Ever observed that peculiar gym species, women in their Nike leggings and smoky eye makeup, sprinting on the treadmill? A recent study prescribes a reality check for all the glam gym dwellers out there. Indicating that when you break a sweat with that bronzer on, you may be risking more than a streaky complexion. Commenced by a group of scientists in Korea, the research involved 43 health conscious college students who were asked to workout for 20-minutes after slathering one half of their face with makeup, while the other half remained au naturel.

As they expectedly perspired by the end of their training, their skin moisture increased on both sides of their face. However, the makeup side showed a higher moisture level according to the results published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Unsurprisingly, fitness gurus have preached the same for ages: take off your makeup before working out.

However, the study didn’t just prove conventional wisdom right, it underlined the fact boasting about your flawless pores post- makeup might not fly after a workout session. The study found that on the makeup-free skin surface, oil levels went up with pores expanding while on the makeup side, the oil concentration decreased with no change in pore size. This implies that while you show-off those biceps in the gym, your makeup could be burdening your skin by interfering with oil regulation during exercise which could potentially cause dry skin, acne along with other skin issues.

But don't give up, you dedicated workout enthusiasts. Dr Lipner, an associate professor of clinical dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine in NYC, says there’s a way to balance things out. She says wearing noncomedogenic products, those less likely to clock your pores, and using makeup wipes followed by a gentle face wash post-workout might just minimize your skin problems, though her general advice is, "It's better to work out with makeup on than to be sedentary." So, remember folks, before you lift that dumbbell, lift off that makeup first.