Sweat is Good with Pretty Athletic — WE ARE GIRLS IN SPORT

At We are Girls in Sport, we are all about partnerships and looking at creative ways we can collaborate with others to share one united goal; to help girls and women to feel good and to build confidence from the inside out through the power of sport.

We are delighted to have the support of Pretty Athletic, a business born out of seeing a gap in the marketplace for skincare specifically designed for women who enjoy exercise. Founder Leyla Cooper had seen plenty of advertisements for skin products for men in sport but failed to see many options for women who enjoy exercise too. This was not something I had even thought of before, despite buying plenty of products for my husband over the years which were branded as sports products for men.

I considered that Pretty Athletic could be hugely beneficial for our teen girls. For some secondary school girls, PE is the best lesson of the week – a chance to leave the desk behind, get outside and spend time with friends. However, for others, some dread the aspect of physical exercise or worry about the embarrassment of getting sweaty. Olympian, Laura Trott, one of Britain’s most successful British cycling athletes; said to The Guardian in an interview that she wants to show teenagers that it is ok to to get into sweaty physical workouts and still care about appearance. It’s why, she says, she makes an extra effort with her nails and hair when she’s competing, but equally works always really hard on her physical training.

Additionally, tennis coach Judy Murray said to The Guardian that she had concerns that body consciousness could be a factor holding girls back from taking part in physical activity. Equally, Judy Murray’s concerns are echoed in research undertaken by Sport England earlier this year, which showed that “millions of women and girls are afraid to exercise because of fear of judgement. It’s not something restricted to the school hall, either – 2 million women and girls aged between 14 and 40 play sport less regularly than men. But if PE lessons are where such issues begin, Murray argues, this is where they need to be tackled first, to ensure an exercise-filled future.

Pretty Athletic founder, Leyla, shares her story with us. “Rushing back to work after a quick lunchtime gym session, or meeting friends after a post-work run, I found myself struck by a lack of products and advice relating to what to use on my skin before and after exercise. I love skincare, and I love fitness - especially running, but had always struggled with my skin. Breakouts, acne, redness, sweating - it's not easy and there was almost nothing out there in terms of advice or products. I love how exercise makes me feel and I wanted to create skincare solutions that genuinely help people get better skin, be confident, and be active. After years of research and testing, we officially launched Pretty Athletic in 2018 to do just that.”

As seen in Vogue, Women's Health, Harper's Bazaar, Telegraph, Guardian and Metro, Pretty Athletic mean business. They are here to tell you that sweat is good. That exercise is amazing and will go a long way to boost your mood.

Overall, we know that exercising regularly is super amazing for your skin but Pretty Athletic also tell us that sweating, regular showering, and exercising outside can strip away key lipid components from the skin's surface and cause common skincare concerns such as clogged pores, redness, irritation, dehydration and inflammation.

Pretty Athletic have developed a skincare range which is refreshing, lightweight, quickly absorbed, hydrating and ultra-nourishing. Their products are 95% natural, vegan, and packed with scientifically proven actives. Whether you're looking for the best moisturiser for runners, an amazing gel cleanser for pre and post workout, or a soothing tonic to help combat gym skin – Pretty Athletic should become your ‘go to’ product range. And, don’t just take their word for it, their products are endorsed by some incredible female athletes who are ambassadors for their range, including double Olympic rowing champion Helen Glover MBE and 200m indoor British champion Ama Pipi to name just a few.

Some girls and women are embarrassed by their sweat but slowly, women are starting to embrace why sweat is good. Olympian track star Novlene Williams-Mills in a runner's lunge, her face fiercely determined, wearing nothing but a dripping-wet birthday suit for ESPN's Body Issue. Karlie Kloss was also photographed drenched in sweat for an Adidas advertising campaign.

Sweat is Important

Perhaps we need to open up the conversation with our girls on why sweat matters. As Women’s Health informs us, “Sweat exists for one reason: to maintain a body temperature as close as possible to the optimal 98.6 degrees. During exercise, your blood flow ramps up to deliver more oxygen to your working muscles, raising your temperature and triggering your eccrine sweat glands. It's not the drips of moisture that cool you, though. It's when your sweat evaporates that you remove heat and lower your core temp.” In other words, sweating is important and if you are not sweating, overheating could result in possible fainting or other issues.

In summary, the fitter you are, the faster you'll sweat. The more you sweat, the stronger you become. Make exercise a part of your week and when you do, make Pretty Athletic your go-to brand whatever your skincare concerns and needs. And for all those tween and teen girls out there, I think we have just nailed what we need to ask Santa for this year…

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