Some days you only have one window of opportunity for a workout – lunchtime. It’s the only time that doesn’t interfere with soccer practice or Junior League. After a morning of meetings, you also love mid-day energy boost you get from the gym.
What you don’t love is the sweaty mess you become after a challenging lower body circuit.
You hate sacrificing exercise time for shower time. You also hate wondering if your co-workers can smell you. The gym showers kind of scare you but you feel you have no choice but to venture in (with flip flops, of course) to clean up and then sacrifice more time taming your hair and remaking your face.
I feel your pain. I have to fit my workout in between client sessions. I have a shower at work that isn’t used that much and that I am 99.9% sure is cleaned well every night. What I don’t have is the desire to repeat my morning beauty routine or the time to do it.
Two things that make it easier for me to skip the gym shower are a pixie cut and a very simplified “every day” make-up strategy. I also have four no shower gym bag essentials that make it easy to clean up and look great before you go back to the office.
Garnier Fructis Dry Shampoo
One of my Target Favorites, I prefer this dry shampoo to much more expensive brands. It smells great and doesn’t dull my dark hair. I spray it on first and let it soak up the sweat while I clean up and change. All I have to do is a take a few quick strokes with a brush and, sometimes, a touch up with my mini flat iron.
Yuni Instant Shower Sheets
I recently replaced my package of baby wipes with these better for my skin shower sheets They helped clean me up and put me right again after my Body Shred workout with Jillian Michaels at IDEA World Fitness. (The team at Yuni was gracious enough to give them to us to try.) Infused with essential oils, white and green teas and aloe, these wipes are so much kinder to your skin than other wipes or regular soap. They also contain neem leaf extract, which has natural anti-bacterial properties. You’ll smell so clean and fresh you’ll no longer feel the need to add an extra spritz of perfume post-workout.
ELF Face Blotting Paper
Most days I use CC cream and not foundation. (SmashBox Camera Ready CC Cream is my big beauty splurge.) After a workout I blot my face with these $1 beauty miracles to absorb sweat and excess oil on my face. If I need to, I also dab on a little more CC cream and a touch of bronzer or blush.
Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment
Beauty bloggers know that you can use this all purpose balm for anything from rough elbows to adding a natural shimmer to your eyes. I use it for lips and to tame my eyebrows. You can also ad highlights to your cheekbones or brow bones with a little dab. If you have an extra minute rub it on your cuticles and nails to bring back life to your mani.
Don’t forget to pack a fresh pair of underwear too! It makes a big difference before you change back into your office clothes.
Now you know my gym bag secrets. What are yours?
