Makeup To The Gym!—Should You Or Should You Not?

First of all, let me applaud you for going to the gym in the first place. Believe me; I know it takes a lot!

Secondly, now that you are here, let me ask you: Do you wear makeup to the gym? If the answer is no, you are doing great. If it’s yes, I think you need to reconsider your decision. Do you know what the mix of sweat and makeup can do to your skin? Well, the consequences are not great.

I understand that many of us want to look as perfect as those celebs we see on Instagram with their toned body and their flawless skin. You know that not everything you see in those pictures is true. You live in the “filter” generation. You know what I mean. And even if some pictures aren’t filtered, these people do a lot of skincare to look the way they do. You should not rely on makeup to look good while you work out. A hint of lipstick is fine, but try not to lean towards makeup altogether.

Anjali Mahto, British Skin Foundation spokesperson and Consultant Dermatologist says, “’ Sweat and increased temperature brought on by exercise can lead to open pores which can become blocked by particles of makeup. This can easily lead to breakouts and, in turn, uneven skin texture.”

Simply put, makeup at the gym can make your skin worse in the long run. Apart from sweat, your hands and feet also get in contact with dusty surfaces like instruments, yoga mats, etc. Eventually, you tend to touch your face. Are you getting the chronology? These dust and germs make your face prone to break-outs. In addition to that, if you apply makeup, you are simply giving these germs the opportunity to stick and feast on your skin for hours together. Just imagine what can happen to your skin!

So, is that a no-no to sunscreen as well?

Sunscreen is a must, especially if you are working out in the sun. We already know that sun exposure can lead to premature aging of the skin. Even if it’s the tiny hint of sunlight, that’s coming through the glass window, you are getting exposed to the sun. So, make sure that you wear sunscreen throughout the day, whether or not you are working out.

But wait, there’s another side to this story as well.

Many of us feel under-confident when we get acne and spots. Going to the gym with bare skin seems impossible. We shouldn’t feel ashamed to put on a little makeup. Especially when it’s “confidence” that we need the most while working out! It is just that we need to make sure that these products aren’t turning out to be our foes.

Several brands are coming up with athleisure makeup products recently that are very light on the skin. These products can be worn while exercising. Explore some of these athleisure makeup products and find the ones that suit your skin the best. After all, not every day is perfect. Some days you just need a little concealer to go. And well, that’s okay!

Ria Pujhari

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