Exercise Your Options - Working Out With Makeup

So the New Year brought about New Resolutions and Im sure yours was to get fit, right? It's always better to go au natural when working out, but some women still insist on getting glammed up before hitting the gym. Fashion aside, the question remains: Is it OK to wear makeup while working out?

 

Tyra Banks roughting it during her workout.

 

Kim K. roughing it druing her workout.

 

Decide here and now to excercise without makeup on.  Um, who are you trying to impress? First of all, let us just say that if you're going to the gym and working up a sweat, you have a right to look as bad as you want - we are big believers in hitting the gym to work out, not to win a beauty contest. Second, you dont want to be remembered as the girl with smears, drips and splotches of makeup on her face. 

 

Besides that, wearing makeup and sweating isn't a good combo. The reason for this is fairly simple. When we exercise, we increase the volume of blood to our skin and when we get warm, our pores open wider. Sweat can then get into the pores and clog them, and having foundation and makeup on top of that can spell d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r for our skin - causing bacteria build-up and other ugly side effects.

 

Ok, so, maybe you're meeting an old friend there (or hoping to meet that cute guy by the free weights), and you want to look your best. Or, perhaps you just like to look good no matter what you're doing - there's nothing wrong with that either!

 

Since you just can't bear to leave the house naked, we can help! Here are a few tips to help you get through your workout with a pretty face:

• Concealer - just wearing a touch of concealer under your eyes will hide a lot of flaws.
• Waterproof Mascara - this will save you from Raccoon eyes.
• Tinted Moisturizer - while you're working out, you want to put moisture back into your skin.
• Lip Gloss - using regular lipstick will only dry your lips; go with the gloss and glaze.

Whether you choose to look fashionable with or without makeup on, keep in mind that sweat, germy gym equipment and outdoor pollution can all clog your pores. So, after a good workout, be sure to give your face a good cleansing. As always, rehydrate with plenty of water as you exercise.  Your skin will reward you with a nice glow and luminous appearance.

For more ways to look hot at the gym, just be fashionably fit with new gym clothes.

Happy Sweating!

 

Here Comes Honey, Boo Boo!

Honey, the natural amber-colored sweetener that lends a moistness and rich flavor to cakes and cookies, provides many benefits to the body in a few different ways.  I guess we all know that honey is great for healing sore throats, coughs and general cold symptoms, but did you know that the vitamins, minerals and amino acids found in honey make it a wonderful chemical-free skincare product?

One tablespoon of honey a day can do wonders to your body and soul. Although honey is pretty high in calories, when consumed with hot water, it can work as a good weight loss agent by burning the fat stored in our body. Honey raises our protective antioxidant levels which will help in removing these free radicals and build the immunity of the body. Honey's natural antioxidant and anti-fungal properties help disinfect and speed the repair of wounds, damaged tissue and burns, protect the skin from the damage of the sun's rays, supports the skin's ability to rejuvenate and refresh depleted skin; leaving it feeling silky soft, supple and a reduction of wrinkles.

Photo courtesy of The New Zealand Honey Shop

Honey as a wound dressing can help promote healing and prevent infection due to its natural antimicrobial properties. The sugars interact with water in a way that microorganisms cannot develop. When the sweetener comes in contact with wounds, hydrogen peroxide is produced. The creation of the hydrogen peroxide can provide antibacterial benefits to ulcerated areas, which speeds healing and prevents infections.

Honey's ability to absorb impurities from the pores on the skin and retain moisture make it an ideal part of a dry skin regimen.  Using a honey-based facial mask is beneficial to areas of skin that tend to become dry or itchy because it lends moisture to those areas. People have oily skin can also benefit from honey.  The sweetener can help your skin retain moisture and elasticity without drying it out, as some conventional facial washes do.  With the wide-ranging of natural skin care recipes, there's no wonder that you can find a huge number of honey products in the market for hair care, baby care, skin care for sunscreen, hand lotions, facial scrubs and moisturizers.  Honey is the key ingredient in a lot of cosmetics because it helps keep the skin hydrated and fresh and prevents drying. 

There are two primary things to keep in mind when purchasing honey for nutritional purposes. First, dark colored honey, is generally thought to contain higher levels of antioxidants than the lighter colored varieties. Second, raw or unprocessed honey contains the widest variety of health-supportive substances.

Stay Sweet, Honey!

Kisses!