Do I need to take my makeup off before exercising?

Published

1 year ago

April 12, 2024

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By Marzia Khan Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLM

Introduction
The impact of makeup on skin during exercise
Benefits of removing makeup before exercising
Tips and best practices for skin care and exercise expert opinions
Conclusion
Resources

While working out is known for its beneficial effects on the skin, exercising while wearing makeup may be detrimental for the wearer, with significant impact on their skin.[1]

Image Credit: Ground Picture /Shutterstock.com Introduction

The debate among fitness enthusiasts and beauty experts on wearing makeup during exercise has been discussed at length, with the science siding with having a bare face, which will be further explored in this article.[1]

There is a growing trend of wearing makeup while exercising, which may be due to the increase in fitness influencers, with millions of followers that look to them for fitness recommendations, or advice.[1,2]

This means that the priority of fitness influencers would be on being camera-ready rather than following best skin-related practices whilst in the gym or during exercise.[2]

Grace Day, an esthetician and skincare expert at the makeup and beauty company, Beauty Bay, disclosed her own thoughts on this debate, that refraining from wearing makeup during exercise may not be feasible for many people.[3]

This may be due to individuals potentially wanting to conceal breakouts out of feeling self-conscious or wanting to look nice when around others during a fitness class or at the gym.[4] The impact of makeup on skin during exercise

Wearing makeup during exercise can have detrimental effects on the skin because makeup clogs pores and causes increased skin dryness. This is also why it is recommended to remove makeup before going to sleep, as the makeup can combine with oil and dead skin cells, blocking pores and promoting acne formation.[1]

Being the largest organ in the body, the skin functions to protect against the entry of environmental microbes, which can be detrimental to the person. Various factors, such as moisture, oil levels, elasticity, number of pores, and the distribution of sebum can characterize healthy skin.

Insufficient moisture and oil can have a detrimental effect on skin health, resulting in acne.[5]

Exercise can stimulate many physiological and thermal changes that can lead to thermal homeostasis changes in the body, metabolic rate, and a higher internal temperature, which can cause variations in skin conditions.

With the skin being an internal temperature regulator through the process of perspiration, the pores can expand to release waste and sebum, and if left untreated on the skin surface, it can proliferate and potentially cause acute and chronic skin issues.[5] Related StoriesNovel scoring system can distinguish between two serious skin diseasesReversing time: Hyaluronic acid injections offer lasting improvement in aging skinCan synthetic data boost fairness in medical imaging AI?

A private sector survey of 2,201 people in the UK has found that up to 60% of people reported wearing makeup while in the gym. The application of makeup may block pores with a negative impact on the skin during exercise, affecting skin health.[5]

However, a 2024 study has reaffirmed the lack of scientific knowledge on the effect of makeup on the epidermis during exercise. As a result of this premise, the researchers aimed to investigate the influence of cosmetic oil-free foundation cream on skin conditions during treadmill exercise.

The findings of using foundation cream during aerobic exercise reduced skin oil, which can cause dryness. Additionally, it was also confirmed to clog pores and increase the production of sebum.[5]

The study concluded that wearing makeup during aerobic exercise may not be recommended for those with dry skin conditions, with further studies being required to test different foundation creams, such as oil-based, water-based, and water-free.

This is due to these variations comprising different primary and secondary emulsifiers, which may affect skin conditions.[5]

Dr. Brendan Camp, a dermatologist based in New York, commented on this widely discussed issue, stating that wearing makeup while exercising can lead to clogged pores and the development of acne due to makeup trapping sweat and bacteria in pores.[1,3]

These health concerns are mainly focused on the use of foundation while exercising, however, Camp explained that other types of makeup may not be regarded in the same light, “Mascara, eyeliner, and lipstick may present less of an issue during exercise because they are not applied to the entire face.” However, more research is required to understand how specific types of makeup can impact the skin during exercise.[1] Benefits of removing makeup before exercising

An esthetic doctor and educator in cosmetic dermatology, Dr. Amie Vyas, recommended to remove and cleanse your face before exercising, this is because makeup that is worn all day can collect pollution and microbes.[4]

The aforementioned 2024 study investigating the impact of foundation on aerobic exercise recommended against wearing makeup for those with dry skin conditions in order to ensure that waste and sebum is removed from the skin.[5]

This is especially significant as previously mentioned, with the skin regulating temperature through perspiration, and exercise changing thermal homeostasis in the body. If waste and sebum is left untreated on the skin, it can lead to acute and chronic skin issues.[5]

Cleansing the skin and removing makeup can also enable the skin to breathe, without being clogged by thick foundations that are comedogenic, whilst also ensuring excess sebum, sweat, bacteria and product residue are removed.[1] Tips and best practices for skin care and exercise expert opinions

Some people decide to wear makeup while in the gym or during exercise in general due to several reasons, such as feeling self-conscious about their skin when in a public area. However, with thicker foundations being more comedogenic, causing negative impact on the user’s skin, many will be happy to know that experts have provided foundation alternatives to use while exercising.[1]

