Did you know working out is not only beneficial for your body but does wonders for your skin too? Exercise balances cortisol levels (the stress hormone), promotes collagen production and increases blood flow that nourishes your skin cells. 

But if you exercise and don't shower right after it can wreck havoc on your skin. This is because the longer you leave sweat on your skin, dead skin cells and dirt will clog your pores causing a breakout - this can be on your face and body, although you face is more susceptible to the breakout because skin is thinner.

So after taking a shower, here’s what your post-workout skincare routine should look like: 

Clean Your Hands!

This might not be a no-brainer for everyone. Washing your hands first after exercising removes all the dirt and germs you collected from all the things you may have touched - basketball? weights? elliptical machine? dirty sweaty stinky shoes?? Chances are you touched something that was dirty, so before you use your dirty hands to clean your face...clean your hands first!

Clean your face 

Use your go-to cleanser and wash your face to remove sweat, oil and dirt, which will prevent breakouts and other skin issues.

If you're going to clean your face while in the shower don't use the bar soap you use on your body! This will severely strip all the moisture from your face. Bring your face wash into the shower and cleanse with water that is warm but not hot. 

Moisturize 

Your body loses a lot of water while exercising, so drinking water to rehydrate your body is important. But it's not enough to drink water to rehydrate your skin. Using a facial moisturizer (ideally with hyaluronic acid, which will retain the water from your damp skin) is important. The type of moisturizer you use should be different based on the seasons. A heavier moisturizer for winter and a lighter one for summer.

SPF 

Unless it's nighttime where the sun has already set, apply sunscreen. SPF will prevent premature skin aging and other skin blemishes. 

If you have treatment serums and exfoliators, apply those in the morning or at night so that you’re not overdoing it, risking your skin to irritation. The key to post-workout skincare routines is to be gentle and protect.