Reviving your skin after a workout is just as important as reviving your body and muscles. Athletes know the value of rest, hydration, and nutrition for recovery—but what about your skin? Outdoor workouts like running, cycling, hiking, or even a backyard cookout expose your skin to UV rays, wind, and heat that accelerate skin damage and aging. With the right post-workout skin care routine and ingredients, you can protect, repair, and revive your skin.

How the Outdoors Impacts Your Skin

• UV radiation thickens the skin’s outer layer, increases pigmentation, breaks down collagen and elastin, damages DNA, and at high altitudes (like in Colorado), these effects are intensified.

• Wind exposure strips away moisture, leaving skin dry and compromising its natural barrier.

• Heat and sweat can irritate skin, shift pH balance, and contribute to redness and premature aging. Infrared heat, like UV rays, also generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which speed collagen breakdown.

Post-Workout Skin Recovery Tips

1. Cleanse sweat and restore pH. Your sweat glands work to keep you cool during your workout, but sweat on the skin can affect skin pH and harm the skin. After exercise, wash your face promptly with a gentle cleanser such as Meadow Mist Cleanser, followed by a pH-balanced toner to reset skin. Sometimes an oil based cleanser, like Yarrow Oil Cleanser, works best for removing sweat.

2. Load up on antioxidants. Botanicals like green tea, calendula, and other herbs are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. They fight free radicals, reduce redness, and support repair from sun exposure. Vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid are also powerhouse antioxidants to include.

3. Support collagen repair. Ingredients like peptides, vitamin C, and calendula encourage collagen production and strengthen the skin matrix.

4. Moisturize wisely. Choose a rich cream like Springtide Gold Face Cream to replenish hydration and restore barrier function. In hot weather, switch to a lighter formula like Razz Tightening Serum with hyaluronic acid for weightless hydration.

With consistent care, your skin will feel soothed and replenished after every outdoor activity.

Fun fact: Skin Inc., magazine just published the top 5 states that are most prone to wrinkles. Colorado ranked number 4 in this list with it’s risk factors being high elevation and sunny days. Other states ranked high include New York mainly for their ‘dissatisfaction with life’ and long commutes, Pennsylvania, West Virginia for high smoking rates, and Massachusetts, again for long commutes.