There’s a misconception that women who do sports generally don’t care all that much about the way they look. But that’s not always the case. While most will probably skip the makeup on an average gym day or on their everyday run, the reality is that a lot of female runners would like to look their best during races and on days when they want to meet with friends directly after training.
I speak from experience when I say that I hate looking all red and sweaty on that Sunday walk in the park while all of my friends are in their Hailey Bieber-style era – all clean girl make-up and cute clothes. And so, I’ve endlessly attempted to find the best possible routine, so I could look and feel my best during workouts.
In this article, I will be sharing with you all of my experience, the steps I personally took on those days when I wanted to “slay” while running, and what things you should avoid doing at all costs.
Let’s start.
The Essential Steps for Looking Good During Your Workout
I’ve narrowed those steps down to just four, and anything else you want to do is just extra points. Before I start, I want to add that I’m far off from being a make-up guru, and I’d appreciate every kind of tip you’re willing to share with me so we can improve this routine.
With that said, for this running influencer, non-beauty guru, the four essential steps include:
Complexion
Prepping your face with skincare is vital, so I would suggest you stick to your usual routine pre-run – only don’t forget to add SPF at the very end of it. After all, we don’t want to end up getting sunburnt or with wrinkles and so the first essential item is sunscreen. From there, my suggestion is to go for something lightweight for coverage. That can be a BB or CC cream or the now popular tinted moisturizers. All three products will give you a bid of naturally-looking coverage without it looking cakey or running down your first halfway through the first mile. If you want to get more coverage, I would recommend going with a BB or CC cream, but if you want something truly lightweight, then the tinted moisturizer is the way to go.
Cheeks
I would stay away from continuing any kind of powder products. Instead, if you want to avoid looking dead, I usually go for a few drops of a liquid blush – it looks natural, doesn’t run down or smudge, and it does give you a more “complete” look.
Eyes
I avoid any make-up on the eyes – eyeshadow, eyeliner, or mascara. That’s because even their waterproof versions can quickly turn into a smudged nightmare – trust me, I know from experience. Along with that, you don’t really need to have a date night look on your Sunday park run and so it’s easy to avoid these products.
The only thing that’s a must-do for me are my brows. I typically brush through them with a colored brow gel and then draw a few lines with a brow pen where needed.
Lips
Lips are the easiest part of this routine. I usually go for a tinted lip balm – it’s two-in-one, both protect the lips from drying out and getting cracked, and it helps you look cute on the run. It’s a good idea to take the balm with you, as you will most likely have to reapply at some point.
Let’s Also Talk About Hairstyles
For me, the one other thing I like to avoid, besides my face getting all red, is having my hair fly around everywhere before, during, and after my workout. I’ve never had truly short hair (I’ve always been able to tie it), and so I’ve had to find solutions to it not only good but also feeling comfortable during my run. And so, here are my tips that I can share from experience.
Avoid Having it in a Bun
While having your hair in a bun definitely looks cute and makes you feel like a gymnast or a figure skater, it’s definitely one of the most uncomfortable hairstyles to wear on the run. If you tie the hair too tightly, you might get a headache, and besides, you’re constantly feeling your bun moving up and down while you’re running, which is annoying, to say the least. On the other hand, if you do a messy bun, your hair ends up flying around your face after 10 minutes, and it looks like a mess and not cute at all. And so, while the messy bun looks cute when lifting weights or stretching, for me, it’s a no-go for any running session.
Try a Braid
If you can tie your hair in a braid, then that’s one of the hairstyles I would recommend. It looks pretty, it won’t get in the way, and it will not interfere with your workout at all. With that said, for me doing braids is a massive challenge, and it takes me literally hours to do, which is why I rarely do it. ]
Wear a Cool Cap
My go-to, everyday hairstyle for running and running competitions is a high ponytail with a hat. It looks cool, it helps keep the hair in place and away from your face, and it won’t get ruined, regardless of how many miles you run. My only recommendation is to find a cap that is built for ponytails – I have one from Puma that’s really comfortable for women and also for running, as it absorbs sweat quite well.
Before You Leave
Obviously, I’m no beauty guru, so if you have any useful tips – please share them with me. You can find me on TikTok, Instagram, and on Pinterest, and I will be glad to talk. Along with that, don’t forget to subscribe to my blog so that you get more fun and informative content weekly.
Hugging all of you.