The Best Post-Gym Skincare Routine to Prevent Breakouts and Irritation

We all know that regular exercise is crucial to maintain a healthy body and mind. The downside? It can cause skin breakouts and inflammation from sweat, friction, and bacteria.

But you don’t have to sacrifice radiant, clear skin to stay fit. With a proper post-gym skincare routine, you can prevent breakouts and irritation, protecting your skin and keeping your complexion blemish-free.

June 4^th, 2025

From BIOTHERM

Should you do skincare before or after the gym?

Both a pre-and post-gym skin care routine is essential to protect your skin and prevent clogged pores. While this may sound tedious, you actually don’t need very many products or skincare steps to complete either one. It will take a maximum of 5 minutes, and ensure your skin stays clear and radiant throughout your fitness journey.

Pre-gym skincare is all about cleansing and protecting the skin, so that excess sweat and bacteria has less of a chance of impacting your complexion. Post-gym skin care is more rigorous, intended to deeply cleanse and repair the skin at a crucial time to avoid clogged pores and inflammation. Sweat and heat opens up your pores, so bacteria can get trapped and cause acne easily.

Keep reading to learn the best step-by-step post-gym skincare routine to repair your skin barrier and deeply cleanse away impurities:

The ideal post-gym skincare routine

After your workout is done, follow this guide for skincare after the gym:

1. Cleanse your skin ASAP with a gentle cleanser that removes sweat, dirt, and oil. The Aquasource Hydra Barrier Cleanser protects the skin barrier while cleansing away impurities.
2. Rebalance and soothe skin with a toner or serum. The Life Plankton Regenerating Serum hydrates, regenerates, and protects the skin from irritation.
3. Add a dose of hydration with a moisturizer that’s right for you. The Aquasource Cica Nutri Cream is a great on-the-go option for most skin types, delivering 72 hours of hydration.
4. Reapply your facial sunscreen to protect your skin from sun damage, which causes premature aging and sagging.
5. After showering and cleansing your skin with body wash, towel dry and apply the Collagen Fit Intensive Hydra Body Cream to moisturize and tighten skin.

Common post-gym skincare mistakes to avoid

Your skin is vulnerable after a workout, so it’s important to learn the do’s and don’ts of post-gym skincare. Here are some common post-gym skin care mistakes to be aware of and avoid:

1. Don’t just cleanse your skin with makeup wipes or by splashing your face with water. Yes, it’s better than nothing, but your skin needs a deep cleanse with a facial cleanser after a sweaty workout.
2. It’s not a good time to add harsher ingredients to your skin, such as retinol or AHAs. Yes, they’re effective skincare ingredients, but save them for your evening routine when your skin is less susceptible to irritation.
3. Don’t forget to reapply sunscreen after the gym, even if you applied some pre-workout! You likely sweat it off and will be vulnerable to sun damage. Facial sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours at minimum.

And that’s it! Follow these do’s and don’ts when building your post-gym skincare routine and you’ll keep your complexion looking healthy and glowy (in all the right ways).