I don’t know about you, but I definitely find that my beauty routine changes with the seasons. I recently received a question from a reader about my skin and body care specifically when it comes to exercise. Here’s what she wrote:
“Hello! I’m curious what kind of skin care you use for your body given that you often exercise multiple times a day or aren’t able to shower immediately after sweating. I am getting married in a month and now that I’m sweating more during my workouts (thanks to summer weather) I’m trying to achieve a balance between a possible back acne breakout and freaking my skin out. Thanks!”
Well, first off…I don’t exercise multiple times per day but I DO sweat multiple times per day. I often teach two hot yoga classes in addition to working out so that’s a lot of sweat in a day. For the most part, my face routine is pretty similar to what I recapped in this post except I’m not using the retinoid cream. It was just too much for my skin so I cut it out many months ago. Overall, I feel like my skin is in a really good place right now. Minus a few breakouts here and there around the time of my cycle, all is clear!
Here are some specific tips for skin care when you’re sweating a lot due to workouts or summer weather:
- Wash your face immediately after exercise. Try not to let all of that sweat and makeup residue sit on your skin for hours after you workout.
- I personally don’t do this but I have quite a few students and clients who remove their makeup prior to working out/practicing hot yoga so that they’re working with “clean sweat.”
- Use a washcloth when you wash your face at the end of the day. This one has been huge for me in helping to really cleanse the pores and slough off dead skin. I put my facewash on a wet washcloth and cleanse my face using gentle circular motions. No scrubbing! I find this helps so much! I have yet to invest in any type of cleansing brush like a Clarisonic. Let me know if anyone has experience and thinks they’re worth it.
- Use an at-home gentle enzyme peel once a week to help with removing dead skin cells. (Look below for my recommendation.)
- Lighten up your moisturizers. If you are really dry during the winter and need a heavy moisturizer, lighten it up in the summer if it’s feeling heavy or greasy on your skin.
- Wear a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen EVERY.SINGLE.DAY.!!! I cannot stress this enough. I never leave the house without it! (Look below for my latest favorite tinted moisturizer.)
- Invest in a professional facial/peel every few months. I started doing these with Carolina Facial Plastics almost two years ago and have been hooked ever since. Just like your hair needs regular maintenance from a professional, so does your skin! And just think…your hair is dead and your skin is living. It’s WORTH the investment!
During peel.
After peel…no filters! Convinced!?
Okay, enough close ups of my face! I have a few recent favorite beauty products to share with you. Some related to summer skin care and some just for fun.
Laura Mercier Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
I have been using Laura Mercier makeup for years. This is my second time purchasing the tinted moisturizer and first time going oil-free. I am so impressed by the coverage it provides while also giving me a dewy, fresh look. FYI, I got the Sand color.
Eminence Yam & Pumpkin Enzyme Peel
A friend of mine gifted this to me a few months ago and I’ve been using it weekly to do a gentle at-home enzyme peel. My skin always looks radiant and renewed after using it.
L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Waterproof Mascara
I kind of consider myself a connoisseur of waterproof mascaras and this one delivers on both staying power AND length and volume with minimal clumping. Win, win!
Living Proof Styling & Blowout Spray
Living Proof sent me a sampling of their products to try out this summer and while I’ve love them all, this Blowout Spray has stood out. It heat protects hair up to 450 degrees. It’s lightweight, easy to apply and makes my hair noticeably easier to style.
Fat Hair “0” Calorie Hair Spray
My hair needs a little, ah…a lot, of help in keeping flyaways at bay in the summer humidity. I love this hairspray! It has great staying power without giving me that helmet look.
Okay, that’s all I have for you today but I’d LOVE to hear from you!
What are your best tips for sweaty or summer skin care? What works (and doesn’t work) for you?
Any new products you’re loving this summer? I love getting tried and true suggestions from others. I’m especially looking for some new blush options!
This post contains some affiliate links. Thanks for reading and supporting the time and energy I put into this blog every day! 🙂
Swear by my Clarisonic Facial brush — use it every single day. Don’t know what I do without it!! I also get peels/Jet Clear Facials 1x/month — my skin has never been happier!
thanks for sharing. i think i’m going to have to give it a try!
