If you can’t leave the house without a full face of makeup, even for a workout, you might want to rethink your gym beauty routine. Foundation, mascara and powder all sit on skin that is about to get hot and sweaty.
A study from South Korea has raised some eye-opening points about how wearing makeup while exercising may affect your skin. Here is what the researchers found, what it means for your pores, and how to keep wearing makeup with less risk.
The Study That Raised Eyebrows
Researchers at the Korea National University of Education worked with 43 healthy college students, 20 men and 23 women. Each student had cream foundation applied to the forehead and upper cheek on one half of the face, while the other half stayed bare for comparison.
The students then ran on a treadmill for 20 minutes. Before and after, the team measured skin moisture, elasticity, oil levels and pore size on both sides of the face. The results were published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
Moisture and elasticity rose on both sides, but more under makeup, possibly because foundation slows the evaporation of sweat. On bare skin, oil levels and pore size increased as the skin worked to cool down. Under makeup, oil levels fell and pores barely changed, which the researchers read as a sign that foundation may block pores.
What Happens to Your Skin When You Wear Makeup?
When you work out, your pores open up and sweat begins to flow. This is your body’s way of cooling off. If you are wearing foundation or another type of makeup, that process can be interrupted.
Instead of releasing sweat and oil freely, the skin has to work against a layer of product. Makeup can trap sweat, oil and bacteria, which may lead to clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads and pimples.
Senior study author Dongsun Park, Ph.D., of the Korea National University of Education, gave clear advice based on the results: “For skin health, it’s best to exercise with your makeup removed.”
It is worth keeping the results in perspective. This was a small study with a single 20-minute session, so it shows short-term changes rather than long-term damage. Still, the message is simple: the less product sitting on sweaty skin, the easier it is for pores to do their job.
Is Foundation the Only Culprit?
The study only tested cream foundation, so it says nothing direct about other products. Powder may be less likely to clog pores than cream, but it can still soak up some of the natural oils your skin needs to stay balanced during a workout.
What about eye makeup? Mascara and eyeliner might seem harmless, but they can cause irritation, rashes and even infections if you are not careful. Lipstick is probably fine, so the products to watch are the ones covering your face and eyes.
Can You Still Wear Makeup at the Gym?
Makeup can make you feel more confident, even during a sweaty workout. So, does that mean you have to go makeup-free every time you hit the gym? Not necessarily.
If you want to keep your routine, a few habits can lower the risks. First, choose noncomedogenic products, which are formulated to reduce the chance of clogged pores. Also, keep the makeup light, since fewer layers are better.
After your workout, wipe your face with a makeup wipe, then use a gentle cleanser to remove any leftover product, sweat or grime. Keeping both in your gym bag makes this step easy to do straight after your session.
A simple routine that works for most people is to train bare-faced, cleanse after the session, and apply makeup fresh once your skin has cooled down. If you prefer some coverage at the gym, a single light layer of a noncomedogenic product is the safer choice.
