No time to remove makeup, desire to have a pretty complexion … It has happened to all of us to stay made up to do sports. Is it really so annoying for our skin? We make the point and we give you the good reflexes to adopt if you want to make up sport.
When we practice a moderate to intense physical activity, we sweat. By exercising, we produce heat and, to regulate the body temperature. The sweat glands start to produce sweat, especially on the forehead where they are particularly abundant.
If the skin is made up, this perspiration inevitably ends up mixing with the potential complexion products we wear on our face. An explosive cocktail for our skin? If the best option is to remove your makeup before your sports session (to take advantage of the “skin cleansing” effect that sports can have). Nothing prohibits you from playing sports with makeup on, as long as you respect a few simple rules.
Playing sports with make-up: yes, but keeping a light hand
“Doing sports with makeup on is the same as wearing makeup on a hot summer day,” says Caroline Bejaoui, makeup artist T. LeClerc. Heat, humidity, perspiration… The problems are indeed similar. “So you have to adapt your make-up routine to this context, by making the most of lightness”, explains our expert.
If waterproof products are perfect to sublimate the eyes and avoid panda eyes during and after a sports session (mascara, kohl pencil …), they are not the best options for the complexion. “The textures can be quite thick and even drying depending on the brand,” emphasizes the makeup artist.
For a skin that breathes and remains comfortable in full effort, we forget the “thick” textures type foundation and we bet instead on light products type pigmented foundation or tinted cream. That will deposit a light veil unifying on the face. “For a more sophisticated result, you can then apply a veil of loose powder over the entire face,” adds the professional. In the case of imperfections to be camouflaged, one is satisfied to apply a point of liquid corrector on the zones to be corrected just before the powder.
Sport and makeup, a combination that’s not necessarily bad for the skin
Don’t we risk clogging the pores of the skin and seeing small unsightly pimples appear if we do sports with makeup? “Not if you respect the need for lightness and choose products that are perfectly suited to your skin type,” says Caroline Bejaoui. If you have oily skin, and are therefore particularly prone to pimples and other blackheads, make sure you choose makeup that is labeled “non-comedogenic”, i.e. specially formulated to avoid clogging the skin’s pores and the development of blackheads.
Furthermore, perspiration is rarely the only cause of clogged pores. Excess sebum, pollution and other dead skin… There are many culprits and it is their accumulation that is problematic. By taking care of your skin on a daily basis with a well-honed beauty routine (systematic make-up removal before going to bed, daily moisturizing, regular exfoliation…), you have all the chances on your side to have a healthy skin that. Even with make-up, will not get out of control at the first sports class.
After sport: the importance of make-up removal
No time to go through the makeup removal right after sport? “If the physical activity was soft and that one sweated little, it is not dramatic”, reassures Caroline Bejaoui. “All you have to do is blot the T-zone with a small handkerchief, apply a little powder, and it’s as if you hadn’t done any sport.
And to add: “It is what one does on the sets television where it is often very hot: one just absorbs the surplus of perspiration or sebum with a handkerchief and one repoudre over with the brush or the powder puff”. On the other hand, it is imperative to scrupulously remove makeup and clean your face in the evening to get rid of the makeup and impurities accumulated during the day.
On the other hand, when physical activity has been intense and the face has been sweating profusely, a shower is necessary to remove eye and complexion make-up. If you only want to take one product with you, you can opt for a makeup remover oil, which is capable of removing even the most stubborn mascara and complexion products. Ideally, makeup removal should be followed by skin cleansing with a cleansing gel or foam, but be careful not to overtreat or strip the skin, especially if it is dry or sensitive. “Then, rehydrate your skin with a cream to compensate for the water lost during sports activities,” says Caroline Bejaoui. “After a sports session, moisturizing, both inside and outside, is essential to maintain a pretty, luminous skin that will be easier to (re)apply makeup afterwards.”
