Ensure blemish-free complexion to dance your best

A dancer’s face and body is constantly on display and under bright lights, be it on the dance floor or the stage. They normally wear costumes that show off their body and skin and there are always a number of people looking at a good dancer and observing his/ her dance skills as well as exposed skin.

Conventionally, dancers have a good skin due to regular dancing but even good skin has its breakout days and it can be a real bummer. In the dance world, skin is most visible part of a dancer’s body. No matter how much a dancer washes it, breakouts are unavoidable and can become embarrassing. Covering it up all the time can be tiresome and annoying. Certain unavoidable factors can contribute to breakouts that we aren’t aware of.

Sweat, sweat and more sweat!
When it is wet for long duration of time, the skin gets itchy. Therefore, a dancer must dry off a bit with a towel during a short break! Think of how your skin reacts when you take a long bath as it starts to react to the moisture. Your skin needs to be dried off or aired out so whenever possible, towel off.

Flush out those toxins
We accumulate toxins everyday and one of the main ways toxins get released is through our skin when we sweat. If we only drink water when we are thirsty then we are not getting enough. Water is essential to flush out toxins. And the more water you drink, the more pure your sweat will be and the toxins will be flushed out.

Keep your skin clean
An obvious reason for breakouts is lack of cleanliness. Bring an oil-free astringent in your dance bag and wash your face, back and chest with it in between classes. It is amazing how much grime our skin can pick up during a short time.

Someone mop that dirty floor!
Sweat drips on the dance floor and dust and dirt makes it even dirtier. Many dance movements and exercises demand dancers to lie on the floor, wearing short, back-baring dance gear. It can easily cause bad breakouts too. So make sure, you bring a towel to lay on during floor exercises or stretching time. Or just wear a shrug or a cover up that covers your back.

Stop picking
When a breakout happens, the first thing we do most of the time is pick, thinking it will speed up the healing process. But actually it does quite the opposite. We carry most germs under our nails and when we pick, we infect the breakout further and can cause scarring or permanent skin damage. So leave your skin alone! If need be, there are quite a few products and acne medications which a good dermatologist can prescribe. So visit one at the earliest.

Skip makeup
Clogged pores due to makeup can cause breakouts too. Be wary of makeup with talcum powder in it. As far as possible, use mineral makeup. Sweat and makeup don’t mix for a lot of us and a clean face is better than a made up face. Try to skip the makeup while practising in class, use it only for dance gathering and shows.

Diet
Your diet can be a huge contributor! Certain foods can trigger a breakout so try to avoid them to safeguard your skin: chocolate, fast food, anything fried or greasy, too much cheese etc. Just pay attention to your diet and be aware of diet triggers.

Hormones
As we get older, our bodies start to change and hormones are what bring about this change. Especially when it is that time of the month for the woman dancer. Hormone breakouts usually show up in the same places each month. A lot of the time, they will show up on the jawline, chin and under the ears. Be patient and wait it out. Do not over wash, especially with skin products. Too many products irritate the skin more. Try an alcohol-free toner, a daily face wash and a light oil-free moisturiser with SPF protection in it. Wash once in the morning, then after dancing and once at night.

Every dancer wants clean, fresh, blemish-free skin. It is so hard to get embarrassed of breakouts and people staring at bad skin instead of graceful dancing. With the right knowledge of what is going on with your situation, you have better chances of beating it! So pay close attention to your skin and don’t ignore it.

Soparrkar is a Latin and ballroom dancer, Bollywood choreographer and an actor.
He is also a national excellence and national achievement awardee