Gym Make-up and Beauty Tips

I find that women who work out usually fall into one of two different categories when it comes to their looks.  Either they show up in full make-up and looking fabulous (albeit impractical), or they show up looking like they are ready to work hard, makeup-less and unafraid.

I know that there are women who fall in between the two categories.  Maybe you just wear mascara, or maybe you work really hard on your hair.  Whatever it is, I want to give some Personal Trainer advice on how to feel confident and look good while you work out, without sacrificing your skin by wearing too much makeup and sweating in it.

Skin health is really important.  One of the worst things you can do is wear pore-clogging foundation during a sweat session.  Your pores open up, the foundation gets into your pores, and you end up with blackheads, zits, or pimples.  On top of that, a lot of makeup has some questionable ingredients that can be somewhat toxic especially over time.

So here are my recommendations for what to wear before your sweat session (I am not being paid to endorse any products, all opinions are based on what I use and what I have tried with my own money):

1. Don't wear foundation.  Skip it.  I know, you might have red blotches on your face and you might have acne you want to cover up.  Don't.  It will make it worse.  Plus, if you work hard enough, your face should get a nice flush to it which will even out any blotchiness in your skin (I'm serious), and hopefully nobody is going to look at you and judge you for a few imperfections on your face.  And if they do... they're assholes.  If you HAVE to wear it, wear a CC cream, tinted moisturizer, or something light that won't clog your pores.

2. Mascara is a great option, just choose which mascara you wear wisely.  Waterproof mascara has it's  downsides, namely it's hard to get off and can pull your eyelashes off with it.  You don't want to It's So Big," by Elizabeth Mott.  This stuff is amazing.  It is not waterproof, although it's somewhat water resistant.  Instead of running and making you look like you have black tears, it rolls off in little balls... but only when you intentionally wash it off with soap and water.  When you sweat, it stays put.
sleep in mascara because of this.  Non-waterproof mascara can run when you sweat, especially if the sweat gets in your eyes.  If there are magical headbands that prevent this, y'all need to fill me in.  What I wear, instead, is this amazing mascara I found on Amazon.com called "

3.  Lipstick.  Ugh.  Personally, I don't like lipstick.  Most lipsticks have pretty toxic ingredients, and the fact that they are on your lips means you're more likely to ingest said toxic ingredients.  I have recently discovered lip sense.  Before lipsense, I never found a lipstick color I liked on me (they all looked weird).  This stuff lasts all freaking day.  I wear bombshell maybe one or two days a week if I feel like my lips are a little pale.  It holds up during sweat sessions, usually stays on until the very end of the day.  I am not a spokesperson for lip sense, nor do I sell it, I just like it.  It's a little weird to put on but once you get used to it, it's not so bad.

4. Concealer for your under eye area is another makeup option I think is OK for the gym.  My under-eye area is always dark and if I don't wear concealer, I look like I haven't slept.. possibly ever.  Maybe it's because I have a 4 year old?  Maybe it's genetic.  Who knows?  I do know that I always wear concealer under my eyes even when I work out and it doesn't cause any problems.  I currently like to use Naked concealer, byUrban Decay.  I also recently tried It Cosmetic's Bye Bye Under Eye and I really love it, it's just (in my opinion) a bit heavy for a workout.  I prefer it on my non-exercise days or after a workout and a shower.  

5. Eye shadow is a personal preference choice.  Personally, I think it's a little over the top to wear eyeshadow to the gym unless you already had it on for work or whatever you did before your workout.  And if you just have to wear it, go natural.  I mean, again, this is personal opinion (so feel free to be yourself here).. I just feel like it comes across like you're trying too hard.

6. Blush and Contouring are not ideal for your gym makeup look.  First of all, they also clog pores, secondly, you're going to be blushing soon enough once your heart rate goes high enough.  I don't use blush or contouring in my makeup unless I'm going out somewhere really nice or on a date.

That pretty much covers actual make-up... but lets talk about the must-haves for your gym bag - mainly for AFTER your workout (especially if you can't get to a shower right away)

1. Dry Shampoo - Dry shampoo is a must for me.  I work out with specific clients and not with others (can't work out the whole day, I'd die from exhaustion).  Sometimes I work out in the morning with one client, and train the rest of the day.  I don't want to look or smell terrible, I need to appear professional.  So I use Dry Shampoo.  I use Batiste, I have tried many brands, and they are my favorite.  I have light brown hair, and I just use their original version.  It works great.

2. Deoderant/Antiperspirant - I'm a sweater.  I sweat a lot.  My antiperspirant doesn't hold back the flood of sweat that pours from my armpits and many other locations.  I use Secret because it works better than Dove did (for me) and better than Degree.  I have tried others but nothing comes close.  

3. A Change of Clothes - sometimes your clothes are too far gone.  Sometimes they aren't.  It's always good to have a backup in case you stink.

4. A Brush - Dry shampoo requires a brush to get it through your hair.  Bring one.  Dedicate one to your gym bag if you have to.  

5. Hair Ties - You can never have enough hair ties.  And if your hair is unsalvageable, you can always throw that crap up in a bun and pull off the messy post-gym bun.  Also, the smooth ouchless hair ties are way better for preventing hair breakage during your workout and after.

In my opinion, less is more when it comes to your gym look.  If you are too focused on how you look and not focused on your workout and doing what you need to do to reach your fitness goals, you're in the gym for the wrong reasons.  It's great to feel confident in how you look, but what really matters is taking care of your skin, getting in a good workout, and enjoying the process.

I'll soon be posting some fun gym hair looks!