The Best Post-Workout Skincare Steps, Depending on When You Exercise

You did it. You made it through a ridiculously sweaty workout. I’m talking, drenched through your sports bra, salt in your mouth, blurry vision type of workout. Congratulations, you have self-detoxed, and your pores will thank you. Right now, it’s essential to not sit in that sweat for too long—and think about the right post-workout skincare steps. 

Why? A breakout consists of a few key elements: bacteria, sebum (the naturally occurring oil your skin produces), and sweat. Our body sweats to eliminate toxins, but if we allow that sweat to sit on the surface of our skin, it re-absorbs and has the opportunity to wreak havoc. How should we treat our skin after a workout to prevent breakouts, and how does that change depending on when in the day we choose to get a sweat in? I’ve got you covered. 

Morning workout routine skincare steps

If you’re a morning workout girlie, skip your skincare routine and get to sweatin’! Once you’ve completed your workout, go ahead and cleanse your skin with cool water only, skip cleanser. *the crowd gasps* It’s true: you don’t need to cleanse your skin in the morning with anything other than H2O. As long as you’ve slept on a clean pillow case and did a complete skincare routine the previous evening, you’re good to jump right into hydrating and protecting (think: moisturizer and sunscreen).

There is one exception to this rule: if you plan to take your workout outside for longer than 30 minutes and it’s past 10:00 am. While it’s smart to expose our skin *sans sunscreen* to natural sunlight first thing in the morning, the time frame should be limited to no more than 20 minutes plus before the sun is at peak strength. 

If outdoor workouts are your jam, go ahead and apply sunscreen. This also changes our water cleanse-only rule because it won’t be enough to break up your sunscreen. In this case, you’ll want to use a water-based cleanser before going in with the rest of your routine.

Your skincare routine should look something like this:

• Step 1: Water Cleanse / Water-Based Cleanser *preferably filtered water 
  My shower filter recommendation, here.
  My cleanser recommendation, here* (use code katherine15).

• Step 2: Antioxidant Serum
  My Vitamin C serum recommendation, here (use code katherine15).

• Step 3: Moisturizer
  My moisturizer recommendation, here (use code katherine15). 

• Step 4: Facial Oil
  My facial oil recommendation, here (I make this for my skincare company, Rosery92—use code thankyou15).

• Step 5: Sunscreen 
  My clear SPF 30 recommendation, here (use code katherine15)—and my tinted SPF 40 recommendation, here (use code katherine10).

• Pro tip: Steps 4 & 5 can be combined, like, in your hands.

Evening workout routine skincare steps

Now, if you work out in the evenings, you’ve likely had a full day already. Maybe you’re wearing sunscreen, makeup, or a full face of paint—who the heck knows! The last thing you want to do is have your skin attempt to detox (again, via sweat), only to be unable to do so because your pores are blocked. 

Even if your skincare and makeup products are completely non-comedogenic (meaning they won’t block your pores), your skin still has to work that much harder to complete the task of ‘taking out the trash,’ so to speak. Basically: it all has to come off. Of course, you don’t want to do an entire skin care regimen, since you’ll just have to do it again post-workout. Instead, we keep it short and simple:

• Step 1: Oil Cleanser
  This will break up your sunscreen, makeup, dirt, and so forth.
  My oil cleanser recommendation, here.

• Step 2: Water-Based Cleaner
  This will cleanse your actual skin.
  My cleanser recommendation, here (use code katherine15).

• Step 3: Face Oil
  This prevents dryness and adds a layer of protection.
  My facial oil recommendation, here (I make this for my skincare company, Rosery92—use code thankyou15).

Once you’ve completed your workout, showered, and are ready for your full nighttime skincare routine, it can look something like this:

• Step 1: Water-Based Cleaner
  My cleanser recommendation, here (use code katherine15). 

• Step 2: Serum
  This will vary greatly depending on your specific skin concern.
  My hydrating serum recommendation, here (use code katherine15).

• Step 3: Moisturizer
  My moisturizer recommendation, here (use code katherine15). 

• Step 4: Eye Cream
  My retinol eye serum recommendation, here (use code katherine15). 

• Step 5: Face Oil
  My facial oil recommendation, here (I make this for my skincare company, Rosery92—use code thankyou15).

Lastly, if you suffer from body breakouts (on the chest, shoulders, and back) it’s important to shower within 20 minutes of completing a workout. Using a face or body wash with an active ingredient such as zinc or salicylic acid will prevent breakouts before they form. Make sure to wear clean gym clothes every single time you work out, and use a skin-friendly detergent like Molly’s Suds to avoid irritating SLS from coming into contact with your skin!

And there you have it! There’s never a time of day that’s wrong to get a sweat in, but treating your skin pre- and post-workout is more than just a gym towel and a makeup wipe. Now you have the tools to always look after your skin, even when you have sweat in your eyeballs!

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