My Gym Makeup Routine for Looking Good While Working Out

I find it appalling when people make a fuss about me wearing makeup to the gym. Sis, I work out, OK? I don’t have the best life, but I still try to live a healthy one and carve out some time to go to the gym. How about we focus on that instead of how I choose to paint my face?

So I’m the last person to tell my readers whether or not you should wear makeup while working out or what type of makeup to go for. On the flip side, I want to help and make things easier for you in case you want to!

I’ve been regularly going to the gym for over a year now. I do cardio and pilates. Ever since I came to the conclusion that I feel better when I wear makeup during exercise, I’ve been experimenting with different looks. Here’s what I think is the best type of makeup to wear to the gym and why.

Gym Makeup

1. Keep It Quick & Easy

It’s not because I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard if I wear a full face of makeup but more because I don’t want to give myself any excuse to skip the gym on that day by wearing myself out by taking 40 minutes to get ready.

That’s why I think whatever type of look you’re going for, it’s best to keep things easy and quick. Instead of multi-step makeup, try to keep it short and easy to do. Basic hydrating skincare topped with a 5-minute makeup. Perfect!

Even if you’re able to do a full face of makeup in 5 minutes, know that heavy makeup can get messy with all the towel-wiping, dripping, sweat pouring out of pores and through setting powder, and so on.

2. Choose a Light Base

A tinted moisturizer or a base product like that has been the easiest for me because it takes very little effort and very little time to apply it. I can just apply it with my fingers and unlike a full coverage foundation, I don’t need to be spot on with the application or bother with brush and everything.

On days I prefer the feel of a foundation, I go for a low-coverage formula. Because sweat and oils getting in the way, there’s no point in even trying with high coverage. At least low-coverage foundations look natural.

So whatever base product you’re using, make it something convenient and something you can also apply under the eye area so that you don’t need to waste another 3 minutes with a concealer.

On the flip side, you can go ahead and do your whole makeup with concealer too. Just apply some under the eyes, drag it a bit down to the cheeks, especially if you have pores, and apply a few dots where needed. Then blend it with a sponge.

Don’t try to be super precise and meticulous, you don’t have to cover every area. Try to avoid putting too much makeup on your forehead in general, whether it’s foundation or concealer, because it usually melts downward and gets into the eyes, and stings.

3. Avoid Mascara

I prefer avoiding mascara and going for that no-mascara makeup look for two reasons. First, I hit the gym in the morning when my face is usually very puffy. So going in with mascara doesn’t work on my already sensitive eyes.

Second, when I’m running on the treadmill and working on my sweat, mascara usually gets in my eyes, mixes in with sweat, and makes my eyes all watery.

So I prefer skipping mascara completely almost always -at least ever since I found out that there’s not one single hot guy in my gym that is worth wasting my $60 mascara for.

On the other hand, if you’re wondering why I don’t wear waterproof mascara to the gym, it’s because I also want to make it easy to remove my makeup after the gym.

I don’t want something that will require double cleansing. But if it suits your overall look and you want to wear mascara, go with waterproof mascara to avoid smudged watery eyes.

4. Brush Up the Brows

Since I’m not wearing eye makeup, I prefer putting a little bit of effort into my eyebrows. So I brush them upward and if I feel like it, I sometimes fill in too.

Setting the brows with a brow gel, maybe a colored one, is a good way to keep them in place and give you a more put-together, sleek look.

5. Blush Over Bronzer

I prefer using blush instead of bronzer because I feel like it goes better with the overall vibe of the activity too. Bronzer or a slight contour stick is a good look and I did that in summer when I had a little bit of tan, but here’s the thing.

I have rosacea. And exercise exacerbates my rosacea. So I just embrace it. I apply some blush on my cheeks and when I get flushed from working out, the blush pops and looks even better.

Here’s something I tried a couple of times that I liked too. I’m not on TikTok so I’m usually 2 years behind on any makeup trend. But I did try the “blush under foundation” look.

I apply my cheek tint in a W shape across the face. So I put it on my cheeks and across the center of my nose. I pat it in and let it dry. Then I get some concealer under my eyes and a bit on my cheeks, slightly going over the cheek tint and covering it up a bit.

Then I apply a little bit more of my regular dewy finish blush on the high points of my cheeks. So I already get that post-workout glow in my pre-workout stage. This look stays in place and I look even better after I’m done with my workout.

6. Lip Balm

I’ve noticed that my lips get dry a lot as I exhale heavily when I’m running. That’s why I pay extra attention to lip care and apply a generous amount of lip balm before starting my exercise. Also, I like topping it off with lip gloss to achieve a more fresh look.

So this is how I prefer wearing my makeup to the gym. Again, this has nothing to do with looking a certain way at the gym. It’s more about wearing whatever I like but not having my makeup get in the way of me exercising.

And hey, what’s it to anyone if we want to be ready in case we want to take a gym selfie? So do your makeup however you like. Now, keep reading for things to keep in mind to maintain clear skin after a workout.

Post-Workout Skincare

We all know that makeup can worsen congestion, and cause acne, even more so when you’re sweating profusely while wearing it. So I pay extra attention to my post-workout skincare ever since I’ve experienced said acne. Here’s how to take care of your skin after you’re done exercising, especially if you want to keep makeup from clogging pores.

1. Wash Everything Away

Whether you’re washing your face in the sink or in the shower, make sure your skin is completely clean. As I don’t wear heavy makeup, or eye makeup, I don’t use micellar water or cleansing oil, so I just skip to cleansing. Make sure your cleanser is suitable for your skin type and is able to wash away all that oil and sweat.

2. Apply Toner

I always use an exfoliating toner on days when I work out. It’s the only way I can keep my pores clear and prevent clogging. If you’ve never used one, get a salicylic acid toner if you have oily skin, or glycolic acid toner otherwise, to gently exfoliate. Use a saturated cotton pad to evenly distribute your toner.

3. Moisturize

Apply a replenishing moisturizer suitable for your skin type to prevent dehydrated skin. It doesn’t matter how oily our skin looked 20 minutes ago. Facial cleansing and exfoliating can be drying and stripping. So don’t skip this step.

4. Apply SPF

If it’s daytime, finish your routine with sunscreen or better yet, make it a multi-tasking one and go for an SPF tinted moisturizer for some coverage too.