Hey yogis,

Do you remember that feeling of endorphin high and lightness after your last yoga class?

I hate to break it to you, but…

Your eyes might glow, but your skin detests sweaty flow.

(Yes, hot yoga and Vinyasa fans, I'm talking to you!)

Sweating is not necessarily bad for your skin. In fact, occasional sweating during a workout or in the sauna removes impurities and even protects us from bacteria.

Yet, everyday grime mixed with post-workout perspiration that sits on the skin doesn't do your face any good. From losing the essential minerals through sweat to experiencing dryness, irritation, and acne breakouts, sweaty skin needs special sweet care.

Fret not! You can take the situation under your control.

Here are four tips on how to make your skin look as good as your yoga flow makes you feel.

Skip The Makeup

If you know you're gonna break a sweat at a Hot Yoga/Bikram class or you're heading to 108 Sun Salutation challenge, do your face a favor and avoid makeup.

This way, your pores remain unclogged, and your skin can breathe while the sweat does an excellent job of cooling you off.

Can't go sans makeup? At least use wet towels to clean your face before the class. Like these ones, for example.

Keep That Hands Off Your Face

I'm not a heavy sweater. But when I do, my palms oddly start to sweat before anything else does.

Avoid touching your face while you're in the flow. If it's fast enough, your face is probably already wet and doesn't need any additional bacteria you might have picked up from occasionally setting your palm on the floor.

Clean Your Yoga Props Regularly

You know how you go to the gym, and all the equipment smells and looks kinda gross? Well, it's also swarming with germs from all the accumulated sweat.

In yoga, we often touch all the props with our face. So you definitely don't want to let the bacteria set up shop on your gear.

And I mean all the gear and not only a yoga mat. Blocks, yoga towel, wrist wedges, even your yoga strap.

Skip on makeup before your workout. Instead, apply moisturizer to help your skin stay hydrated.

Establish A Proper Skincare Routine

Want to keep the yoga glow after the yoga class? Follow this rule religiously.

Wipe your face with towels before the workout and always, always, always wash your face immediately after the workout. The sooner, the better.

This way, you will not only help your body cool off after a sweaty yoga flow but also prevent breakouts by cleansing your skin of sweat and bacteria.

Washing with lukewarm water is better than nothing. Though it won't do much to hydrate and nourish your skin post-workout.

So here's were specialized skincare such as this 123FRÉ set comes in.

FRÉ cosmetics was created specifically for the skin that sweats and takes the stress of daily exercise. So I was superhyped when FRÉ asked me to test their 123FRÉ set and share my honest opinion about it.

I mean, the brand has more than 1500 positive reviews? That sounded exciting!

You'll Love Your Sweat With FRÉ Skincare

In the past, I was guilty of not being too meticulous about my skincare routine.

Why guilty?

1) Because I'm prone to hyper-pigmentation, and my face turns into a walking freckle with the first beams of the sun.

Nonetheless, while living in sunny Spain for a year, I neglected sun protection and got myself a pigment spot on my face;

2) Because I'm suffering from occasional outbreaks of hormonal cystic acne all my life. My skin needs constant attention and gets worse if I stop looking after it.

Top it up with my love towards a good sweaty yoga flow that I often take outdoors under the sun, and you have a perfect recipe for disaster.

I started paying a bit more attention to what I was actually putting on my face during the recent years only. However, none of the skincare proved to be exactly what I need for my lifestyle so far.

This is my first time trying the skincare that is made specifically for women who workout. (Maybe because nobody created such skincare before? :-))

So 123FRÉ set consists of three products:

Protect Me

When to apply: before workout or sun exposure

Why use:

• makes outdoor yoga flows under the sun safe and fun (without clogging the pores!)
• prevents dark spots
• keeps the skin hydrated and soft
• leaves your face looking as it should look instead of turning it into a chalky white smudge.

I have a hate-hate relationship with sunscreen. I know I have to use it. I know it's good for my skin. Yet, every time I have to clench my teeth to put that thing on my face.

Even the pricey products always feel sticky and leave a chalky trace on my skin.

Hence I wasn't super excited about testing Protect Me, to be honest.

But don't cry before you are hurt, right?

Protect Me cream from FRÉ turned out to be surprisingly non-sticky and smooth. Besides, it does a great job of keeping the redness, burning, and irritation caused by sweat at bay.

