How to Look Your Best at the Gym (Without Makeup)
Do you ever feel tempted to just throw on a little makeup before you head to the gym, but realize it's not going to end well once you start sweating? I know I do. I often feel like I appear... how do I describe it? Zombie-like... when I head to the gym. Here are my tips for feeling your best as you head into a sweat session.
1. Regularly exfoliate. Dead skin cells can accumulate on your face, leaving it dull and sluggish looking. By regularly exfoliating, you can maintain a healthy, natural-looking glow. Just don't overdo it. Your skin has a protective layer called the "acid mantle" that keeps bacteria and free radicals out. So you don't want to compromise it by over-exfoliating. My recommendation varies person to person, but almost anyone can benefit from exfoliating 1-2 times per week. My favorite go-to: Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant
2. Glow Naturally with Hydration. I often don't feel like having anything heavy on my skin before a workout, so my favorite way to hydrate before the gym is with botanical hyaluronic acid. This amazing ingredient has the ability to hold 1000x's it's weight in water... meaning it keeps your skin hydrated without feeling heavy. My pre-workout favorites: Firm Skin Acai Booster Serum or the Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum.
But... Don't forget to use some SPF over these serums, especially if you'll be outdoors. My favorite lightweight SPF is the Red Currant Protective Moisturizer SPF 30.
Have especially dry skin? Rub one drop of facial oil in your palms then press them on your cheeks... done!
3. Have your brows & lashes tinted. Brow & Lash tinting can give you a natural look like you're wearing makeup-- but without actually wearing makeup! Getting your lashes tinted can really "wake up" your appearance, especially if you feel washed out going to the gym. No more mascara running into your eyes during a workout. As for brows... your esthetician can really open up your eyes and help you look more awake with this technique. If you're used to filling in your brows, but don't want them running off of your face during a workout, brow tinting is for you!
If you're in the Columbus/Worthington, Ohio area, you can reserve your appointment with any of the talented estheticians at Balance Beauty Spa Online--> HERE.
4. Circulation. Have you ever heard the age-old trick about how to "look like you're wearing blush" by pinching your cheeks to stimulate blood flow to the area? Well, I wouldn't recommend pinching your cheeks necessarily, that seems a little too aggressive... but instead, give your skin a quick massage before heading to the gym and it will bring some natural color and life to your face. My favorite way to do this is by using a cleansing oil or balm and massaging it in for a minute or two with your fingertips. Then your skin is not only clean, but glowing as well. If you want to get even more ambitious, try out a jade roller or gua sha technique (blog post on these coming soon!)
5. Focus on your eyes. Under-eye darkness can be distracting when going makeup-free. Instead of reaching for the concealer, let's try to solve the issue instead.
Begin with a cool compress to reduce any swelling and really wake up your complexion. Reduce the look of undereye darkness with vitamin K/iron-rich plums in (you guessed it) the Wild Plum Eye Cream. You may also like to instantly tighten and lift the area with the Hibiscus Ultra Lift Eye Cream as an enhancement. It comes complete with a cooling stainless steel rollerball applicator, leaving your eyes brightened and re-energized.
6. Remember your lips. By using many of the tips above, the same applies for your lips. They can benefit from exfoliation, hydration & circulation as well. I like to gently exfoliate with my toothbrush (this exfoliates and stimulates circulation) after I brush my teeth and follow with some lip balm or if you want a hint of color, try Inika's Certified Organic Lip Tint.
I hope this was good advice about feeling your best heading to the gym. I know I always push through my workouts a little more when I'm feeling confident. I'm curious to know any of your favorite pre-gym tips... Please share in the comments section!
Have a happy, healthy, non-streaky sweat session!
-Esthetician Kelly
