Yes, Workout-Adjacent Skin Care Is a Thing

As a dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Jordan Samuel Pacitti spent six hours a day “off and on, sweating then resting.” Add to that loop three performances a week under hot stage lights, in heavy makeup, and Mr. Pacitti’s once blemish-free skin revolted.

“There were extreme breakouts, sensitivity, inflammation — you name it,” Mr. Pacitti said. His efforts back then to achieve “happy — not perfect” skin became the foundation of his post-dance career as an aesthetician and founder of Jordan Samuel Skin, a collection designed to maintain balance and hydration.

“Most of us work out when we can squeeze it in throughout the day,” he said. “But that leads to a puzzle: When do I cleanse? Do I remove my makeup? When do I apply my skin care? It’s a surprisingly complex puzzle.”

To help you solve that puzzle, we consulted four skin-care experts. Developing a routine is important, they say, because of what’s happening in and on the skin as you work out.

When your heart rate is up, “you get vasodilation — vessels widen, and more blood, oxygen and nutrients go to the skin,” said Marnie Nussbaum, a dermatologist in Manhattan. “That’s the glow you see.” Your pores open up, too, letting in more of whatever is on the skin’s surface.

Sweat and heat also affect the skin’s microbiome. “Certain flora on the skin are protective,” said the cosmetic dermatologic surgeon Howard Sobel of Sobel Skin in Manhattan. “When they’re out of balance, you can end up with inflammation, irritation or acne.”