A gym girl's guide to beauty

New year, new fitness regimen? Cool, cool. Let's make sure your hair and skin goals don't backslide. There are things to note when it comes to beauty and exercise...

- Keeka Redi

By Keeks Reid I've just done the hardest boxing session of my life. My entire body is now, in fact, jelly, and I'm dripping in sweat. While I feel exhilarated—blood pumping and endorphins incoming—I also kinda just want to curl into a ball and roll home. But I can’t, because it’s Sam and I have to get to work and look somewhat presentable by 9am. Thus begins the 30-minute extreme makeover from bedraggled gym rat to beauty director. Quick question: Does lugging my 1kg makeup bag to and from central London count as weightlifting? And it’s not just on the days I'm working out that I have to factor in how my exercise and beauty routines combine; aligning my type-4 hair wash day with gym sessions has become a scheduling nightmare. Oh, and don’t get me started on the mission to keep rashes and bacne at bay—thanks to spandex workout gear. The truth is, while exercising is one of the best things you can do for your body, the toll it takes on our beauty routines is tough.

Over time, I've found a way to make both work so that I feel good, but also feel like I look good. However, it’s not been a walk in the park to get there—more like a long incline run on a treadmill.

EXERCISE + FACE AND BODY

With the mix of sweat and hot skin, is it any surprise that exercise can wreak havoc on both your face and body? But before we delve any further into the issues that can arise, it’s important to remember the pluses. “Working out can positively affect the skin by increasing blood circulation, which delivers more oxygen and nutrients, resulting in a healthier complexion,” notes dermatologist and brand founder Dr Shereene Idriss, adding that the process of sweating “helps detoxify the skin, flush out impurities, and promote a clearer appearance.”