You just finished a killer workout. Your endorphins are high, your muscles are fatigued and you feel amazing—until you look in the studio mirror and see a bright, tomato-red complexion staring back at you.
While a post-workout flush is completely normal, it can sometimes linger long after you’ve left the gym. If you struggle with a crimson complexion that refuses to fade, here is everything you need to know about why it happens and the ultimate routine to calm it down.
Why Does Exercise Cause Skin Redness?
When you exercise, your heart rate increases and your body temperature rises. To keep you from overheating, your body acts like a radiator: your blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to the surface of your skin, allowing excess heat to escape. This natural bodily function is what gives you that flushed appearance.
However, for those prone to skin sensitivity or rosacea, this process can trigger a much more intense reaction. The sudden surge of heat and increased blood flow can cause underlying rosacea to flare up, leading to prolonged redness, blotchiness and inflammation that doesn't easily subside once your body cools down.
Fortunately, you don't have to skip your favorite high-intensity workouts to keep your skin happy. You just need the right post-workout recovery routine for your face.
Tried-and-True Tips from Our Founder
Our founder knows this post-workout struggle all too well. Having spent decades working in the fitness and wellness industry, she had to find a reliable way to manage her own flare-ups without giving up her active lifestyle. This routine features her personal tips for keeping her rosacea-prone skin calm, clear and balanced while keeping her fitness goals perfectly on track.
The Routine to Tame Post-Workout Redness
To immediately soothe your skin and neutralize that post-workout flush, pack these founder-approved skin-savers in your gym bag:
Mist with Hypochlorous Acid
Immediately after your workout, mist your face, neck and chest with a hypochlorous acid spray. Hypochlorous acid naturally purifies, reduces irritation and instantly goes to work on inflammation. Just be sure to allow the mist to dry down completely before moving on to your next product.
Cool and Calm with a Targeted Treatment
Once your skin is dry, apply a soothing redness treatment to act as a cooling drink of water for overheated skin. A formula specifically designed to bring down the temperature of your skin will calm, balance and visibly reduce that angry red appearance.
Set and Neutralize
Lastly, apply a translucent green hyaluronic setting powder. Green is the opposite of red on the color wheel, meaning this powder will instantly color-correct and neutralize any remaining flush. Beyond the cosmetic color-correction, the combination of silica and hyaluronic acid in the formula will further tame redness, draw in hydration and keep your skin beautifully balanced for the rest of the day.
Don't let the fear of a flare-up keep you from getting your sweat on. With a few smart, soothing steps, you can calm the heat and walk out of the gym with a balanced, radiant glow!
