A 2010 study that polled 3000 women on their habits found that nearly a third of them wore makeup to the gym (Daily Mail). The article about the study, done by female care insurance company Diamond, cushioned the fact between statistics about buying new clothes for the gym, suggesting that women put on makeup specifically for the gym. But other studies suggest that it may be more about convenience.
While it’s not the most scientific of studies, an online poll done by Cosmopolitan Magazine of nearly 5,000 women, found that 44 percent of women surveyed wore makeup to the gym sometimes, particularly when coming home from work (Cosmopolitan). But does skipping a quick face wash cause skin problems when you work out?
Whether women are getting gussied up just for the treadmill or are popping in for spin classes post-work, you might want to reconsidering sweating it out with makeup on.
How Comedogenic is Makeup?
In the 70s, researchers wanted to figure out why nearly a third of adult women were suffering from acne outbreaks, and they realized it was their makeup and some of their skin care products. They even deemed the problem “cosmetic acne” because it was so widespread and pervasive (Archives of Dermatology).
Some ingredients are more likely to clog pores than others. A study on the pathophysiology found that in addition to genetics and stress, ingredients like lanolin, cocoa butter, isopropyl myristate, butyl stearate, stearyl alcohol, and oleic acid can all clog up pores and cause zits to pop up (JDDG).
As it were, it’s not just the comedogenic (pore clogging) ingredients that you want to look out for, you’ll also want to stay away from highly irritating ingredients that can cause pimples as the allergic reaction (Toronto Cosmetic Clinic). Many of the fragrances that you sometimes see in cosmetics can be pretty irritating for your skin and can cause acne and rashes.
So if acne is your problem, you’ll want to look for makeup formulated without comedogenic ingredients (for those with less sensitive skin, comedogenic ingredients aren’t always a problem).
Acne and Exercise
Acne and exercise have a peculiar relationship, as sometimes exercise has been said to worsen acne, sometimes it’s been said to make it better, and sometimes it’s said to have no effect.
It can make acne worse if the acne is Pityrosporum folliculitis, a condition that appears similar to acne vulgaris (Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Dermatology). This occurs when the same fungus that plays a role in seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff), Malassezia, overgrows in pores, feeds on the dead skin that gets clogged in pores, and causes acne.
In cases where dermatologists argue that exercise might help acne, it has to do with stress hormones. Consider that acne is often caused because stress hormones can cause excessive production of sebum (Women’s Health Magazine). The more sebum, the more likely that this skin oil will mix with and be trapped by dirt and dead skin cells, clog pores, and cause a breakout (Derm and Skin). And when you get stressed out, your body limits the oxygen and nutrients going to your skin, which means that you’re missing out on the good things and getting too much of the wrong things (David E. Bank, MD).
But one study showed that sweating had almost no effect. A single-blind, randomized study done by Stanford University looking at acne and exercise had a control group that did not exercise, a group that exercised and showered with an hour, and a group that showered within four hours. Curiously, the group that showered an hour after working out saw the biggest increase in acne legions, but researchers found that it was not a statistically significant difference (Stanford, Medscape).
However, the study done at Stanford found that while acne didn’t worsen with working out, it also didn’t improve. So while acne is linked to stress (Dermatology) and exercise does reduce stress, I wasn’t able to find studies that demonstrated definitively that acne improved with regularly exercise.
So Will Makeup During Exercise Cause Breakouts?
If you’re worried about sweating and toxin release, don’t be. Sweating is the body’s natural cooling system and while it contains urea, amino acid, sugars, and lactic acid, it’s not filtering out as many impurities from your body as your liver and kidneys (LA Times). But there are definitely other reasons why sweat might cause acne when you’re wearing makeup.
Wearing makeup, particularly makeup with comedogenic ingredients could cause acne for some. That’s because it essentially acts as another agent for clogging pores and stopping dirt, oil, and dead skin from getting out. That’s the reason that many dermatologists recommend taking your makeup off before working out. Heavy moisturizers can also be culprits in causing acne while working out.
Of course, there are always exceptions, and some people might insist that their makeup does them no harm. There aren’t studies specifically on wearing makeup, working out, and nice skin. And much of acne depends on the sensitivity of your skin to certain factors; some people suffer acne from cosmetics, some people see and increase in acne with sweating, but not everyone is affected by these problems.
Bottom Line
Cosmetics and exercise have both been linked in some regard to acne and for those with sensitive skin, the combination could be a pore-clogging disaster. As someone who generally tries to practice the mantras “Better safe than sorry,” and “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” I’d suggest taking makeup off pre-workout. If you want something quick, you might even consider something like Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes ($4.97, amazon.com) beforehand with a good cleansing post-workout.
As a note, wearing makeup while working out can have other repercussions. Inevitably, you’ll sweat off much of whatever you’re wearing and you risk getting makeup in your eyes, which is an unpleasant experience to say that least.
Do you wear your makeup at the gym? Have you ever broken out because of it? Tell us in the comment section!