Is My New Winter Fitness Routine Ruining My Skin?

How can you avoid winter workout face?

Protect your barrier

The best way to stop or treat ‘winter workout face’ is to support your skin’s natural moisture barrier (which when compromised can exacerbate redness, dryness and irritation). That’s why Alice and I are both taking inspiration from the sort of products that our favourite practitioners recommend after procedures – aka barrier creams that combine deep moisturising with soothing ingredients). Here are our favourites, which are available on the TTG shop for 20% off right now:

Teoxane Deep Repair Balm, was £34.45, now £27.56: This is Alice’s top pick for when she is off to swim in the Serpentine (ok, it’s not very wild, it’s in the middle of London’s Hyde Park but it is open water and decidedly nippy), as the indulgently rich balm feels great on her dry morning face and provides a barrier to the chilly wind as she walks across the park! That’s due to the inclusion of uber-hydrating resilient hyaluronic acid and arnica to soothe any discomfort, which in studies was showed to instantly bring greater comfort to your complexion.

Revision Skincare CMT Post-Procedure Cream, was £68, now £54.40: While it can’t help with your sore muscles (sorry about that!), if sore skin is your big concern right now, this post-procedure cream is worth considering for your post-workout regime. It contains nourishing ceramides to support your skin barrier, pre-and-post prebiotics to soothe your skin, and patent-pending neurocosmetic technology that quickly knocks feelings of itchiness and irritation on the head.

Alastin Skincare Skin Nectar, was £180, now £144: This lightweight serum (perfect for anyone who doesn’t love thick creams) is specifically designed to maximise your tweakment results from laser and IPL – but it’s a secret weapon for your exercise-proof skincare routine too. That’s because it contains lots of anti-inflammatory ingredients including arnica and salt-water algae to protect and nourish your skin. Plus, the brand’s patented blend of peptides stimulate collagen production so it helps with fine lines too.

Soothe redness

From windburn to heart-rate-induced flushing, if you really struggle with high colour and irritation post-exercise, try some of our favourite redness-reducing serums to help make your complexion less reactive too.

Meder Beauty Red-Apax Anti-Redness Concentrate, was £90, now £72: I swear by this serum for my rosacea-prone complexion (which is also made worse when I run in the cold!). Having used it for months, I definitely find my skin a little less prone to severe flushing and it brings instant relief from that ‘hot, sensitive’ feeling your skin can get after walking into central heating from the cold outside air. The secret: a blend of pre/probiotic and skin cell-signalling ingredients.

Medik8 Calmwise Serum, was £36, now £28.80: If you worried that you’ll skin is starting to look a little ‘aged’ due to your workout routine, this anti-redness serum is the ‘perk up’ your complexion needs. Focusing on giving your skin back its overall vitality, the formula soothes inflamed skin with just seven ingredients so your skin doesn’t feel overwhelmed. One of those standout ingredients – teprenone – also specifically helps smooth uneven texture, hydrates and supports your skin barrier.

Be gentle

Opting for gentle cleansers, even if you are breakout prone or sweaty when working out, is important too. You want to clean your face of any sweat and excess oils as soon as possible after your winter fitness routine, but without affecting your skin barrier.

Keeping a bottle of  Clinisept+ Skin Aftercare, was £15, now £12, in your workout bag is a great idea for on-the-go use, as the spray-based antimicrobial cleanser doesn’t require water and removes 99.99% of germs, while soothing and calming your skin (as it’s got a skin-neutral pH value).

Then, you can do a proper skin cleanse when you shower – Epionce Milky Lotion Cleanser, was £31, now £24.80, or Neostrata Restore Facial Cleanser, was £32, now £25.60 are as gentle as they are effective, even on sensitised skin.

Finally – we know it is tempting to love them – but try to avoid overly long and hot showers post-workout too (as they really do strip your skin of moisture). Your skin will thank you for it…