I Refuse To Work Out Unless I'm Wearing Makeup And Perfume

The other day, standing in front of the bathroom mirror before my evening jog, I heard my husband incredulously shouting from the living room, "Are you putting makeup on before working out?!" 

 

Yes. Yes, I was putting makeup on.

 

Why? Because I hadn't left the house that day (joys of being a freelance writer) and my skin was an atrocious mess that I couldn't, out of goodwill toward all, force the neighborhood to look at. 

 

And if I had pockets in my running pants, I'd take this compact with me.

I shrugged nonchalantly and just said it was a tinted moisturizer with SPF and, living in the land of incessant Phoenix sunshine, I was doing my skin a favor. You know, preventing skin cancer and premature wrinkling and stuff. (He bought it, by the way! At least I think so…)

 

And I was doing that, I suppose. But I also applied two coats of mascara. And maybe a smidgen of concealer. And OK, yes, I might have spritzed myself with perfume (Philosophy Amazing Grace is my workout and post-shower perfume; it's got that "I am a fresh and dainty lady who never sweats" smell to it).

 

I have the best-smelling sports bras in town.

So no, I didn't just spend that extra 10 minutes in front of the mirror applying makeup just to ensure old man malignant melanoma wouldn't come a knockin'. 

 

I know that a pre-workout face-painting session reads positively vain, but hear me out. I like wearing makeup. It makes me feel confident. Also, I live in a hipster-tastic neighborhood full of cute guys riding bicycles and young 20/30-somethings habitually throwing a few back on the front porch with their comrades. I'll be darned if I run by them with my PMS-hormone-induced pizza face. It's bad enough that I'm huffing and puffing to even make it past the second mile! 

 

And also, sometimes you have to fulfill your neighborly obligations by stopping to comment on how cute your neighbors' dogs are or if they heard such-and-such restaurant was coming to town. Even if I'm gasping for air during those conversations, at least I'm not assaulting them with foul odors or red blotches. Call me insecure, but I prefer to wear a smooth complexion and delicate cloud of feminine perfume at all times. 

 

Hellooooo, down there!

Now, it's not like I apply a full blown smoky eye and red lip every time I go for a hike, head to the gym or run around the neighborhood like a wannabe athlete. I wear the most minimal form of "no makeup" makeup: primer, BB cream or tinted moisturizer with SPF, a little concealer when necessary, and few coats of mascara. 

 

 

I usually start with a good primer. I'm fond of BECCA Resurfacing Primer, which uses a mattifying formula that keeps skin from looking greasy/sweaty without feeling too heavy on the skin. I usually apply it, let it set for a few minutes and then move on with my tinted moisturizer or BB cream. As I mentioned before, I love Dr. Jart+ BB Cream, and it has a built in 25 SPF (bonus!). 

 

If I'm going to be outside in the middle of the day, I'll sometimes use a high-SPF, lightweight sunscreen instead of the primer. My current go to is Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock. (I like to maintain my translucent glow!) The sunscreen also keeps makeup in place, and I love the extra sun protection.

 

If I'm dealing with a breakout--which happens like clockwork a week before riding the crimson wave--I do some spot concealing. (By the way, I haven't found that dream concealer yet, so if anyone has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!)

 

 

I finish off with some tinted SPF lip balm (my favorite is Neutrogena Revitalizing Lip Balm), a few swipes of waterproof mascara and a spritz of Amazing Grace down my shirt and on my neck. And, only after this whole process is over, I finally put on my sneakers and hit the pavement feeling confident and ready to burn off some calories. 

 

Anyone else have a pre-workout makeup session? I can't be the only one!