My Simplified Beauty Regime

Last month, I talked a bit about the ways in which my life has changed since I made a gigantic career (/lifestyle) switch from my corporate job to the fitness industry — from beauty routines to sleep habits and can’t-live-without laundry detergent.

While the rest of that is recapped in this post – today, it’s all about beauty.

I’ve gotten a few reader requests to discuss my day-to-day make-up and skincare routines on a more in-depth level, so here’s a few of my favorite products and routines that have revolutionized (simplified!) my regime since I’ve started working in fitness.

Shower essentials:

Facewash: First, foremost and perhaps most importantly: The face.

With how much I sweat, it’s a given that I wash my face a lot. I used to do this with a cleanser every time (so, washing my face up to three or four times a day), but what I didn’t realize is that I was actually stripping my skin of its natural oils.

Once my face started to show irritation (redness, dry patches), I realized that I had to start being a lot gentler on my skin. Now, I only wash my face (with a cleanser) before bed and/or after a really intense class. In addition to the weekly scrub I mentioned last week, I’ve been using Biore Charcoal Pore Minimizer a few times each week (typically on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday), and I love it because it’s a water-soluble formula that’s super-purifying.

In other words, it draws out double the amount of dirt and oil as a basic cleanser. Charcoal powder is a great absorbent for skin that’s on the oiler side (like mine), and I’ve always loved Biore products. (Who else still uses those nose strips?) They’re affordable — under $10 — and available over-the-counter. The brand’s cleansing cloths are also a great addition to your gym bag.

Bodywash: Any product with a salicylic acid will do, but I use Neutrogena’s oil-clear body wash most frequently, since it treats and helps prevent body breakouts. Get the grapefruit scent — it smells good!

Make-up removal and skin protection:

Make-up wipes: Or wipe, singular. The Makeup Eraser towel is MAGIC! Nordstrom has it in two colors — and there’s a shitload of reviews on Sephora if you like to read those before buying (as I do). I can’t believe I’ve only just discovered this thing.

Mascara: Believe it or not, I’m a drug store girl! Waterproof formulas from Rimmel or Maybelline get the job done. But make sure you have a…

Oil-based make-up remover: Some days when I work out, I’ll wear eyeliner – but if that’s in the cards, it can’t budge. I’ve finished classes with enough raccoon eyes to know what works, and MAC’s liquidlast is my go-to at the moment.

As a result of all of the waterproof make-up I use on my eyes, I need an oil-based make-up remover, which easily wipes away the product build-up. Lancome’s is my favorite at the moment — I’ve tried a few generic brand products and they were too harsh on my skin. (To note: I use it before washing my face with water or the Charcoal Pore Minimizer that I mentioned earlier.)

Eye cream: Ugh, yeah. I’ve had to get a lot more serious about my eye cream, since my upper-eye area in particular has gotten really sensitive (dry, red, flaky) from sweat. So far, I’ve been loving Kiehl’s eye-cream with avocado — it’s thick, creamy and gets the job done. Murad has a really great option, too.

Other essentials:

Dry shampoo: I’ve mentioned this, but I don’t wash my hair after every single class. (… With how much I rinse off/shower, I think it’d fall out.) Instead, I integrate the dry shampoo trick – brushing dry shampoo powder (or baby powder) through damp hair before blow-drying. Voila!

Foundation: I wear very minimal make-up when I exercise, but I do like to maintain a bit of color and coverage. For that, I use bareMinerals Barely There foundation (reviewed here), which is a water-based foundation, so it won’t clog pores when you sweat.

Lip stain: I am absolutely addicted to NARS’ lip pencils. They actually stay put, whether you’re at the gym or out for the night. The Satin lip pencils are my current favorite, as they look a little glossier than the matte variety. The three I have in heavy rotation are Hyde Park, Palais Royale and Luxembourg. I also wear Dragon Girl and Never Say Never in the matte version often, as well.

Another great option if you’re more of a gloss girl is the velvet gloss lip pencils (my favorite is Happy Days). They glide on like chapstick but also act as a lip liner, so you’ll appear to have fuller lips. Genius!

Any fitness-minded beauty products you’ve been loving lately? Do share, if so!

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On a related note, I’ve got a few more posts similar to this (how fitness instructing has changed my life in XYZ ways, where to shop for workout clothes, etc) on the horizon. Next up we’ll chat about diet, wellness and weight loss — so let me know if you have any specific questions.