The Ultimate Guide to Skin Care When Exercising Outdoors

From beach volleyball and wave catching to swimming in the pool after softball games in the sun, it's officially season for outdoor sports. While running outdoors is good for our health and our body, those long hours in the sun can be devastating to our skin. So before heading out to the field, to the pool, or to the beach this spring or summer, make sure you and your skin are ready. Not sure where to start? We have you covered! Check out our complete outdoor skincare guide below! 

SKIN CARE RULE #1 FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS: USE SUN CREAM 

While you should wear broad-spectrum sunscreen 365 days a year, you should be even more adamant about applying sunscreen during the warmer months, especially when playing outdoor sports. For the body, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that is both waterproof and has a high SPF, such as La Roche-Posay's Anthelios Sport SPF 60 Sunscreen. This dry touch sunscreen is water resistant up to 80 minutes, which is great news for those involved in one of summer's most active activities. The best part of this sunscreen? In addition to UV protection, the formula is non-comedogenic so you don't have to worry about clogged pores. You should reapply sunscreen every two hours, regardless of SPF. But when you're sweating or swimming, you should reapply at least every 40 minutes to be safe.

When protecting your face from the sun's harmful UV rays, you should double your protection by wearing protective clothing and a broad spectrum sunscreen such as La Roche-Posay Anthelios AOX Daily SPF 50 sunscreen. This anti-oxidant sunscreen serum combines the power of sunscreen with a highly effective antioxidant complex to protect your skin from the sun and prevent damage that can show up as fine lines, dark spots or wrinkles. 

Last but not least, don't forget the lips! Protect your lips by applying a lip conditioner containing sunscreen. Because your lips don't have melanin in their skin, they can use whatever sun protection they can get. Get a formula that can protect against UV rays while moisturizing your lips on summer days and beyond.  

SKIN CARE RULE FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS #2: DRINK UP TO MORE!

All this running around can make you sweat and, in turn, dehydrate you. To stay hydrated, remember to take a water bottle with you when you go outside. If plain old H2O isn't your thing, spice it up with fruits and herbs to give it a flavor. We share three of our favorite spa-inspired fruit water recipes here..  

SKIN CARE RULE FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS #3: WASH YOUR FACE

After sweating - with or without makeup - it's important to wash the sweat and oil off the surface of the skin. Skipping this very important skincare step can lead to clogged pores and breakouts. Our expert consultant Dr. Lisa Jeanne recommends cleansing your skin no later than 10 minutes after you've finished sweating. To make things easier, put makeup remover wipes or a no-rinse cleanser like micellar water in your beach or gym bag. Мы рекомендуем Ultra micellar water from La Roche-Posay. This soothing formula gently removes any dirt, sweat, oil or impurities from your skin's surface before they can cause damage. If you're more into napkins, try La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Napkins.

SKIN CARE RULE FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS #4: MOISTURIZE YOUR SKIN 

After you have cleansed your face of sweat and excess sebum, apply a moisturizing moisturizer, just as you would after cleansing during your regular skin care routine. We recommend using something light, like La Roche-Posay's Toleraine Double Repair Moisturizer. This lightweight moisturizer infuses skin with moisture to restore the protective moisture barrier. It even works to control excess oil!  

SKIN CARE RULE #5 FOR OUTDOOR SPORTS

After running in the sun all day, your skin may need a little tonic in the form of a facial spray. Facial sprays are a great way to freshen up your complexion with quick hydration and often a few other skincare treats! When we are on the road, we love La Roche-Posay thermal water. Just one spray provides an instant soothing sensation. For added cooling comfort, store your facial spray in the refrigerator. After you sweat, you will be instantly refreshed.