Exercising in the morning before school or work can be a great way to start your day. But doing your makeup at the gym post-workout can be a drag—especially if it means having to haul your products around all day long. Enter: gym makeup. While the thought of applying makeup before exercising may seem pointless, there’s plenty of gym-friendly makeup designed to withstand your workout with minimal touch-ups needed. Ahead, we’ll share everything you need to know about wearing makeup to the gym, including what products to use (and which to avoid) and how to sweatproof your look so it stays all day.
What Is Gym Makeup?
Gym makeup is, quite simply, makeup that you wear to the gym. What this means can differ from person to person, but typically, workout makeup consists primarily of lightweight, long-lasting products that won’t melt off or transfer when you break a sweat—think waterproof mascaras and lip stains. Skincare-makeup hybrids can also work well for the gym, though they may fade more quickly than long-lasting waterproof makeup. Ultimately, though, what makeup you choose to wear to the gym is up to you.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Workout Makeup
Working out can be a sweaty affair, but that doesn't mean you have to compromise on looking great. Still, if you’re going to work out with makeup on, there are a few key rules of thumb to follow to ensure you look (and feel) your best throughout your workout.
Fitness makeup dos
- Do opt for long-wearing, waterproof products
- Do use a light hand to avoid weighing down your skin
- Do opt for products designed for your skin type
- Do prep your skin before applying gym makeup (more on this shortly!)
Fitness makeup don’ts
- Don’t use heavy makeup or products that can clog your pores
- Don’t overdo it—less is more
- Don’t forget to take off your makeup at the end of the day
Must-Have Gym-Friendly Makeup Products
When it comes to gym makeup, the right products can make all the difference. Here are some recommendations from NYX Professional Makeup that are perfect for your gym bag.
Workout-friendly face makeup
Generally speaking, exercise makeup should be lightweight, long-lasting, and natural-looking. This isn’t the place for ultra-matte, full-coverage foundations. Instead, even out your complexion with a water-based skin tint or spot-conceal as needed for a more natural finish. If you want to wear blush and bronzer, be sure to opt for long-lasting options that won’t smudge or transfer throughout your workout. It’s also a good idea to opt for highly-pigmented products, as the intense color payoff typically means you can use less product to achieve your desired result.
A skin tint with a soft glow glazed finish in ten flexible shades Blurring tint foundation in 24 medium coverage, matte shades Medium-Coverage Hydrating Concealer for Face and Body High pigment buttery soft powder blush. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear. High pigment, true-to-skin buttery powder bronzer. Fade & transfer resistant with up to 12HR wear. Ultra-smooth, pearl finish stick highlighter 
BUTTERMELT GLAZE SOFT GLOW SKIN TINT SPF 30
Bare With Me Blur Tint Foundation
Bare With Me Concealer Serum
Buttermelt Blush
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Buttermelt Bronzer
JUMBO MULTI-USE HIGHLIGHTER STICK
Workout-friendly lip makeup
While you can wear lipstick (or any other lip product) to the gym, we recommend sticking with long-lasting products that offer a natural look. For hydration, a tinted lip balm can be a great choice. If you anticipate drinking lots of water and need your lip makeup to really stay put, try a lip stain—they’re designed to hold up without smudging or transferring.
Lightweight, buildable pigmented lip oil balm in click up packaging available in 20 shades. Hydrating gloss stain in sixteen shades 
FAT OIL SLICK CLICK
Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain
Workout-friendly eye makeup
When you’re hitting the gym, it’s generally best to stick with waterproof mascaras and eyeliners—you don’t want black ink running into your eye as you try to beat your P.R. The same goes for eyebrow makeup, too—if you plan on completing an intense workout, sweatproof makeup for the gym is the way to go.
Waterproof felt-tip liquid eyeliner pen Multi-use eye crayon Dual-edged brow pencil for precisely filled + naturally shaded brows in twelve colors .jpg?sw=270&sfrm=jpg&q=70)
Epic Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Jumbo Eye Pencil
Blade & Shade Nano Brow Pencil
Workout-friendly finishing products
When wearing makeup for exercising, it’s always a good idea to lock in your look with a long-lasting setting powder or setting spray. If you opt for the latter, be sure to choose a waterproof option—this can help ensure your products stay put no matter how much you sweat. A matte setting spray is an excellent choice, as the velvety finish can help control unwanted shine to keep your skin looking fresh post-workout.
