Male or female, if you're a regular gym goer and always doing hot, sweaty and busy workouts and constantly showering, you may be worried about the effects it can have on the health and beauty of skin and hair and want to know how to keep it healthy. Here are some hints and tips

The Skin

Skin has it's own protective layer which is a mixture of sebum (the skin's natural oil) and sweat, and this is known as the 'acidic mantle'. The more frequently we cleanse we can disturb and unbalance this protective layer as shower gels, soap and cleansers are all designed to remove dirt, sweat, sebum, and oils from the skin, which can ultimately strip skin of its natural moisture.

It's not a question about washing. If you don’t wash away sweat, you wont smell too appealing and it can also lead to clogged pores (one cause of body acne).

The answer is simple: choose products that are kinder to skin, avoid using harsh exfoliants more than once a week, and then use body lotions to replenish moisture. Focus on areas prone to dryness such as knees, elbows (and legs if you shave).

Someone asked me recently if it was better (and easier) to wash the face with plain water a couple of times a day to help remove dirt and grease. I wouldn't endorse this method. Although it may leave skin feeling refreshed, it isn't properly cleansed, which in turn can lead to other skin conditions, including blocked pores and congestion, blackheads and spots.

Far better to use a very gentle cleanser or simply sweep a cotton pad soaked in cleansing water or non-alcoholic toner over skin. Again you should avoid overuse of exfoliants, flannels and muslin cloths as these aren't particularly gentle when used often.

Our recommendations for the Skin

It's important to choose products that are gentle on skin and then focus on putting moisture back in. As you may go through a lot of shower gels, it may be tempting to go for cheaper supermarket products, but these can contain harsher cleansing agents.

You may be surprised by the choice, but some of the best shower creams available are from the Dove range of body washes. Their products are always luxurious in texture and leave skin beautifully soft and supple after every wash. And there is a bonus! At a few pounds each they won’t break the bank. After showering simply use your favourite body moisturiser to replenish skin with moisture.

The Hair

It's a myth that washing hair everyday is bad!

A few years ago an award-winning hairdresser reminded me that I would not leave my face unwashed everyday, so why wouldn't I wash my scalp everyday? He reminded me that it's actually our scalp (which I forget about) that needs cleansing, and his method of cleansing focuses on massaging the scalp with the shampoo rather than lathering the hair.

The hair is cleansed during the rinsing phase as the shampoo washes through the hair. In order to ensure hair is kept healthy (rather than dry, limp and damaged) it's all about protecting hair by using gentle products and then replenishing it with nourishment.

Our recommendations for Hair

Aveda have a great range of shampoo and conditioners called Shampure (shampoo is £9.69 and conditioner is £10.77 for 250ml) which are gentle, calming and moisturising for your scalp and hair and great for frequent use.

For men the Aveda Pure-Formance range offers the same benefits for men (shampoo is £13.21 and conditioner is £14.68 for 300ml).

Once a week use a hair treatment mask. Kerastase have a range of fantastic treatment masks including Masque Nutridefense (£24.70 for 200ml) which delivers nutrition to hair fibres while working to protect hair from drying out.