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Sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling you down when your internal temperature has risen too high. It’s a necessary process, especially when you’re exercising or in the sun. Though vital and healthy, sweating does come with a few negative side effects, especially if you have sensitive or flare-up-prone skin.
Let’s discuss the good and the bad of sweating, as well as the action steps needed to make sure you’re reaping the benefits of your body’s glistening without letting it wreak havoc on your sensitive skin.
The Benefits of Sweating with Sensitive Skin
Believe it or not, there are a variety of benefits to sweating, especially if you have sensitive skin. And when it comes to caring for your sensitive skin, you can use sweat to your advantage in lieu of products with harsh chemicals and unnatural ingredients.
- Sweat is hydrating: This should come as no surprise. Sweat is a liquid, and when liquids are on your body, they add moisture. If you have sensitive skin, it might be dry, but it might also be excessively oily. In either case, your skin needs more moisture, and sweat can help give you that added hydration.
- Sweat exfoliates your skin: Like with hydration, whether you have dry or oily skin, you need to exfoliate. Exfoliation removes dirt, debris, and other buildup; it clears your pores and prevents acne; and it sloughs off dead skin - all of which are important in maintaining healthy skin. Sweat works as a natural exfoliant, giving you clear skin all over your body.
The Drawbacks to Sweating with Sensitive Skin
Though sweat is good for sensitive skin, it’s not a cure-all, and it’s important to be aware of the negative aspects of sweat, especially if you have sensitive skin.
- Sweat clogs pores: The natural enemy of sensitive skin is clogged pores. Clogged pores lead to acne, and clearing your pores and removing acne is doubly hard when you have sensitive skin. If sweat sits on your skin for too long, it’ll clog your pores, leaving you vulnerable to further skin issues.
- Sweat irritates and dries your skin: One of the main ingredients in sweat is sodium, and sodium is a natural irritant. When sitting on the body for too long, sweat begins to irritate the skin, and it’s even worse with sensitive skin as it’s already prone to irritation. Sodium is also incredibly drying, and like irritation, dry skin is far worse on sensitive skin.
How to Use Sweat to Your Benefit
As noted, sweat can be very beneficial, and having a solid skincare routine and taking preventative measures will ensure you’re benefitting from sweat without compounding the potential issues it can cause.
- Take preventative measures: Whenever you know you’re going to sweat, prepare yourself so you can sweat freely and are able to remove it before it sits too long. Remove your makeup and wear proper clothing so sweat can exit your body as it needs to without clogging your pores, and bring along a towel so you can wipe sweat away before it sits too long on your skin.
- Follow up with the right products: After you’ve sweated it out, take care of your skin with products that’ll soothe. Make sure to wash your face and body right away with a gentle, non-drying cleanser (we recommend our unscented body wash), and following up with a light moisturizer to help restore moisture without clogging pores.
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