Up to 24h makeup lock and shield, waterproof setting spray 
THE FACE GLUE SETTING SPRAY
How To Wear Makeup at the Gym
You don’t need to dedicate tons of time to your gym makeup look—just a few steps (and a couple of minutes) will get the job done. Here’s how to perfect your exercise makeup routine.
Step 1: Cleanse and moisturize
Begin by cleansing your skin with a gentle cleanser to remove dirt, oil, and debris. Then, smooth on a lightweight moisturizer designed for your skin type and concerns. If you plan on exercising outside, you’ll also want to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen to help shield your skin from damaging UV rays.
Step 2: Prep your skin
Next, smooth on a lightweight makeup primer to help create a smooth, even base for your gym makeup application. For a natural-looking finish, we love The Face Glue Gripping Primer, which offers up to 24 hours of hydration and helps lock makeup in place all day long while remaining light and breathable on the skin. If your skin tends to get shiny, particularly around the T-zone, try a mattifying primer instead. The Marshmellow Smoothing Primer is an excellent pick—and it helps extend makeup wear for up to 16 hours.
Step 3: Apply a lightweight base
After allowing your primer a few moments to absorb, even out your complexion with a lightweight foundation or skin tint. For a glowy, luminous look, try the Buttermelt Glaze Soft Glow Skin Tint SPF 30. It boasts a 93% skincare formula and helps protect skin from the sun without leaving behind a white or chalky cast. For a more matte look, try the Bare With Me Skin Tint Foundation, which offers medium coverage with a blurred, matte finish.
Step 4: Accentuate with highlighter and blush
A light dusting of blush and a pop of highlighter can go a long way in waking up your skin. But for your gym makeup routine, you want to adopt a less-is-more approach—chances are, your cheeks will flush naturally as you work up a sweat. For a subtle look, lightly dust the Buttermelt Blush onto your cheekbones, blending the pigment toward your temples for a sun-kissed effect. Then, dab the Jumbo Multi-Use Highlighter Stick onto the high points of your face for a soft, lit-from-within glow. If you get extra red and sweaty when you work out, feel free to skip this step and move on to your eye makeup.
Step 5: Do a simple eye look
Next, use the Blade & Shade Nano Brow Pencil to fill in any sparse areas in your brows and help create definition. The long-lasting pencil comes in 12 shades to flatter a range of different hair colors—if you’re torn between two hues, opt for the lighter one. After filling in your brows, coat your lashes with a heat- and sweatproof mascara like the Worth The Hype Waterproof Mascara. Eyeshadow isn’t necessary, but if you want to add a little color to your lids, use the Jumbo Eye Pencil in a neutral shade like Frosting or Iced Mocha.
Step 6: Apply a natural lip color
A lip stain is your best bet for locking in a long-lasting lip look for the gym. We’re big fans of the Lip I.V. Hydrating Lip Gloss Stain, which comes in 16 versatile shades. Choose your favorite from the bunch and swipe it onto bare lips for a hydrating, glossy lip look. When the shiny finish fades, you’ll be left with a gorgeous wash of stained color.
Step 7: Lock in your look
When you’ve finished applying your gym makeup, mist your face with a long-lasting setting spray to help set your look. The Face Glue Setting Spray gets our vote—the non-sticky formula helps seal in your look for up to 24 hours of fade- and transfer-proof wear.
How To Maintain Your Post-Workout Glow
If you’re wearing gym makeup simply to look and feel your best while working out, you can go ahead and wash it all off during your post-workout shower. But if you’re heading out and want to refresh your makeup before you hit the road, you may want to touch up a few elements. Fortunately, refreshing your makeup doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. Lightly pat your face dry with a clean towel to remove any sweat, then mist your face with the Bare With Me Multitasking Makeup Setting Spray, which doubles as a hydrating facial mist and a lightweight setting spray. From there, you can get on with your day—no additional touch-ups needed.
Next Up: Try This Simple Makeup Look for Hot Summer Days
Do you have a gym makeup look you swear by? Share it on social and tag us @nyxcosmetics.
