while not being too heavy.
For hair:
- Preparing your hair for the gym requires slightly more effort, but these small steps will go a long way to benefit your hair between washes. We all know our hair doesn’t do well with sweat, so using a protective hair wrap or moisturising hair mask before you work out allows your hair to stay safe against unwanted sweat that may dry out your scalp and affect the quality of your hair long-term.
- If using something as intense as a mask or a hair wrap isn’t your style, we recommend trying simpler measures still. Add a small amount of dry shampoo to your scalp before working out. This will allow your hair to remain oil-free, as the dry shampoo will soak up any oil produced when you work out. Perfect for avoiding greasy-looking locks!
- We would also suggest avoiding pulling your hair into tight ponytails or buns on the top of your head. We love putting braids or plaits in when working out, as this helps to minimise the kinks that hair bobbles can leave in your hair. We’ve found this is an especially great trick if you like to exercise in the morning!
AFTER YOU WORK OUT
For skin:
- As soon as you’ve finished your workout, we recommend splashing some cool water onto your face and neck, before gently cleansing and toning your skin. This will remove any bacteria and sweat residue, while cooling the overall temperature of your skin. Cooling down is important, as this will prevent the breaking of blood vessels and return the skin to a normal temperature quicker.
- Pop on your lightweight moisturiser and facial spray and your skin is ready for makeup.
- Try to wait until your skin has cooled down fully and the cream has been fully absorbed into your skin before applying any makeup.
For hair:
- If you don’t like to wash your hair after every training session, giving your hair a quick rinse with cold water before giving it a blast with the hairdryer will keep your hair shiny and healthy, while still removing the sweat from your locks.
And it’s as easy as that! Although these steps initially may seem like something of a chore, over time you’ll notice a brighter, fresher complexion, as well as healthier hair between washes. So now you’ve got no excuse to skip your next workout!
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