Is there anything worse than seeing your face breakout after a big game night? It’s time to tackle your acne and give your face a clear win!
If you are involved in athletics, you’re going to need to give your skin a little more care and attention. Sports demand hard work and long practices. Your parents may be focused on making sure you get rest, proper nutrition, and good grades, but you can’t seem to stop worrying about acne, blackheads, and oily skin.
Tween and teen acne are part of growing up, and as an athlete, you may see some skin imperfections pop up a little more than other classmates when sports season rolls around. As a teen or tween already facing changes in hormones, adding sweat to the mix could mean your sensitive skin is going to need a bit more care to keep the breakouts under control.
It’s easy to be occupied with sports, your social life, and the stressors of school. Skincare is probably far from your mind. If you can establish a routine and make it a habit, you won’t have to give it any thought at all.
Skincare Basics
Consistency is key to a good skincare routine. First and foremost, you need to implement a routine both in the morning and the evening. As a young athlete, you have more sensitive skin and can be more susceptible to specific skin problems as you sweat or are exposed to dirt more than others, and it’s essential to know how to care for your skin correctly.
If you haven’t started a skincare routine yet, now is an excellent time to do so. Your skincare routine should be done in the morning and night to give your face that winning glow. Every good skincare routine begins with a gentle cleanser, like our kid’s face wash, followed by a moisturizer and sunscreen (SPF in the morning only, of course).
Seven Tips to Healthy Skin, Even When You’re Tough On It
Being an athlete, your skin is exposed to various conditions. If you’re an outdoor athlete, like Chloe Kim, the sun's varying temperatures and harmful rays can affect your skin. If you mainly train indoors, your skin will still experience more sweat and dirt than the average person. If you’re a swimmer, the chlorine will have an impact on your skin. We want your skin to look healthy even if you’re tough on it. Take a look at some of our tips we think all young athletes should know to keep your sensitive skin looking golden.
1. Wash Your Hands Regularly
As you have learned, washing your hands regularly is a good way to eliminate the spread of germs. As an athlete, you’re most likely touching a ball, bat, or other equipment that your teammates are using, too. Washing your hands before and after your practice and game is proper hygiene and helps keep your skin clean and germ-free.
2. Avoid Touching Your Face During Practice and Games
As hard as it can be, you’ll want to keep your hands off your face during practices and games. Your sensitive skin will get hot and sweaty during your workout, and your pores are open, letting in so much extra dirt.
Female athletes, we understand that you’re often touching your face to get your hair out of the way. Try one of these cute hairstyles to keep your hair off your face and give you a bit of style on the court or field.
3. Use a Cooling Towel to Wipe Away Sweat
While you are at your practice or game, use a towel to wipe the sweat off your face and body. Using a towel will help minimize the transfer of germs from your hands or sports equipment. Look for a towel made of bamboo and polyester to help you stay cool. Make sure to wash your towels after each use, too. Don’t let them collect bacteria in your gym bag!
4. Wash Your Face Before and After Your Workout
Before starting your practice or game, give your face a good, gentle cleanse to help it breathe while you’re getting a good sweat sesh in. If you’re wearing makeup, grab our kid’s face wash and give your face a thorough cleaning with our gentle cleanser. You may want to leave it on, but makeup + sweat is a breeding ground for breakouts.
If you don’t have time for a full cleanse, a quick wipe of your face will give your sensitive skin a chance to breathe. When your pores are already clogged, sweat and dirt from your sporting activity add another layer that needs to be washed off.
5. Shower After Sweating
After you finish a practice or a game, it is important to shower as soon as you can to cleanse your skin and prevent acne. Not only does your face need a gentle cleanser, but the skin on your body does, too.
Our foaming body wash with tea tree oil is designed to be a gentle body wash that is great for back acne, body odor, and foot odor. If you can’t shower right away, try to wipe off the sweat with a bamboo towel and change your clothes.
6. Stay Hydrated and Eat Healthy Foods
Keeping yourself hydrated with water and fueled with healthy foods is also important to maintaining good skin. With a busy practice schedule, you may be on the go a bit more than others. It’s important that you make good choices while eating and drinking instead of hitting the snack and soda machine. Keeping protein bars in your bag will tide you over until you can get fruits and veggies. Eating junk food and chocolate will give your skin an oily appearance, and not in a healthy glow type of way. Show your skin some love by drinking more water and eat healthily!
7. Keep Clothes Clean and Dry
Your sensitive skin isn’t the only thing that needs to be cleaned. If you think about it, after a practice or game, your clothes tend to be a little sweaty and stinky. They have been touching your skin for a long period of intensity. Make sure to wash and dry your uniforms, socks, sweatbands, and anything else you regularly use for practice or games. If you know you’re going to be sitting in a car or on a bus after a game, bring an extra sports bra and t-shirt to avoid sitting in your sweaty clothes for too long.
Finding the right skin care products as a teen or tween is key to glowing and healthy skin. Add in being an athlete, and you need to be a little more consistent with your skincare routine as your skin is sensitive during a workout.
Whether you have dry or sensitive skin, using our kid’s face wash, moisturizer, and sunscreen will show your skin the care it needs when you’re giving it a challenge on the field. Want to know more about caring for your skin with a gentle cleanser and other kid’s products? Take a look at our tips to keep your skin looking its best in any conditions.