Yam and pumpkin cream?!?!?!?! Whoaaaaaaaaa durrrrrrrr <3
I’m a big fan of sea salt spray for my hair. Especially after a morning workout when I don’t have time to blow dry/style before work. My hair has natural waves so the sea salt spray helps bring them out – even in the humidity. I like Texas Dry Bar’s Mai Tai Spritzer or Bumble and Bumbles sea salt spray (new one in the clear/blueish bottle)
i’ve never tried the sea salt spray but my hair is naturally wavy/curly too so maybe i need to give it a go!
I am doing a skincare favorites post tomorrow – how funny! I never wear makeup when I run/workout and I always make sure to wash my face before bed – no matter how tired/late it is. It’s such a pain but I know it has to be done.
ditto! never go to bed with makeup on my face (although i do workout in it if i already have it on)
Jen – beautiful skin but I totally love your lashes!
Always looking for a great mascara. Now I’m going to try the living proof goodies you mentioned.
Absolutely love your blog and book (BTW)
hi sabrina! thanks for reading and for buying my book! 🙂
for the lashes…i used latisse for a while but i got lazy with the every day commitment to put it on and stopped. i use my old standby method of slightly heating a lash curler with the blow dryer, curling lashes and waterproof mascara!
Good tips and tricks! I have yet to try peels, but I’m always interested in anything that will make my skin look glowy 🙂
i think there’s a misconception that if you get a peel your whole face will turn red and your skin will literally peel but that’s not the case. there are many different levels of peels and the ones that i do are mild and just help with exfoliation and turnover. i’ve never actually peeled from it!
Such a great post! and I love L’Oreal’s mascaras..they are the best in my book!
I have an Olay Pro-X brush and I love it! I couldn’t handle the Clarisonic price tag
oh thanks for the recommendation!
Great post! I always struggle with sweat/skin, so much so that I have to run out of hot yoga for the shower so I don’t break out! I do also try to workout with no makeup or natural makeup to get that “clean sweat.”
How often do you wash your hair with all of that sweating? That’s another question I always ask other ladies who workout a lot!
Hey Sarah!
I try to wash my hair every other day. it’s usually manageable to stretch it out and “dry the sweat” if i run, teach or do something like crossfit but gets more challenging when i practice and my hair is literally soaked with sweat. in that case i usually end up washing it after practice. cooler months i can definitely go longer than summer!
i fall into the camp that is not impressed with clairsonic at all. it just made no real difference for me. i too have been using the washcloth method for years and like it. i always take my makeup off when exercising. always. i like sensitive skin olay face wipes and wash with water after. i take off everything but my eyemakeup and concealer under my eyes cuz ain’t nobody needing to see that hot mess !
forgot to say…for the person who wrote in…i (and my boyfriend actually) have suffered with acne on the back or other areas due to working out. i personally find showering asap helps and using a basic salicylic acid wash or wipe daily (even if its like an old school stridex pad). you just gotta do it daily. and since the skin on your back is usually less drying i find that i an tolerate it ok. also, for my BF limiting dairy has been helpful for him (and for me too). my dermatologist even suggested it to me. She said there is not a ton of evidence why dairy would cause breakouts but she has a lot of anecdotal success with patients giving up dairy (moving to almond milk for example but limited soy) and having less breakouts particularly on the body. i also really like clean and clear spot treatment in a gray/purple small tube for myself. dries quick and doesnt stain clothes like benzoyl peroxide. i feel you…..acne of any kind is the worst.
I am in love with the Fredric Fekkai glossing line for my fine naturally curly hair that I have 5 times more of than any human should have. I have been using it for 4 years after I received a sample of the shampoo, conditioner, and glossing leave in cream and I used it in summer while in Savannah, GA. That weekend I became hooked. It leaves my hair silky, shiny, and very few flyaways. I always air dry even when I’m going to flatiron straight and I have no frizz. Its the perfect foundation for curly or straight styling and preventing frizz and flyaways. I never blow dry though – air dry then flat iron so I’m not sure how it works if you blow out straight.
such a fun list of new products I can’t wait to try – especially the tinted SPF moisturizer. Do you have a favorite tinted lip balm? or gloss?