Feature: Chanel Tyler's (@buymechanel) Skincare Tips for Runners and What it Means to ~Glow~ Inside and Out

Chanel is wearing the Spirit Short Sleeve, Greenlight Tight, and the brand-new Ghost 13 running shoes, all from Brooks Running.

Glow expert, wellness expert, and skinthusiast Chanel Tyler (@buymechanel on Instagram) says skincare is healthcare, and to us, running is also healthcare. So how does one create a healthy glow, inside and out, with a running lifestyle full of sweat, smell, and grime? 

We talked to Chanel about the benefits exercise (blood circulation) has on the skin (anti-aging) and let her author a blog detailing a robust pre-workout skincare preparation (think sunscreen), and a post-workout double cleanse to remove any dirt, sebum, sweat, and bacteria that can build up during a good run.

Chanel's Skincare Tips for Runners

I have a philosophy, skincare is wellness, skincare is healthcare.  Our skin is the largest organ we have and requires just as much care, if not more, than any other part of our body.  From a holistic point of view exercise, particularly running, has a lot of health benefits for our skin.  

Running helps tone your skin

Running increases circulation, the flow of oxygen to the blood, which means that the body can deliver more nutrients to the skin. Nutrients help stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, both keep our skin tight, firm, and supple.  So similarly to how running tones your body, running also tones your skin. You can exercise the muscles and increase blood flow in your face manually by getting facials, using cold rollers or glacier globes, or by massaging your face with your fingers.

Running helps detoxify your skin

Increased circulation can also help your body and skin rid toxins, flushing your system to prevent buildup that can cause breakouts and puffiness.  Some may think sweat can cause acne to flare up or cause breakouts, but it is actually the opposite.  Sweat is a “toxin secretion”, it does not clog your pores but it is important to remove sweat and cleanse the skin immediately after running or exercising.  

Running helps rejuvenate your skin

Increased blood flow helps your skin cells regenerate which means new, fresh, and clarified skin can come to the surface revealing a glowing complexion.  Running and exercising regularly comes with natural anti-aging benefits, not only does it provide an outlet to release stress, but it can also reduce inflammation which is a leading cause of premature aging.  Products that can help the cellular turnover and regeneration process are chemical exfoliants and retinols (if used in your morning routine they must be followed with SPF).

Chanel is wearing head-to-toe Brooks Running.

Here Are a Few Tips to Incorporate Into Your Pre and Post-Run Skincare Routine

Pre-Run Skin Tips

1. Avoid Foundation

Try to avoid wearing makeup prior to exercising, mainly because foundations and powders can clog pores and trap toxins causing breakouts, you want to run bare-faced as much as possible

2. Gently Cleanse

Remove any oil and debris that may have gathered on your skin overnight with a makeup removing wipe or cleansing towel

3. Mist Skin

Mist your skin with a facial spray to add water and hydration to it which will help counteract the dehydration that naturally occurs from running

4. Apply SPF

It is incredibly important to protect your skin from environmental aggressors and UVA/UVB rays because they can cause significant damage to the skin in the form of inflammation. Use SPF 40 or 50 for maximum skin protection as it blocks 97% of UVB rays

Post-Run Skin Tips

1. Cleanse the Pores

Use a foam or gel cleanser and let it sit for at least 60 seconds for a deep cleanse that can lift all the dirt, sebum, sweat and bacteria out of the skin (avoid using scrubs in your post-workout routine they can cause unnecessary friction and irritation)

2. Re-Hydrate the Skin

Apply products that restore hydration and help the skin retain water content throughout the day such as hyaluronic acid toners, watery lotions and serums. Hydrated skin is directly linked to healthy skin

3. Protect the Skin

Incorporate products that have antioxidants such as vitamin c and green tea, they protect the skin throughout the day from pollution, blue light and other environmental aggressors 

4. Seal in Moisture

Layer on moisturizer, which is a skin seal that locks in your routine and creates a moisture barrier preventing the skin from losing water 

5. Apply SPF

Protect, protect, protect the skin

6. Stay Hydrated

Drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day, water is extremely beneficial in keeping the skin strong, vibrant, and radiant

Getting to Know Chanel (@buymechanel)

Q: What do you do?

My day job is I work as a beauty director for a large beauty conglomerate and my job after 5 p.m. is a wellness influencer.

Editor's Note: after the publishing of this blog, Chanel has accepted a position with Google to lead and build their Beauty Vertical at YouTube. Congratulations, Chanel.

Q: What does it mean to be a "glow expert"?

I have this philosophy that skincare really is healthcare and everything is interconnected in terms of how you think about wellness. Glowing to me is the thing we all aspire for, from internal to external.

Q: When did you start taking skincare seriously? And why?

About three years ago. I’m about to be 33. When I turned 30 I developed awful adult acne and ever since then it’s been pretty serious.

Essentially I was battling with hyperpigmentation and really bad acne and my skin was completely out of balance and I couldn’t get control of it which really impacted my confidence and that was a really big challenge for me. I was wearing makeup every single day to try to conceal every flaw that I had. Ultimately I needed to just accept my skin, accept what was going on, and figure out a way to love it and treat it.

Q: Why is skincare important?

Your skin is the largest organ on your body. To me, it should be prioritized over anything else. Your skin is the first thing people see and it’s the first thing you notice in your own reflection. I think it’s something that people genuinely want to feel good about. If you start taking care of your skin early, the better health your skin will be in in the long run not to go too much into anti-aging but you know aging is a natural process for everyone but if you can find ways to keep things tight and supple and firm and keep your skin in great condition, it will pay off.

Q: What is the number one false assumption people have about skincare?

So there are two things. The first thing is that people think they don’t need to wear SPF to protect their skin. The second thing is the assumption that you will see instant results using skincare products and that’s just not how it works. 

Q: How did you get into running?

So I don’t call myself a runner, in the same way, I wouldn’t call myself an influencer. Ultimately it just became a part of my lifestyle. It was a challenge I set for myself where I would just run a mile. I started running a mile in the morning and that was my morning mile. I would post about that to my online community and it spread like wildfire. There were so many people that said “I don’t think I can run, I’ve never been a runner, I’m intimidated by it” and I was like “just do a mile, you don’t have to do ten.” That’s ultimately how I got into it. I did one mile and that led to a mile and a half and that led to two miles and I just kept going from there.

Q: Why do you run?

It brings me a lot of peace. I love the challenge of it all but it helps me clear my mind. If I can start the day running, I can start the day clearheaded. And that is something that keeps me balanced.

Q: You went to Spellman College, which is the women's school of Morehouse College. Have you read Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between The World & Me?

I have.

Q: In that book, Coates recalls attending and arriving at the Morehouse campus and uses symbolism for Morehouse calling it "The Mecca" explaining that he's never seen so many Black people in one place with different social statuses, cultural backgrounds, and backgrounds. 

It’s like an oasis.

Q: He made it sound like it was one of the most important experiences of his life. Can you talk to me a little bit about your experience at Spellman?

Spellman was the best decision of my entire life. I am from the southside of Chicago so I grew up around a lot of diversity which I feel very lucky about but going to an HBCU and an HBCU like Spellman was just a once in a lifetime experience that really taught me about my heritage and my history that is something that is very relevant right now and gave me grounding in who I was as a Black woman in this world. The skills that I gained, the confidence that I gained, the friendships, the sisterhood... it’s carried me through my life. Every opportunity that has come to be, every new journey that I’ve gone on, in a huge part, has been because of my Spellman sisterhood. Moving to New York, my husband, getting a new job, starting a company, becoming an influencer, all of those things happened because of the women I know and went to college with.