8 Tips for Leaving the Gym Looking Totally Put Together

Whether you’re a bright-and-early exercise enthusiast or prefer to fit in fitness once you’ve finished a full day’s work, there are a few simple steps you can take to pull yourself together post-workout. Here, top beauty gurus share their best strategies that will have you leaving the gym looking as good as you feel. 

Keeping a light bag that stores your hair and makeup musts will come in handy when you need a touch-up. Since lugging around your entire vanity desk would be tough, put all those sample-sized products you’ve collected over the months to use. “Small products keep your bag light, and you don’t have to worry about transferring everything over from your regular makeup bag,” says Sara Martin, makeup artist and the blogger behind Smarty’s Beauty Mark. “Keep multitasking products in there along with makeup remover wipes and travel-size moisturizers.” 

Sure, it might sound like torture, but cold water is incredible for your circulation and will help close your pores and calm down your skin. “That way you won’t be tempted to spend more time looking in the mirror or feel inclined to use more foundation than normal in an effort to cover up the redness from your rigorous workout,” says Martin. 

Your skin will have a bright and vibrant color to it after getting your sweat on, so let that take center stage by keeping your look as natural as possible. “You can apply a bit of tinted moisturizer to combat redness if necessary, but let your skin’s glow show,” says Sonia Kashuk, makeup artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty. Her Undetectable Foundation Stick ($11, target.com) is portable and doubles as a concealer, so you can use it as a spot treatment. 

“Your eyebrows are the final framing to the face and making sure they’re also on point will make all the difference in your look,” says Kashuk. To do this, fill your brows with a pencil as needed, and set them in place with a brow gel. Feel like kicking your look up a notch? Add in some neutral eye shadow over the lid, and then work a deeper neutral shade into the crease for a bit of added definition.

During the colder months, your lips are thirstier than ever—and that’s especially the case when going from a heated gym to the cold outside air. Avoid the dried-out feeling and cracked appearance by applying a lip balm pre- and post-workout. “Instead of a normal lipstick, opt for a tinted moisture balm like Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($23, sephora.com),” says Brianna Solberg, a Michigan-based makeup artist. “It will hydrate without being too sticky, has SPF in case you’re working out outdoors, and has just the right amount of color—no lip liner or mirror required.” 

“If you’re trying to keep your hair bouncy and full of volume [during a workout], try neatly pinning your hair into two buns—one on the crown of your head and one in the nape,” recommends Judy McGuiness, senior hairstylist at Mizu Salon in New York City. “This makes sure you keep the volume and wave at the same time.” Then spritz on some dry shampoo—our fave is Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo ($22, ulta.com) for added texture. Trying to keep your strands smooth and straight? Tie your hair back loosely in a low ponytail during your workout to avoid the dreaded dent in the hair. “I like to use a thick cloth headband to avoid any markings in my hair’s flow,” says McGuiness.

If you missed the chance to prep your hair before your workout, there’s still hope for you, glamour girl. All you need is a blow dryer and some scented spray. “It might be kind of gross to really get in there when your hair’s filled with sweat, but this quick fix can keep your locks from drying in an awkward cowlick,” says Martin. Quickly direct the heat at your hairline to dry up only the most visibly sweaty areas, says Fernando Salas, creator of White Sands Haircare. If you still smell sweat, spray your brush with a spritz of perfume or dry shampoo and run it through your hair, he suggests.

This one’s a no-brainer, but just how much sipping H2O impacts your skin’s appearance is pretty remarkable. “Water is like a magic elixir for your skin,” says Martin. “The more you drink, the better your skin will be, and working out is the best reason to up your intake.” After all, the better you treat your skin, the better it will look, and the less you’ll have to do to get your face looking flawless pre- and post-workout!