Foundation alternatives can include using a BB cream or beauty balm, with BB creams falling between a foundation and skincare product. Camp commented, “[BB creams] are often formulated to be non-comedogenic and are intended to improve skin tone and the overall appearance of skin. CC or color-correcting creams are intended to reduce redness and uneven skin tone. They may have a lighter consistency than BB creams.”[1]

Avoiding heavy makeup such as full coverage foundations can help to reduce post-workout breakouts.[3] Additionally, after exercising, it is important to cleanse the skin, including both the face and body, in order to remove excess oil, sweat, bacteria and product residue, which may otherwise work to contribute towards the formation of acne or folliculitis.[1] Conclusion

While wearing makeup during exercise can be the difference between going to the gym or fitness class and staying at home, informed choices of what type of makeup you wear can be of utmost importance to ensure the skin condition stays healthy.[1,5]

As makeup causes clogged pores, it is recommended to wear lighter products on the skin, such as oil-free skin tints or BB creams. However, this may not be without its own effects, with a recent study investigating the impact of using oil-free foundation cream during aerobic exercise demonstrating a higher level of skin dryness.

Due to this, the use of oil-free foundation creams may not even be a recommendation for those with dry skin conditions during exercise, as they would be at a higher risk for further dryness. [1,5]

With a lack of information on how the epidermis responds to makeup during exercise, additional studies are required to understand how other foundation products impact the skin when exercising.[5] References Vogel K. Why you should avoid wearing make-up when working out. Healthline. March 8, 2024. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-happens-when-you-wear-make-up-while-exercising#How-to-help-your-skin-post-workout. The rise of fitness influencers. Action Group. October 16, 2023. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://action-group.co.uk/the-rise-of-fitness-influencers/. Is it ok to wear make-up during exercise? The Independent. March 6, 2024. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/is-it-ok-to-wear-makeup-during-exercise-b2507732.html. 10 gym-proof make-up products that won’t slip, slide or Break you out. Accessed March 28, 2024. https://www.elle.com/uk/beauty/make-up/articles/g32531/makeup-you-can-wear-to-exercise/. Yoon E, Kwon EH, Kim JH, et al. Influence of cosmetic foundation cream on skin condition during treadmill exercise. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Published online March 6, 2024. doi:10.1111/jocd.16205

Last Updated: Apr 3, 2024

Politics

UK and France have ‘shared responsibility’ to tackle illegal migration, Emmanuel Macron says

Published

3 hours ago

July 9, 2025

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UK and France have 'shared responsibility' to tackle illegal migration, Emmanuel Macron says

Emmanuel Macron has said the UK and France have a “shared responsibility” to tackle the “burden” of illegal migration, as he urged co-operation between London and Paris ahead of a crunch summit later this week.

Addressing parliament in the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday, the French president said the UK-France summit would bring “cooperation and tangible results” regarding the small boats crisis in the Channel.

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Mr Macron – who is the first European leader to make a state visit to the UK since Brexit – told the audience that while migrants’ “hope for a better life elsewhere is legitimate”, “we cannot allow our countries’ rules for taking in people to be flouted and criminal networks to cynically exploit the hopes of so many individuals with so little respect for human life”.

“France and the UK have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness,” he added.

Looking ahead to the UK-France summit on Thursday, he promised the “best ever cooperation” between France and the UK “to fix today what is a burden for our two countries”.

Sir Keir Starmer will hope to reach a deal with his French counterpart on a “one in, one out” migrant returns deal at the key summit on Thursday.

King Charles also addressed the delegations at a state banquet in Windsor Castle on Tuesday evening, saying the summit would “deepen our alliance and broaden our partnerships still further”.

Sitting next to President Macron, the monarch said: “Our armed forces will cooperate even more closely across the world, including to support Ukraine as we join together in leading a coalition of the willing in defence of liberty and freedom from oppression. In other words, in defence of our shared values.”

In April, British officials confirmed a pilot scheme was being considered to deport migrants who cross the English Channel in exchange for the UK accepting asylum seekers in France with legitimate claims.

The two countries have engaged in talks about a one-for-one swap, enabling undocumented asylum seekers who have reached the UK by small boat to be returned to France.

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Britain would then receive migrants from France who would have a right to be in the UK, like those who already have family settled here.

The small boats crisis is a pressing issue for the prime minister, given that more than 20,000 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK in the first six months of this year – a rise of almost 50% on the number crossing in 2024.

Elsewhere in his speech, the French president addressed Brexit, and said the UK could not “stay on the sidelines” despite its departure from the European Union.

He said European countries had to break away from economic dependence on the US and China.

“Our two countries are among the oldest sovereign nations in Europe, and sovereignty means a lot to both of us, and everything I referred to was about sovereignty, deciding for ourselves, choosing our technologies, our economy, deciding our diplomacy, and deciding the content we want to share and the ideas we want to share, and the controversies we want to share.

“Even though it is not part of the European Union, the United Kingdom cannot stay on the sidelines because defence and security, competitiveness, democracy – the very core of our identity – are connected across Europe as a continent.”

