Welcome to another great Wild Workout Wednesday Link Up where Annmarie from The Fit Foodie Mama and I bring you workout ideas, motivation, inspiration and recipes to try. Join us each week by reading along, linking up and grab the button to proudly display on your blog/in your posts!
This post is sponsored by Nubian Heritage.
Self-care takes many different forms. For some, it's a nice hot bubble bath at the end of a long week. Others enjoy a meditation class. Some do a spa day with the girls. I'm a big believer in taking time for yourself every single day. Yes, every. Single. Day. Even if it's only five minutes, it's important to get some time to yourself to relax, read, or do something you enjoy. For me, that's working out.
Running is my time to tune in to my favorite podcasts or audio books or catch up with a friend. The gym is my time to pump up the jams and focus on pushing my strength and endurance to new limits. My workout time is self-care time. But I don't stop there.
After a workout, when I'm sweaty and red in the face, I look forward to my post-workout routine, when I get to cool down, clean up and get nice and fresh again. Transforming my skin from sweaty, sticky and stinky to clean, soft and fresh feels almost as good as the workout itself, so today I thought I'd share my post-workout skincare routine and my tips on how to keep skin fresh after a workout.
1. Remove makeup before washing your face
If you had makeup on during your workout, use makeup remover to get it off BEFORE cleansing with face wash. Because many makeup brands are waterproof/smudge-proof/long-wear, using makeup remover will help get all the gunk off and allow your cleanser to really get to your skin and do its thing. I put coconut oil on a cotton pad and gently wipe off my eye makeup. Then I douse another pad in micellar water for the rest of my face. Once your makeup is off, you can wash with your favorite cleanser.
2. Take a cold shower
I've become a big fan of cold showers after a tough workout. Not only do they help me cool off, but they have a ton of benefits, especially for your skin. Hot water can dry your skin out, but cold water can tighten pores, preventing dirt from getting in. Cold showers also temporarily tighten the skin, can improve circulation and are simply invigorating. They're tough to get used to, though. I recommend taking your usual warm shower and finishing it with a blast of cold water. Try to hold out for 10 seconds, then 20, then 30 and build your way up to a full shower. Keep in mind your showers should be shorter! While cold showers have many benefits, all that cold water can cause stress on the body if you're under it for too long. Your cold shower shouldn't be longer than 10 minutes, 15 if you're a cold shower pro.
3. Wash up with quality ingredients
While that cold shower is working magic on your skin, use a body wash that will help boost your skin's potential even more by opting for products with safe yet effective ingredients. I'm currently lathering up with Nubian Heritage Coconut Papaya Body Wash, which is a gentle, creamy body wash made with nourishing coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera and papaya. Not only does it smell amazing (like I showered in the tropics) but it also makes my skin feel soft and hydrated.
Nubian Heritage remixes global healing traditions into modern wellness solutions using natural, certified organic, fair trade ingredients inspired by ancient rituals. All of their products are made with a high concentration of certified organic shea butter and natural fragrance extracts for lasting hydration. They're also free of sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrance, artificial coloring and more.
I love knowing that my body wash is working to cleanse and hydrate my skin vs. dry it out with unwanted ingredients.
4. Moisturize
The best time to moisturize is right after you shower. Doing so will help trap some of the water left on your skin, locking in the moisture. Using a lotion with moisturizing ingredients is even better. Nubian Heritage Coconut Papaya lotion has coconut oil, shea butter, aloe vera, vitamin E and vitamin-rich papaya extract to soften, soothe and renew skin. I love its light tropical scent, but mostly I love how it makes my skin look and feel: bright, light and oh-so smooth.
5. Deodorize
Using lightly scented body wash and moisturizer will help keep you smelling fresh, but to really amplify your freshness, you need a good deodorant. Deodorant is not the same as anti-perspirant. Anti-perspirants work to prevent sweat from even happening. You'll still sweat with a deodorant, but they work to mask that B.O. Nubian Heritage Indian Hemp and Haitian Vetiver 24 Hour Deodorant is aluminum-free and made with effective ingredients, such as Neem Oil and Hemp, which combine to refresh and moisturize underarms.
Cold showers, locking in moisture - there's a theme here. Water is good for your skin! Drinking lots of water throughout the day and staying hydrated will not only boost your workout recovery, it will also help keep your skin hydrated. When you are properly hydrated, your skin will be smoother and more radiant.
Now that you have the tools for how to keep skin fresh after a workout, you can get your sweat on, refresh and tackle the rest of your day with the confidence that comes with glowing skin, so get yourself some awesome skincare products (Nubian Heritage is available at Sprouts and Whole Foods), get out there and go do you, boo.
Let's Chat:
What's your post-workout skin routine?