Purify Me

When to apply: right after the workout

Why use:

• washes away sweat and dirt
• gently exfoliates dead cells
• keeps the skin hydrated and smooth
• ensures you leave the yoga studio with a fresh and glowing skin rather than red and swollen face

This is the best wash for sweaty skin that I've ever tried. Honestly, no jokes here.

It's super gentle so you can exfoliate every day, it smells out-of-this-world, and most importantly it doesn't dry my skin at all.

Which is indeed a big surprise to me.

The thing is that every time I change a skincare product, my skin seems to go through a sort of adaptation period. It gets pretty dry, especially near the lips.

Purify Me cleanser works like a charm on my skin. There's not a hint of dryness after it. I sometimes even feel that there's no need to apply any cream after it.

I know some people complained that it doesn't lather very well. Which is a weird complaint, in my opinion. Who likes to wash off tons of foam off their faces, anyway?

Revive Me

When to apply: after a workout or before sleep

Why use:

• boosts collagen for elastic and healthy skin
• irons out wrinkles
• nourishes the skin with minerals
• gives you that post-yoga glow whether you finished a 10 km run a few minutes before or just woke up

So far, I have used Revive Me serum exclusively before sleep. It's very economical – just a few drops are enough for the whole face. It absorbs extremely quickly (either it's supposed to be like that, or maybe my skin just devours all the minerals instantly).

I asked my hubby if I looked better in the mornings. He said I'm always beautiful. But I think it's the serum working.

FRÉ Ingredients & Formula

Who the heck can read those cosmetic labels? If you can, know that I admire you.

Because the labels are:

• confusing
• often misleading
• just damn hard to understand.

I'm no nerd in deciphering the ingredient lists, but I did my best to do some online research.

FRÉ brand proudly names its breakthrough ingredient - Argania Spinosa.

Sadly, it often happens with big brands that they build a marketing strategy around one active ingredient while stuffing their skincare with tons of other 'poo' chemicals.

Well, not FRÉ.

I was surprised to find that there are basically no bad or even averagely rated ingredients in any of the three mentioned items. Argania Spinosa is in every product, but apart from it, there are so many other cool ingredients that are healthy for our skin.

Just to name a few:

• capric triglyceride – makes the skin smooth as a baby's bottom
• olive oil unsaponifiables – soothe and soften
• allantoin – nourishes and softens
• lactic acid – improves complexion
• jojoba oil – repairs, reduces redness, soothes
• shea butter – soothes, tones, nourishes, heals as well as has anti-inflammatory properties (is there anything it can't do?)

FRÉ set comes with a cool free carrier so you can take it to a yoga studio or gym.

Pros & Cons

Here's what I LIKED most about this skincare set from FRÉ:

• truly natural ingredients – no hidden surprises there
• light, non-sticky texture – all three items (a cream, a serum, and a cleanser) are quickly absorbed and light on the skin
• deep cleaning without dryness – a big thumbs up for a perfect face cleanser
• no greasy residue & wonderful smell
• risk-free purchase – get a full refund if you're not satisfied within 30 days
• good company ethics – FRÉ products are vegan & cruelty-free – a manifestation of responsible beauty
• free carrying bag – so you can conveniently store your FRÉ set and take it to the studio or gym
• free shipping

Some other things that I wish were improved:

• excessive packaging – the set arrived in a carton box and wrapped in a plastic container. That looks totally unnecessary considering the fact that bottles are made of plastic and far from being fragile.

The Verdict About FRÉ Skincare

I recommend FRÉ Skincare to all yogis (and not only) who:

• enjoy a good and sweaty workout especially hot yoga, Vinyasa, HIIT and cardio blasts
• frequently take their fitness outdoors under the harsh sun
• deal with skin irritation, redness, dryness, acne breakouts, especially after the workout
• care about their skin just like they care about body and mind

Try It Out For Yourself!

Use this link to get 15% OFF your FRÉ order or use your code "YogaKali" at checkout.

I can't say that FRÉ cured my acne outbreaks – it's too early to tell anyway.

But after using 123FRÉ set, I feel my skin looks and feels more lively and hydrated. I finally can enjoy that post-yoga glow that everyone is talking about 🙂