World

IDF presence in Gaza ‘only issue’ still to be resolved in push for Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Sky News understands

Published

3 hours ago

July 9, 2025

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IDF presence in Gaza 'only issue' still to be resolved in push for Israel-Hamas ceasefire, Sky News understands

Only one issue remains unresolved in the push to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza, according to Sky sources.

Intense negotiations are taking place in Qatar in parallel with key talks in Washington between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Two sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations have told Sky News that disagreement between Israel and Hamas remains on the status and presence of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) inside Gaza.

The two sides have bridged significant differences on several other issues, including the process of delivering humanitarian aid and Hamas’s demand that the US guarantees to ensure Israel doesn’t unilaterally resume the war when the ceasefire expires in 60 days.

On the issue of humanitarian aid, Sky News understands that a third party that neither Hamas nor Israel has control over will be used in areas from which the IDF withdraws.

This means that the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) – jointly run by an American organisation and Israel – will not be able to operate anywhere where the IDF is not deployed. It will limit GHF expansion plans.

It is believed the United Nations or other recognised humanitarian organisations will adopt a greater role.

On the issue of a US guarantee to prevent Israel restarting the war, Sky News understands that a message was passed to Hamas by Dr Bishara Bahbah, a Palestinian American who has emerged as a key back channel in the negotiations.

The message appears to have been enough to convince Hamas that President Trump will prevent Israel from restarting the conflict.

However, there is no sense from any of the developments over the course of the past day about what the future of Gaza looks like longer-term.

Final challenge is huge

The last remaining disagreement is, predictably, the trickiest to bridge.

Israel’s central war aim, beyond the return of the hostages, is the total elimination of Hamas as a military and political organisation. The withdrawal of the IDF, partial or total, could allow Hamas to regroup.

One way to overcome this would be to provide wider guarantees of clear deliverable pathways to a viable future for Palestinians.

But there is no sense from the negotiations of any longer-term commitments on this issue.

Two key blocks have been resolved over the past 24 hours but the final challenge is huge.

The conflict in Gaza erupted when Hamas attacked southern Israel in October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Some 20 hostages are believed to remain alive in Gaza.

Israel has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

World

Trump applying ‘heavy pressure’ on Netanyahu to end war in Gaza

Published

3 hours ago

July 9, 2025

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Trump applying 'heavy pressure' on Netanyahu to end war in Gaza

US President Donald Trump is putting “heavy” pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza, two sources close to the ceasefire negotiations have told Sky News.

One US source said: “The US pressure on Israel has begun, and tonight it will be heavy.”

The source, who is not authorised to speak publicly, was referring to the White House dinner on Monday night between Trump and Netanyahu.

A second Middle Eastern diplomatic source agreed that the American pressure on Israel would be intense.

Netanyahu arrived in Washington DC in the early hours of Monday morning and held meetings on Monday with Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, and Marco Rubio, the secretary of state and national security adviser.

The Israeli prime minister plans to be in Washington until Thursday with meetings on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

Trump has made clear his desire to bring the Gaza conflict to an end.

However, he has never articulated how a lasting peace, which would satisfy both the Israelis and Palestinians, could be achieved.

His varying comments about ownership of Gaza, moving Palestinians out of the territory and permanent resettlement, have presented a confusing policy.

Situation for Palestinians worse than ever

Over the coming days, we will see the extent to which Trump demands that Netanyahu accepts the current Gaza ceasefire deal, even if it falls short of Israel’s war aims – the elimination of Hamas.

The strategic objective to permanently remove Hamas seems always to have been impossible. Hamas as an entity was the extreme consequence of the Israeli occupation.

The Palestinians’ challenge has not gone away, and the situation for Palestinians now is worse than it has ever been in Gaza and also the West Bank. It is not clear how Trump plans to square that circle.

Trump’s oft-repeated desire to “stop the killing” is sincere. Those close to him often emphasise this. He is also looking to cement his legacy as a peacemaker. He genuinely craves the Nobel Peace Prize.

In this context, the complexities of conflicts – in Ukraine or Gaza – are often of secondary importance to the president.

If Netanyahu can be persuaded to end the war, what would he need?

The hostages back – for sure. That would require agreement from Hamas. They would only agree to this if they have guarantees on Gaza’s future and their own future. More circles to square.

Was White House dinner a key moment?

The Monday night dinner could have been a key moment for the Middle East. Two powerful men in the Blue Room of the White House, deciding the direction of the region.

Will it be seen as the moment the region was remoulded? But to whose benefit?

Trump is a dealmaker with an eye on the prize. But Netanyahu is a political master; they don’t call him “the magician” for nothing.

Trump makes decisions instinctively. He can shift position quickly and often listens to the last person in the room. Right now – that person is Netanyahu.

Gaza is one part of a jigsaw of challenges, which could become opportunities.

Diplomatic normalisation between Israel and the Arab world is a prize for Trump and could genuinely secure him the Nobel Peace Prize.

But without the Gaza piece, the jigsaw is incomplete.